Full Cast Set for ARCHDUKE European Premiere at Royal Court Theatre
Olivier winner Chris Walley leads cast alongside Marc Wootton and Janice Connolly at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs
The Royal Court Theatre in association with Brian & Dayna Lee has announced the full cast and creative team for the European Premiere of Archduke by Pulitzer Prize finalist Rajiv Joseph (Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo), directed by Lyndsey Turner (1536) and designed by Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy). The production runs at the Royal Court in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from Saturday 20 June to Saturday 25 July 2026, with press night on Friday 26 June 2026.
The full, multi-award-winning cast features stars of stage, screen and comedy: Olivier Award-winner Chris Walley (The Lieutenant of Inishmore, West End; cult BBC comedy The Young Offenders), Abraham Popoola (Warner Bros' Shiver), Stanley Morgan (Lyndsey Turner's The Little Foxes, Young Vic), Janice Connolly (Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights and comedy circuit headliner as her alter ego Mrs Barbara Nice) and British Comedy Award and Rose d'Or Award Winner Marc Wootton (Nativity!, National Theatre's Till The Stars Come Down).
An irreverent reimagining of a pivotal moment in history, Archduke blends mounting tension with biting wit in a timely European premiere for an age of restless young men. Set in Belgrade, 1914, three hungry young men are offered something to eat (and the chance to change the course of history). Their mission: kill Archduke Franz Ferdinand and set the century alight.
The Lighting Designer is Neil Austin, Sound Designer is Tingying Dong, Costume Designer is Evie Gurney, Illusion Designer is Skylar Fox, Casting Direction from Julia Horan CDG. Ryan O'Conner joins for props. The Associate Designers are Alice Hallifax and Temitayo Shonibare and the Fight Director is Sam Lyon-Behan.
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