Jade Anouka To Star As Margaret Of Anjou in QUEEN MARGARET

Shakespeare wrote more lines for Queen Margaret than he did for King Lear yet we know very little of her. Jeanie O'Harere-acquaints us with one of Shakespeare's major but rarely performed characters in her new play QUEEN MARGARET. In a production that draws on original language from Shakespeare, director Elizabeth Freestone and Jade Anouka as Margaret, retell an iconic moment in British History through the eyes of the extraordinary Margaret of Anjou. This captivating exploration of The Wars of the Roses seen through the eyes of this astonishing, dangerous and thrilling woman opens our Autumn Winter 2018/19 Season on 14 September and runs until 6 October.

The young Queen arrives in an unhappy kingdom, festering with plots against the crown, and in retreat from the newly confident France. As North and South fracture into civil war we see Margaret, wife and mother, become a politician and a warrior. Exercising all of the power and influence the throne of England can offer, she is determined to secure the crown for her son.

Jade Anouka, Screen International's Star of Tomorrow most recently starred in THE PHLEBOTOMIST (Hampstead Theatre) and on screen in ITV's drama, TRAUMA. This Autumn she will star opposite Sheridan Smith in ITV's CLEANING UP. Her impressive theatre credits include; MOON ON A RAINBOW SHAWL at the National Theatre, COVER MY TRACKSat The Old Vic, CHEF Edinburgh Fringe 2014, HAMLET at Shakespeare's Globe and Donmar Warehouse's all-female Shakespeare Trilogy, THE TEMPEST, JULIUS CAESAR and HENRY IV.

The cast is completed by Islam Bouakkaz, Lorraine Bruce, Samuel Edward-Cook, Dexter Flanders, Helena Lymbery,Lucy Mangan, Roger Morlidge, Kwami Odoom, Bridgitta Roy and Max Runham.

Jeanie O'Hare is Director of New Work Development at The Public Theatre in New York. She was Chair of Playwriting at the Yale School of Drama from 2012-16, and Company Dramaturg for the Royal Shakespeare Company for seven years. During that time she worked on classics, new plays and musicals including the commissioning and development of Matilda the Musical. She was Literary Manager of Hampstead Theatre from 2001-2004. She trained at The Royal Court Theatre under Artistic Director Stephen Daldry from 1994-2000.

Director Elizabeth Freestone's recent freelance work includes: HENRY V (Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory), HOUSE AND GARDEN (The Watermill) and THE RAPE OF LUCRECE, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS and HERE LIES MARY SPINDLER (Royal Shakespeare Company). She is the former Artistic Director of Pentabus Theatre Company for whom she directed many new plays including HERE I BELONG, MILKED and EACH SLOW DUSK. She has a long association with the National Theatre Studio including as Director on Attachment and Artist in Residence and worked as a Staff Director at the National, Hampstead, the Royal Court and the RSC. She was the Associate Director for the National's A CAUCASIAN CHALK CIRCLE and PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS at St Ann's Warehouse, New York.

The creative team includes; Designer Amanda Stoodley, Lighting Designer Johanna Town, Sound Designer Adrienne Quartly and Movement Director Vicki Manderson.