Sigourney Weaver will make her West End debut as Prospero in a new production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest, while Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell will star in Much Ado About Nothing.
The two plays will form part of a season of Shakespeare from The Jamie Lloyd Company at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
They will be the first of the Bard’s works to be performed at the theatre since Peter Brook’s production of The Tempest starring John Gielgud in 1957.
Both will be directed by Lloyd, who is currently staging Romeo and Juliet, starring Marvel actor Tom Holland and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers in the lead roles, in the capital.
Alien actress Sigourney, 74, will play storm-creating wizard Prospero in the new staging of Shakespeare’s classic The Tempest, in a role normally played by a man.
Sigourney Weaver will make her West End debut as Prospero in a new production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest (pictured May)
While Tom Hiddleston (pictured in May) will star alongside Hayley Atwell in Much Ado About Nothing
The two plays will form part of a season of Shakespeare from The Jamie Lloyd Company at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (Hayley pictured in April)
The production will premiere on December 19, with previews starting on December 7, and will remain in theaters until February 1, 2025.
She said: “I’m delighted to be making my West End debut in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, directed by the brilliant Jamie Lloyd, and to be doing so at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beautiful and historic Theatre Royal Drury Lane is an extraordinary opportunity. Please come and see us!”
Tom, 43, and Hayley, 42, will play enemies-lovers Benedict and Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, which is set to premiere on February 19, with previews beginning on February 10 and running through April 5, 2025.
Loki star Tom said: ‘Working with Jamie Lloyd on Harold Pinter’s Betrayal was one of the most fulfilling and meaningful experiences of my acting life.’
‘I couldn’t be more thrilled to have been given the opportunity to collaborate with him again, this time on one of Shakespeare’s warmest and most joyful plays: Much Ado About Nothing.’
‘It is an honour to have been invited by Andrew Lloyd Webber to bring Shakespeare back to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, for a season alongside Sigourney Weaver in The Tempest, and to work for the first time with the great Hayley Atwell.’
Captain America actress Hayley added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Jamie Lloyd’s company for the third time in my career.”
‘His bold and electric direction, combined with the warmth and wit of one of Shakespeare’s most celebrated comedy duos, is a truly exciting opportunity and one that I hope will delight our audiences.’
Alien actress Sigourney, 74, will play storm-creating wizard Prospero in the new staging of Shakespeare’s classic The Tempest, in a role normally played by a man (Sigourney in the Alien film).
They will be the first Bard plays to be performed at the theatre since Peter Brook’s production of The Tempest starring John Gielgud in 1957 (Peter pictured in July 2022)
“I’m looking forward to working with my talented friend Tom Hiddleston and bringing The Bard back to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.”
Tickets for both shows will be available to under-30s, essential workers and those on government benefits for £25, as part of the company’s commitment to accessibility.
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, the theatre’s owner, said: ‘When I was nine I was taken to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to see Peter Brook’s legendary production of The Tempest with John Gielgud as Prospero.’
“It made a deep impression on me. At the last performance, Gielgud broke Prospero’s cane and pronounced that Shakespeare would never be performed at the Theatre Royal again because “he would be lost to musicals.”
“Ever since I became the owner of the Theatre Royal, I have been determined to prove him wrong. So it is a huge joy that Jamie Lloyd is bringing Shakespeare back to the Lane and even more wonderful that the first of two Shakespeare plays is The Tempest.”
Tickets for The Tempest will go on sale to priority booking registrants on 6 August at 11am; general booking will open on 7 August at 11am. Ticket sale dates for Much Ado About Nothing have yet to be announced.