Toby Stephens, Gina McKee, Paul McGann and Angel Coulby are in The Forest

Hampstead Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for the world premiere of Florian Zeller’s new play, The Forest.

Running from 5 February until 12 March 2022, The Forest is translated by Zeller’s long-time collaborator Christopher Hampton, and directed by Jonathan Kent, who re-unites with Zeller after his critically acclaimed production of The Height of the Storm.

At this turning point of his life, Pierre finds himself tormented by the conflicting demands of family, career and sexual desire. His struggle to resolve this crisis, without fracturing his marriage or compromising his moral code, is explored in unsettling ways. I’m telling you a story if that’s all right with you. Apparently, you’ve no objection to telling stories yourself. Am I right?

Toby Stephens, Gina McKee, Paul McGann and Angel Coulby are joined in the cast by Millie Brady, Silas Carson, Finbar Lynch, Sakuntala Ramanee and Eddie Toll. Director Jonathan Kent will be joined by designer, Anna Fleischle; lighting designer, Hugh Vanstone; sound designer, Isobel Waller-Bridge; casting director, Lotte Hines and associate designer and costume co-designer, Jasmine Swan.

Jonathan Kent, director of The Forest, said:

“Zeller’s mysterious and fascinating new play is unlike anything he’s written before and, in fact, unlike anything I’ve ever directed.  It demands all the creative and inventive talents of the remarkable company of actors I’ve been lucky enough to assemble.”

Hampstead Theatre is currently staging Alan Plater’s Peggy For You, directed by Richard Wilson and starring Tamsin Greig in the title role, until 29 January 2022.  Peggy For You is based on the life of Alan Plater’s former agent, the legendary Peggy Ramsay.  Greig is joined by Josh Finan, Trevor Fox, Danusia Samal and Jos Vantyler in this Olivier-nominated play (2001), which received its world premiere at Hampstead Theatre in 1999.

The world premiere of Folk, Nell Leyshon’s beautiful play with songs, will debut at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs from 18 December until 5 February 2022, with direction by Artistic Director Roxana Silbert.  Inspired by a true story and set in Leyshon’s home county of Somerset, Folk features Ben Allen, Sasha Frost, Mariam Haque and Simon Robson.