Damian Lewis and Milly Alcock are set to star in productions of Henry V and Julie at the Old Vic, two of the four shows forming Rupert Goold's inaugural season as artistic director of the London theatre.
From January, Lewis, known for Homeland and Band Of Brothers, will take on the role of Henry V in Goold's staging of the Shakespeare play. The Old Vic described the production, which follows England's warrior-king leading his army into battle against overwhelming odds, as a "provocative production (which) challenges what makes a leader a legend".
Julie and Assassins join the season
In April, Alcock, best known for Supergirl and House Of The Dragon, will play the title role in Julie, a contemporary adaptation of August Strindberg's Miss Julie. Directed by Rebecca Frecknall, the production centres on a woman "fuelled by desire, repressed by expectations and caged by society".
The Old Vic said: "Stumbling into the kitchen on the night of her 21st birthday party, Julie seeks out her father's employees John and Christine. As one room becomes a battlefield of class and sexual politics, a reckless flirtation becomes a merciless contest, sending all three people hurtling towards destruction."
From June, Goold will also direct Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Tony Award-winning musical Assassins, a satire about a group of misfits who have attempted to assassinate the president of the United States. The theatre said the play "asks why so many people throughout American history have sought to give violence a voice".
Kohlhaas completes the line-up
The season is completed by the one-man show Kohlhaas, based on the 1810 novella Michael Kohlhaas. It will star Arinze Kene and run from August. The synopsis said: "When a nobleman wrongfully seizes two of Michael Kohlhaas's horses, he begins a quest for justice that sees him take on the political establishment, with violent and far-reaching consequences."
Goold said: "I am thrilled to be presenting my first season with a collection of plays that speaks to the Old Vic's rich history of classical theatre, European repertoire and musical revivals." He added: "I hope my Old Vic will be able to draw on this theatre's storied legacy of sensational acting in groundbreaking and accessible productions."
"The Old Vic, which has always sat between the subsidised and commercial sectors, dancing to its own distinctive tune, is innately a maverick playhouse. Home of national companies, birthplace of national treasures, I feel both excited and humble before its history. Building on the fine work of Matthew Warchus, I hope this new era may find its inspiration from that marriage of tradition and contemporary daring that has characterised its glorious past."
New ticketing scheme for under-30s
From this season, people under 30 will have access to a new ticketing scheme, Old Vic New Rush, offering front row tickets for £20 for the first five previews of every main house show. A limited number of rush tickets will be released two weeks before the first preview on a first come, first served basis, with eligible people able to sign up at oldvictheatre.com.
Old Vic executive director Laura Stevenson said it was a "real privilege to be working alongside Rupert as we begin the Old Vic's next chapter with the announcement of his first season". She added: "This new era marks an exciting moment for our theatre. Our ambition is to be a welcoming place for people of all ages to experience the joy and power of theatre."
Henry V runs from January 26 until March 27, and Julie is on from April 10 to May 29. Assassins runs from June 15 until August 21, with Kohlhaas playing from August 27 to September 4.
