The Stage

Frances Barber among stars in Dromgoole’s first Globe season

Published Tuesday 28 February 2006 at 16:00 by Liz Thomas

Frances Barber, Jonathan Cake and Douglas Hodge will all star at Shakespeare’s Globe this year in Dominic Dromgoole’s first season as artistic director.

Cake, who recently starred in Channel 4’s The Government Inspector will appear in the title role in Coriolanus, which opens the new season on May 5. It will be the first time it has been performed at the Globe and will be directed by Dromgoole. Hodge, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for his performance as Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls, will play the lead in Titus Andronicus. The show, which opens on May 20, will be directed by Lucy Bailey. Having won praise for her performance in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest alongside Christian Slater, and popular acclaim starring in Aladdin at the Old Vic with Ian McKellen, Barber returns to the stage this year as Cleopatra. Also directed by Dromgoole, Antony and Cleopatra is on from June 25.

Dromgoole said: “We are delighted that these three top actors are coming to join us for our first season. Jonathan, Doug and Frances are not only all ideally suited for each role but they are also highly respected actors, and are encouraging a raft of other fine actors to come and join us. We could not ask for better talent in these lead roles, nor for finer supporting players than Robin Soans, Shaun Parkes and Sarah Woodward. This is a new level of casting for the Globe.”