Al Murray will make his West End acting debut as King Charles II in the work ahead of its tour this fall.
Simon Nye's The Crown Jewels has revealed the final cast for its upcoming West End premiere at the Garrick Theatre where it will play July 7-September 16. Opening July 19, the TV writer's first play will star Al Murray in his West End acting debut as King Charles II. Gold Casting
Joining the company are Adonis Siddique as Wythe Edwards/Footman, Dedun Omole as Footman, Ryan Lane as William Smith/Footman, Kieran Brown as Footman, and Emma Bown as Footman.
The comedy previously announced Al Murray (The Pub Landlord) as Charles II/Talbot Edwards, Mel Giedroyc (The Great British Bake Off) as Mrs Edwards/French Noblewoman, Carrie Hope Fletcher (Bad Cinderella) as Elizabeth Edwards/ Lady of the Bedchamber, Aidan McArdle (Leopoldstadt) as Colonel Blood, Neil Morrissey (Men Behaving Badly) as Captain Perrot/Tourist, Joe Thomas (The Inbetweeners) as Tom Blood Jnr/ Tourist, and Tanvi Virmani (Life of Pi) as Jenny Blaine/Jailer.
Based on a true story, The Crown Jewels tells one of the boldest heist attempts in British history when Colonel Blood attempted to steal the crown jewels—in plain sight. Multi-Olivier winner Sean Foley (Upstart Crow) will direct the West End premiere before the show goes on tour this fall with stops at Salford's The Lowry (September 19-23), Canterbury's Marlowe Theatre (September 25-30), Cardiff's New Theatre (October 2-7), and Milton Keynes Theatre (October 10-14).
Nye said in a statement, “I hope audiences will be as titillated and thrilled as I am at the prospect of a riotous comedy-drama about a crown jewels heist that really happened. True crime comes to the West End, 350 years after the event. The cast is an amazing array of comedy talent, and the subject matter absurdly topical. Satire, sword-fighting, love, violence, an examination of the monarchy and Anglo-Irish relations—could you ask for anything more?"
Foley described the work in a statement as “an entirely modern take on the Restoration comedy." The timing of the production is particularly worth noting as it is set a the time England gained a new king whose name was Charles, echoing the current state of the U.K. as King Charles III was crowned last month.
Completing the creative team are set and costume Designer Michael Taylor, lighting designer Natasha Chivers, and sound designer Andy Graham. Music is by Grant Olding.
The Crown Jewels is produced by Simon Friend in association with Adam Kenwright, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Jenny King, Gavin Kalin, David Adkin, and JAS Productions.
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