We’ve just heard some exciting casting news about tomorrow’s durational reading of The Iliad at The Almeida Theatre. A company of more than 60 artists will bring The Iliad to life in a durational reading on Friday 14 August. The reading will begin at the British Museum and culminate on the Almeida stage. The marathon reading is the latest event in the theatre’s Almeida Greeks Festival.
Homer’s The Iliad is the source myth of Greek drama and the greatest story of heroism, betrayal and war in literature. Directed by Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold and Associate Director Robert Icke, the marathon event’s 60 strong cast will include Nikki Amuka-Bird, Adjoa Andoh, Pippa Benett-Warner, Katie Brayben, Lorna Brown, Simon Callow, Bertie Carvel, Oliver Chris, Simon Coates, Brian Cox, Sinead Cusack, Joe Dixon, Monica Dolan, Amanda Drew, Noma Dumezweni, Tim Dutton, Lisa Dwan, Caroline Faber, Will Featherstone, Stephen Fewell, Susannah Fielding, Deborah Findlay, Annie Firbank, Kate Fleetwood, Barbara Flynn, Naomi Frederick, Mariah Gale, Mark Gatiss, Julian Glover, Simon Goldhill, Adrian der Gregorian, Scott Handy, Janine Harouni, Ian Hart, Kevin Harvey, John Heffernan, Joshua Higgott, William Houston, Rory Kinnear, Lesley Manville, Eleanor Matsuura, Ian McDiarmid, Tobias Menzies, Hattie Morahan, Jonjo O’Neill, Tim Pigott-Smith, Ben Porter, Prasanna Puwanarajah, Paul Ready, Jenna Russell, Simon Russell Beale, Michael Shaeffer, Annabel Scholey, John Simm, Jonathan Slinger, Sharon Small, Matthew Spencer, Gavin Spokes, Tafline Steen, Janet Suzman, Luke Thompson, Sam West, Ben Whishaw, Lia Williams, Angus Wright and Hara Yannas.
The whole event will be streamed on the Almeida’s website. Click through for more information. It all kicks off a 9am BST tomorrow, Friday 14th August.
The Almeida Greeks Festival will run until October alongside the main stage productions of Bakkhai and Medea. Inspired in spirit and form by the ancient Festivals of Dionysos, the festival will include an eclectic mix of performances, events, talks and readings as an array of contemporary artists interrogate the Ancient Greek canon.
