Photo Flash: ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD At TRH

Following a three week run at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Trevor Nunn directs a company led by Samuel Barnett and Jamie Parker in Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead which runs at the Theatre Royal Haymarket from 16 June - 20 August, with press night on 21 June 2011. Set design is by Simon Higlett, with costumes by Fotini Dimou, lighting by Tim Mitchell, sound by Paul Groothuis and music by Steven Edis. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead is produced by the Chichester Festival Theatre, the Theatre Royal Haymarket and Triumph Entertainment Limited.

Joining Samuel Barnett (Rosencrantz) and Jamie Parker (Guildenstern) are Chris Andrew Mellon (The Player), Michael Benz (Horatio), Fiona Gillies (Gertrude), Tom Golding (Fortinbras), Jack Hawkins (Hamlet), Andrew Jarvis (Polonius/Ambassador), Katherine Press (Ophelia) and James Simmons (Claudius) as well as Trevor Allan Davies, Tomm Coles, Jody Elen Machin, Zac Fox, Charlie Hamblett, Elisabeth Hopper, Greg Last, James Northcote, Stephen Pallister and Keith Thompson.

In Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, a verbally scintillating and richly inventive play, Stoppard retells Hamlet through the eyes of two of its minor characters. Vaguely conscious that they are bit parts in a much bigger story of which they have no direct knowledge, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hilariously and poignantly inhabit a world completely beyond their grasp.

Samuel Barnett, who will play Rosencrantz, was last on stage as Leantio in Women Beware Women at The National Theatre. He played Posner in Alan Bennett's The History Boys at The National Theatre, on Broadway, on film and on the radio. His other theatre credits include His Dark Materials for The National Theatre, The Whisky Taster and When You Cure Me for the Bush Theatre, Dealers Choice for the Menier Chocolate Factory, The Marriage of Figaro for the Royal Exchange Theatre, Accrington Pals for Chichester Festival Theatre and Frankenstein for the Open Air Theatre Regents Park. On television his credits include Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps, Miss Marple, Beautiful People, Desperate Romantics, Crooked House, John Adams and the title role in Wilfred Owen: A Tale of Remembrance. His other film credits include Bright Star, Mrs Henderson Presents and Love tomorrow.

Jamie Parker, who will play Guildenstern, has recently completed a run at Sheffield Theatre's as Tony Ferris in David Hare's Racing Demon. Previously he has been seen as Prince Hal in Henry IV Parts I and II; A New World-The Life of Thomas Payne and As You Like It at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre as well as in roles in My Zinc Bed at the Theatre Royal Northampton, Singer at the Tricycle Theatre and The Revenger's Tragedy for The National Theatre. Parker also played Scripps in Alan Bennett's The History Boys at The National Theatre, on Broadway and on film. His other film credits include Valkyrie. His television credits include The Hour, Horne and Cordon, Silent Witness, Maxwell, Wire in the Blood and Foyles War.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead was first staged at the Edinburgh Festival in 1966 and at The National Theatre the following year. Since then, it has been performed in many languages. In 1990, the play was made into a film directed by the author.