Mercury Theatre Colchester Reveals Full Cast for THE MANNINGTREE WITCHES

Mercury Theatre Colchester has announced the full casting for the world premiere production of award-winning Mercury Playwright Ava Pickett's new play The Manningtree Witches.

Based on the award-winning novel by A. K. Blakemore, the gripping historical drama is a fiercely modern exploration of fear, control, and what happens when women's voices are silenced. Following 17-year-old Rebecca West in 1643 Essex, The Manningtree Witches tells the true story of England's first Witchfinder General and wrenches the women he killed out from the shadows of history and into the spotlight.

Joining the previously announced Lucy Mangan (Playfight – Soho Theatre, Edinburgh Festival, UK Tour, Macbeth – UK & US Tour) as Rebecca West, Sam Mitchell (To Kill a Mockingbird – West End, My Beautiful Laundrette – Leicester Curve & Tour) as Matthew Hopkins, Gina Isaac (Roots – Mercury Theatre, Julius Caesar – Royal Shakespeare Company, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – UK Tour) as Anne ‘The Beldam' West, and current Mercury Theatre Associate Artist Chileya Mwampulo (Treasure Island – Eastern Angles, Teechers - New Wolsey Theatre & Tour) as Judith, will be Gabriel Agha making his professional acting debut as Thomas Briggs, Fiona Branson (Eastenders – BBC TV, Silent Witness -  BBC TV) as Bess Clarke, Amy Cudden (Coronation Street, One Man Two Guvnors – West End) as Mrs Briggs and Leah Miller, Gavin Fowler (The Merchant of Venice 1936 – West End & tour, Filumena - UK tour) as John Edes, Jack Gogarty (The Giant's Necklace - Wilton's Music Hall,  A Look At Bedtime - Southwark Playhouse) as John Stearne, Mia Jerome (Romeo & Juliet - Jamie Lloyd Company, Small Wonders / The Lost lending Library - Punchdrunk Enrichment) as Margaret Moone, and Maria Louis (Silence - Mercury Theatre/ Salisbury Theatre, Chicken Palace - Theatre Royal Stratford East) as Liz Godwin.  The production will also a feature a community chorus of local performers.

Natasha Rickman, Artistic Director of Mercury Theatre and director of The Manningtree Witches , says –

"I am delighted to be working with this extraordinary cast to bring this beautiful new play to the Mercury stage. It is a pleasure to have among them an array of Essex talent, including several company members living right here in Colchester, to bring this piece of our history to the stage."

Adapted by Ava Pickett (1536 - Almeida Theatre, Emma – Rose Theatre, Kingston), The Manningtree Witches will mark the first Mercury Original to have its world premiere on the Colchester theatre's main stage. The Mercury Original will be in association with Mercury Theatre Associate Company Frantic Assembly and is supported by Eleanor Lloyd Productions. It has also been developed with support from The National Theatre's Generate programme, through a Jerwood workshop.