It looks like Josie Rourke is getting a little demob happy at the Donmar, as her penultimate season as artistic director sees a fresh twist on gender swapping that feels like a genuine first. Hayley Atwell and Jack Lowden will star in a new production of Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure in which they will alternate the roles of Isabella and Angelo, midway through the show. Heaven knows how it will work but Lord knows I can’t wait to find out.
Brian Friel’s Aristocrats, directed by Lyndsey Turner, is also added to the slate, and this will be Turner’s fourth staging of a Friel play after Faith Healer, Philadelphia, Here I Come! and Fathers and Sons. The cast includes Elaine Cassidy, Daniel Dawson, David Ganley, Emmet Kirwan, Aisling Loftus, Ciaran McIntyre and Eileen Walsh.
Starting the season off though is the previously announced The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, starring Lia Williams and directed by Polly Findlay. The rest of the cast consists of Edward MacLiam, Nicola Coughlan, Angus Wright and Sylvestra Le Touzel.
Rourke said she was “delighted” to announce the season’s three productions, all of which are directed by women
