The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui

Joe Alessi_2026_c_ the artist_420683
Butcher / Dullfleet / Prosecution Joe Alessi

RSC includes: Antony & Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors 

Theatre includes: Romeo & Juliet (Liverpool Everyman), Spend Spend Spend (Royal Exchange), Grenfell: in the words of survivors (National Theatre, St Anne's Warehouse New York), They Don’t Pay? We Won’t Pay! (Mercury Theatre), The Wicker Husband (Watermill Theatre), Moonlight & Magnolias (Nottingham Playhouse), The Lorax (Old Vic), Fatherland (Royal Exchange/Lyric Hammersmith), The Plague (Arcola Theatre), Adding Machine (Finborough Theatre), Monster Raving Loony (Drum Theatre, Plymouth & Soho Theatre), The One That Got Away (Ustinov Theatre, Bath), The Hook (Royal & Derngate, Northampton and Everyman, Liverpool), Brief Encounter (Kneehigh, UK, USA, Australian Tours and St Anne's Warehouse, Brooklyn, Studio 54, Broadway), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Royal & Derngate, Northampton), Tartuffe (Liverpool Playhouse and ETT UK Tour), Absurd Person Singular (Curve, Leicester), Privates on Parade (West Yorkshire Playhouse and Birmingham Rep), The Drowsy Chaperone (West End), The Postman Always Rings Twice (West Yorkshire Playhouse and West End), The Play Wot I Wrote (UK Tour), Light (Complicite, Almeida Theatre and UK Tour), The Colour of Justice - The Stephen Lawrence Enquiry (Tricycle Theatre, London), Animal Crackers (Royal Exchange, UK Tour, Barbican and West End) 

 

 

Valerie Antwi_2026_c_ the artist_421928
Ensemble / Swing Valerie Antwi

This is Valerie’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: Men Behaving Badly (Barn Theatre), Noises Off, The Comedy of Errors (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Foreverland (Southwark Playhouse), One Last Push (Salisbury Playhouse), Harry Potter & The Cursed Child (Palace Theatre), The Rebellious Women of Wimbledon (Attic Theatre Company), The Merchant of Venice (Orange Tree Theatre), Mary Stuart (Duke of York's Theatre), Coriolanus, King Lear (Barbican), Our Country’s Good, The Recruiting Officer (Theatre by the Lake), Romeo and Juliet (National Theatre Tour), Blood Wedding (Lion and Unicorn Theatre), Clybourne Park (Bridewell Theatre), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (Barons Court Theatre), Sweet Charity (Cockpit Theatre), Jenufa (Arcola Theatre), The Winter’s Tale (Capitol Theatre) 

Screen includes:  Eastenders, Casualty (BBC), Seven Dials Club (Netflix), DI Ray (ITV), Kapital (Prodigal Productions), The Joy of Text (Newton Productions), Sofia’s Diary (Sony Pictures), The Division 2 (Ubisoft)

 

Janie Dee_2026_c_ the artist_421051
Betty Dullfleet / Bowl / O'Casey / Defence Janie Dee

RSC includes: Shakespeare Revue (Barbican) 

Theatre includes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, All’s Well That Ends Well (Globe), Much Ado About Nothing (The Peter Hall Company, Theatre Royal Bath), Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), The Motive and the Cue (National Theatre), Antony and Cleopatra (Globe at the Barbican and The Hollywood Bowl), Comic Potential (Lyric Theatre and Manhattan Theatre -  Olivier Award for Best Actress, Evening Standard Award, Critics Circle Award in London, Obie Award and Theatre World Best Newcomer Award in New York), Woman in Mind, House/Garden (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Vaudeville Theatre), Betrayal (Duchess Theatre/Tour), Old Times, Celebration (Gate Dublin, Albery Theatre / Tour), Design for Living, The Apple Cart (Theatre Royal Bath/Tour), Moonlight/Night School (Harold Pinter Theatre), Fallen Angels (Menier Chocolate Factory), Blithe Spirit (Gielgud Theatre), Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Theatre Royal Bath, Charing Cross Theatre), Hand to God (Vaudeville Theatre), Linda (Manhattan Theatre Club), The Seagull (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), NSFW (Royal Court), Noises Off (Old Vic, Novello Theatre), Shadowlands (Wyndham’s Theatre), Three Sisters, A Month in the Country (Chichester Festival Theatre)

