Orange Tree Theatre has announced that Arsema Thomas and Freddy Carter will lead the cast of Poor Clare, written by Chiara Atik and directed by Blanche McIntyre.
The production marks Arsema Thomas’s stage debut and sees Freddy Carter take on the role of Francis. Previews begin on 12 July, with opening night set for 16 July. The run continues until 9 August.
Director Blanche McIntyre said, “Chiara Atik’s Poor Clare is a sharp, funny, and moving play that speaks powerfully to the world we live in today. I’m thrilled with the ensemble we’re bringing together, and especially excited to welcome Arsema Thomas as she makes her stage debut, alongside the superb Freddy Carter. I can’t wait to see how this cast brings such a vibrant and thought-provoking text to life on stage.”
Poor Clare follows Clare, a wealthy young noblewoman in medieval Assisi, whose life of luxury is upended when she meets Francis, a man with radical ideas that challenge everything she knows.
The play has received critical acclaim, winning the 2022 American Theatre Critics Association’s New Play Award and the LA Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Play. It was also a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Award.
Freddy Carter’s stage credits include Agnes Colander (Theatre Royal Bath), Circa (The Vaults), and The Wars of the Roses (Rose Theatre, Kingston). He is known for his screen roles in Shadow and Bone, Masters of the Air, and Wonder Woman.
Arsema Thomas, best known for her role in Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, is a graduate of LAMDA, Yale, and Carnegie Mellon. Her film credits include She Taught Love and Fall 2.
The creative team for Poor Clare includes Eleanor Bull (Set and Costume Design), Oliver Fenwick (Lighting Design), and George Dennis (Sound Design). Full casting will be announced soon.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
