Shakespeare’s Globe is delighted to announce full casting of Metamorphoses, a new play inspired by Ovid’s collection of Greek Myths, written bespoke for the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse by the Globe’s first writers-in-residence in nearly four centuries Sami Ibrahim, Laura Lomas and Sabrina Mahfouz. Co-Directed by the Globe’s Associate Artistic Director, Sean Holmes and Holly Race Roughan.
Ovid’s stories explore the power of transformation, the resilience of humans and the wonder of life. They were a great inspiration to Shakespeare, and now, over 2,000 years later are reimagined for our world today. Also, for the very first time, audiences will be able to buy £5 standing tickets to the main productions in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse with 48 standing tickets available per show.
Michelle Terry, Artistic Director, said: “This important piece of new writing will see the warmth of our candlelit Playhouse embrace some of the most vital voices working right now through the timeless vitality of Ovid’s vision of human nature. This re-imagining of Metamorphoses will explore our boundless capacity for love, cruelty and transformation, as this extraordinary company rewrite fables past, through the lens of our topsy-turvy present, with an eye on our mythically unpredictable future. They cannot help but entertain, comfort and inspire as they go.”
Holly Race Roughan is the new Artistic Director of Headlong. During the pandemic she co-created Signal Fires, a nationwide festival for touring companies, and directed The Ghost Caller by Luke Barnes, an interactive audio drama for the city of Liverpool. She was an Executive Producer on Unprecedented, the BBC Four, Century Films and Headlong drama anthology, directing House Party by April De Angelis and Penny by Charlene James for the series. Previously for Headlong she directed the Ibsen adaptation Hedda Tesman by Cordelia Lynn, and the UK tour of People, Places & Things by Duncan MacMillan. Sean Holmes has most recently directed the Globe’s summer season productions of Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He also directed Henry VI and Richard III in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse last year. Prior to his role as Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe, Sean was the Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of the Lyric Hammersmith, directing 22 productions including the Olivier Award-winning Blasted, the worldwide hit Ghost Stories, and the first stage version of Bugsy Malone in over a decade.
The cast of Metamorphoses will comprise:
Steffan Donnelly: Steffan returns to Shakespeare’s Globe after appearing in Henry IV Parts 1 & 2, Henry VI Parts 1, 2 & 3, Richard III, Othello, The Winter’s Tale, Pericles, Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Titus Andronicus. Other theatre credits include An Oak Tree / Derwen (Tim Crouch), My Body Welsh,Y T?r/The Tower, Outside on the Street (Invertigo), Pilgrims (HighTide/The Yard/Theatr Clwyd), A World Elsewhere (Theatre503); Journeying Boys (Barbican) and I Am Not Manuel (Teatre Lliure, Barcelona). Film and Television credits include The Innocents (Netflix), Shakespeare Uncovered (BBC), Bohemian Rhapsody (20th Century Fox) and Darkest Hour (Working Title Films).
Fiona Hampton: Fiona returns to Shakespeare’s Globe after appearing in Much Ado About Nothing and Raleigh: The Treason Trial. Other theatre credits include Touching the Void (West End and International Tour), Tamburlaine (New Earth Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (New Wolsey Theatre), Winter Hill, Private Lives, The Glass Menagerie, Tull, Of Mice and Men, Lighthearted Intercourse (The Octagon Theatre), Playhouse Creatures (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Changeling (Southwark Playhouse), Roar (The Rose Theatre) and Merchant of Venice (Derby Playhouse). Film and Television credits include Nutritiously Nicola (Double Yay Productions), The Collection (Amazon Prime/BBC Worldwide), Switch (ITV), Revolution (Hollow Crown Productions) and Kingsman: The Secret Service and Legacy (Marv Films).
Charlie Josephine: Charlie’s other theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Royal Shakespeare Company), An Oak Tree (Warwick Arts Centre); Buckets (Orange Tree Theatre), Secret Theatre (Lyric Hammersmith) and Julius Caesar(Donmar Warehouse). Charlie’s self-penned award-winning plays include Bitch Boxer and BLUSH'(Edinburgh Fringe, Soho Theatre, National and International tour).
Irfan Shamji: Irfan’s previous theatre credits include The Living Newspaper (Royal Court), The Arrival (Bush Theatre), Hedda Tesman (Chichester Festival Theatre), Mayfly (The Orange Tree Theatre), One For Sorrow (Royal Court), Dance Nation (Almeida); and Hamlet(Jerwood Vanbrugh Theatre). Film and Television credits include Alder (ITV), Industry (BBC/HBO),The Ipcress File (ITV), Informer (BBC), The Dark Crystal (Netflix), Urban Myths (Sky Arts) and Murder on the Orient Express (20th Century Fox).
Shakespeare’s Globe, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Bankside, SE1 from 30th September – 30th October. Time: 7.30pm. Admission: £5 – £49
Box Office: Shakespearesglobe.com