Musical theatre credits include: Old Friends (Gielgud Theatre), Follies (National Theatre -  Evening Standard Award for Best Musical Performance), A Little Night Music (Palace Theatre, Buxton Opera House, Holland Park Opera), Putting It Together (St James Theatre),  Passion (The Cantiere Festival in Montepulciano, Italy), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in Concert (London Palladium), My One and Only (Chichester Festival Theatre, Piccadilly Theatre), Mack and Mabel (Criterion Theatre), The King and I, Hello, Dolly! (Curve Leicester - UK Theatre Best Performance Award), Carousel (National Theatre - Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical) 

Film and television includes: The Burning Girls (Paramount +), You & Me (ITVX), Chimerica and Crashing (Channel 4), Official Secrets, P.D. James’s Death in Holy Orders & The Murder Room, Me and Orson Welles 

Radio dramas include: Afterplay, series of Ian Fleming’s James Bond dramas (BBC Radio 4).  

 

 

Mark Gatiss headshot options_2026_c_ the artist_405283
Arturo Ui Mark Gatiss Mark Gatiss has had a long and varied career as a writer, director and producer behind the camera, as well as being a critically-acclaimed actor and published author. 

His early success on television was as part of the comedy troupe The League of Gentlemen, for which he both wrote and appeared onscreen as various characters.  

He had a childhood passion for Doctor Who and both wrote for and starred in the modern revival. He was also the writer and executive producer of An Adventure in Space and Time, a drama of the genesis of the series as part of the show’s 50th Anniversary celebrations in 2013.  

Mark is the co-creator and executive producer of Sherlock, the hit BBC series starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman which has seen unprecedented global success and in which he also plays Sherlock’s brother Mycroft Holmes. The show has won a total of nine Emmys and twelve BAFTAs across its four series.  

Mark’s other writing credits for television include Crooked House (2008), his adaptation of HG Wells' The First Men in the Moon (2010), Dracula (2019), The Amazing Mr Blunden (2021) and all three episodes of the documentary series A History of Horror and its one-off sequel Horror Europa, all of which he presented as well. Additionally, he has written and directed several Christmas ghost stories for the BBC in recent years.  

Most recently he has created a brand new detective series Bookish in which he also stars. The 6-part series aired on U&Alibi in the UK and has been sold across Europe.  

Recent screen roles include: The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025), Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (2025), Moonflower Murders (2024), Time Bandits (2024), Nolly (2023), The Father (2021), The Favourite (2018) and Christopher Robin (2018) 

On stage, he starred as Sir John Gielgud in The Motive and the Cue (written by Jack Thorne and directed by Sam Mendes) for which he won Best Actor at the 2024 Olivier Awards. He has also starred alongside Tom Hiddleston in Coriolanus (2013), as Harold in Mart Crowley’s The Boys in the Band (2016) and as Doctor Shpigelsky in Patrick Marber’s adaptation of Turgenev’s Three Days in the Country for which he received the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. 

As a stage director he helmed The Unfriend - a new play by Steven Moffat and The Way Old Friends Do written by Ian Hallard.  
Christopher Godwin_2026_c_ the artist_419906
Dogsborough / The Actor / The Priest Christopher Godwin

RSC includes: The Two Merchants of Modena (workshop), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The City Madam, Cardenio, The Canterbury Tales, Speaking Like Magpies (workshop), The Taming of the Shrew/The Tamer Tamed, Cymbeline, The Devil Is An Ass, The Relapse 

Theatre includes: Noises Off, Better Off Dead (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Grapes of Wrath, Amadeus, This House (National Theatre), Something In The Air (Jermyn Street Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Nottingham Playhouse/Alexandra Palace Theatre), This House (Chichester Festival Theatre/Garrick Theatre), The Woman in Black (Stephen Joseph Theatre and Fortune Theatre London), The Crucible (Old Vic), Versailles (Donmar Warehouse), Sherlock’s Last Case (Watermill Theatre), Candida (Theatre Royal Bath), Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II, We The People (Globe), The Invisible Man, The White Devil (Menier Chocolate Factory), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Globe and US tour), The Price (New Vic Theatre), An Enemy of the People (Arcola Theatre), Uncle Vanya (Birmingham Rep), The Importance of Being Earnest (Oxford Playhouse), Musik, Professor Bernhadi (Dumbfounded Theatre/Oxford Playhouse), Home (Oxford Stage Company), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henry IV Part I, As You Like It, Romeo and Juliet (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Confusions (Metro Entertainment Ltd), Love’s Labour’s Lost, Where’s Charlie (NSC Regent’s Park), The Woman in Black (Fortune Theatre), The Merry Wives of Windsor, Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida (New Shakespeare Company), All Things Considered (Hampstead Theatre) 

