The Royal Shakespeare Company has announced full casting for its summer family production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona, running at The Other Place in Stratford-upon-Avon from Monday 4th to Sunday 31st August 2025.
This 80-minute adaptation offers a lively and accessible introduction to Shakespeare, featuring a cast of actor-musicians and the beloved Crab the dog.
Director Joanna Bowman said:
“The Two Gentlemen of Verona is an exuberant celebration of the joys, discoveries and contradictions of youth. Two Gents has it all: a love triangle, gender disguise, a forest outside the city walls where love can be declared and wrongs settled, and a band of outlaws.
“I am thrilled by the cast we have discovered for this production. Perhaps Shakespeare’s first comedy, Two Gents fizzes with vitality and ambition, exploding off the page and onto the stage. Finding a company of actors to match the energy of the play has been a pleasure – a number of the company are making RSC and professional debuts, capturing a sense of the ecstasies and delights of youth that lies at the heart of the play. The four lovers are ridiculously talented young actors at the start of their professional lives, much like the characters in the play. Coupled with an ensemble cast of brilliantly talented actor-musos, featuring some fiercely funny servants and, of course, Crab the dog (the only dog in Shakespeare!), I cannot wait to get into the text.
“To make my RSC debut with this production, a little-known play that contains so many of the innovations that will go onto define his best-known works, is tremendously exciting. I am so looking forward to sharing it with audiences.”
The cast includes Tom Babbage, Darrell Brockis, Fred Double, Aisha Goodman, Jonny Khan, Stuart McLoughlin, Siân Stephens, Katherine Toy, and Lance West.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona follows best friends Valentine and Proteus as their bond is tested by love and rivalry. With disguises, a forest, and a dog, this production promises a heartwarming and humorous experience for all ages.
Joanna Bowman, Associate Director at Tron Theatre, leads the creative team which includes Francis O’Connor (Set and Co-Costume Design), Derek Anderson (Lighting), John Patrick Elliott (Composer), Khalil Madovi (Sound), Jennifer Jackson (Movement), Matthew Dewsbury CDG (Casting), and Zoe Cooper (Dramaturg).
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
