London Theatre Company present Richard II with Jonathan Bailey

London Theatre Company have this week released a first look of Jonathan Bailey and the company of Richard II on their first day of rehearsals…

Directed by Nicholas Hytner, this fresh take on Shakespeare’s subtle, caustic and powerful play Richard II is in rehearsals now and performances begin 10 February 2025 at the Bridge Theatre playing for 13 weeks only, until 10 May 2025.

The cast stars Jonathan Bailey as Richard II, with Royce Pierreson as Henry Bullingbrook, Christopher Osikanlu Colquhoun as Earl of Northumberland, Olivia Popica as Queen Isabel, Amanda Root as Alice Green and the Duchess of York and Phoenix Di Sebastiani as Thomas Mowbray and Groom.

Richard II is charismatic, eloquent, and flamboyantly witty. And a disastrous King – dishonest, dangerous, and politically incompetent. Echoing down the centuries is the perennial problem: how to deal with a ruler who has a rock-solid right to rule but is set on wrecking the country he leads. Shakespeare’s subtle, caustic, and powerful play revolves round two startlingly modern figures: Richard, an autocrat who believes he is divinely sanctioned, and Henry Bullingbrook, a hard-headed pragmatist who has genuine authority.

The production also stars Clive Wood as John of Gaunt. Returning to the Bridge Theatre is Michael Simkins as the Duke of York.

Richard II – London Theatre Company have released a first look of Jonathan Bailey and the company / Image By: Craig Sugden

The cast is completed by Adam Best as Sir John Bagot, Seamus Dillane as Lord Surrey, Vinnie Heaven as Aumerle, Jordan Kouamé as Sir John Bushy and Harry Percy, Gerard Monaco as Sir Stephen Scroop and Keeper, George Taylor as Lord Fitzwater, and Badria Timimi as Abbess of Carlisle.

Richard II will play the Bridge Theatre from 10 February until 10 May 2025. Richard II comes hot on the heels of London Theatre Company’s critically acclaimed immersive production of Guys & Dolls which last weekend had its final performance; having played from 3 March 2023 to 4 January 2025.

Over the course of its run Guys & Dolls won an Olivier Award for Best Choreography, three WhatsOnStage Awards including Best Musical Revival, the Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Musical and the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical.

Understudies in Richard II are Emma Bown, Martin Carroll and Stephan Boyce.