Television includes: Dope Girls, Endeavour, Bodies, Anatomy of a Scandal, The Miniaturist, Harley and the Davidsons, The Hollow Crown II, A Young Doctor’s Notebook, Doctors, Dark Matters 2, My Family, Land Girls: Forgotten Army, Breaking The Mould, After You’ve Gone, Lead Balloon, Waking The Dead, Crisis Command/The Bunker, Murder in Mind III: Contract, Casualty, Manchild II, Strange, The Bill, The Innocents, Mortimer’s Law, Prince Among Men, My Family and Other Animals 

Film includes: Stand Your Ground, Venom 2, The Dig, Emma, Mary Poppins Returns, The Darkest Day, Scoop, Blackball, The Avengers, A Handful of Dust, Porridge 

Mark Hammersley_2026_c_ the artist_421927
Ensemble / Swing Mark Hammersley

RSC includes: Kyoto 

Theatre includes: Ballet Shoes (National Theatre), Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Phoenix Theatre), A Little Life (Harold Pinter, Savoy Theatre), The Doctor (Duke of York’s Theatre), The Totalitarians (English Theatre Frankfurt), Kill Shakespeare (Globe), The Comedy About a Bank Robbery (Criterion Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest (Vaudeville Theatre), The Last Confession (Los Angeles, Toronto, Australia), Backbeat (Duke of York’s Theatre, Toronto, LA), Pygmalion (Garrick Theatre), The Shawshank Redemption (Wyndham’s Theatre), Blood Brothers (UK Tour) 

 

 

 

Rebekah Hinds_2026_c_ the artist_421052
Flake / Dockdaisy / Trader #1 / Henchman Rebekah Hinds

This is Rebekah’s RSC debut

Theatre includes: Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder (Ambassadors West End/Bristol Old Vic/Manchester Home), Oklahoma! (Young Vic/Wyndham’s Theatre - West End - Olivier Award for Best Revival), What’s New Pussycat? (Birmingham Rep), Paradise (Hampstead), Much Ado About Nothing (Watford Palace), Grotty (The Bunker), Humble Boy (Orange Tree), Anita & Me (UK Tour), The Government Inspector (Birmingham Rep/Ramps on the Moon UK Tour), Billy Liar (Royal Exchange), Around the World (Sadler's Wells/Mint Theater, New York), The Little Prince - Concert (Savoy), Sondheim Prom (Royal Albert Hall)

Television includes: I, Jack Wright (UKTV), Changing Ends (ITV), Brassic, Trollied (Sky), Scarborough, Inside No. 9, The Syndicate (BBC), The Jury, Shameless (Channel 4), Aunties, Stains of Staines (Pilot)

Film includes: Who Fired That Cannon? (Collab Films), Shandyland (Northern Stage), The Public Benefits (Zoom Films), Woman of the Night (Badgerboy Productions)

Radio includes: I heart Amy, Omega (Wireless), Animal Instinct (Audible), The Phlebotomist (BBC Radio 3)

Rebekah won the Audience Favourite Award in the Musical Comedy Awards 2019 as half of comedy duo Maris Piper.

Trained at:  Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

 

Cameron Johnson_2026_c_ the artist_419905
Jimmy Greenwool / Mulberry / The Judge Cameron Johnson

This is Cameron’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes:  Here We Are (National Theatre), Sherlock Holmes and the 12 Days of Christmas, NATIVITY! (Birmingham Repertory Theatre),  Guys & Dolls (The Bridge Theatre, London), Billy Elliot (Leicester Curve), Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (UK Tour and Los Angeles), FAME (UK Tour), High Society, Europe (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Five Guys Named Moe (Underbelly, Edinburgh), The Life (English Theatre Frankfurt), Romeo & Juliet,  A Christmas Carol (BoxClever). 

Trained at: LAMDA 

Kadiff Kirwan
Roma Kadiff Kirwan

This is Kadiff’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: Intimate Apparel, Sweet Charity, Teddy Ferrara, The Vote and City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse); The Hot Wing King, Home (National Theatre); Guys and Dolls (Sheffield Crucible); Queers (Old Vic); Sister Act (Whoopi Goldberg and Stage Entertainment) and Black Snow (Moscow Art Theatre)

Television includes: Doctor Who, Slow Horses, Everyone Else Burns, This Is Going To Hurt, This Way Up, Time, The Stranger, I May Destroy You, Inside No.9, Death In Paradise, Fleabag, Timewasters, Flack, Informer, Zapped, Queers - Safest Spot In Town, Strike - The Cuckoo’s Calling, Chewing Gum, Drunk History, Black Mirror, Drifters, The Vote, Crims and Call the Midwife

Film includes: Elsinore, Supergirl, Ladies First, My Policeman, Detective Pikachu and Mary Queen of Scots

Trained at: Central School of Speech and Drama.

Samuel Nunes de Souza_2026_c_ the artist_421053
Ensemble Samuel Nunes de Souza

This is Samuel’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: Alterations (National Theatre), Prince and the Pauper (Trinity Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The Three Inch Fools) 

Film and television credits include: Silo (AppleTV), The Force: The Michael Watson Story 

Trained at: The Working Actors Studio and A. D. Elkins 'Totality of the Actor'   He has an MA in classical theatre 

 

 

 

LJ Parkinson_2023_c_ the artist_354962
Givola LJ Parkinson

RSC includes: Cowbois 

Theatre includes:  The Merry Wives of Windsor (Globe), Modest (Middle Child/Milk Presents), Death Drop: Back in the Habit (Criterion Theatre). 

Screen work includes: Kaos (Netflix), The Man Who Fell to Earth (Paramount+), Strike: Lethal White (BBC) 

They also perform internationally as the Drag King LoUis CYfer, whose work extends and reimagines the same rigorous approach to masculinity through live performance and cabaret. 

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Mahesh Parmar_2026_c_ the artist_419907
Dogborough's Son / Fish / Inna / Ciceronian Mahesh Parmar

This is Mahesh’s RSC debut 

Theatre includes: The History Boys (Theatre Royal Bath and Tour), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Leicester Curve) 

Television includes: Pennyworth, Doctors 

Trained at: Italia Conti 

 

Mawaan Rizwan_2026_c_ the artist_419908
The Barker / Giri Mawaan Rizwan

This is Mawaan’s RSC debut 

Television includes: Juice (BBC – BAFTA for Male Performance in a Comedy and RTS award for Comedy Drama), Two Weeks to Live (HBO), Murdered By My Father (BBC) 

Writing includes: Juice (series 1 and 2), Sex Education - series 2 and 3 (Netflix). This earned him a spot on Forbes' 30 under 30 list 

Comedy includes: Live at the Apollo (BBC), Taskmaster (Channel 4), Gem’s Jonathan Van Ness’ JFL Gala (CBC) 

 

 

Santino Smith_2026_c_ the artist_419904
Sheet / Hook Santino Smith

This is Santino’s RSC debut 

 Theatre includes:  Radiant Vermin (The Bridge Studio), There’s No Room in Our Bathroom For Lewis Capaldi (Paisley Arts Centre), A View From The Bridge (Theatre Royal Haymarket/Theatre Royal Bath), Bridezilla & The Orchid of Sin (A Play, A Pie & A Pint), Moorcroft (Tron Theatre/NTS – also Associate Director), Underwood Lane (Tron Theatre), Jerusalem (The Watermill), The Real Thing (Theatre Royal Bath/Rose Theatre, Kingston) 

Television and film includes: Sadie (BBC4/ BBCNI/Lyric Theatre), Lynn & Lucy (BBC Films), Sleazy Tiger (Lothian Films) 

Trained at: Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama 

Amanda Wilkin_2026_c_ the artist_421639 002
Clark / Ragg / The Woman Amanda Wilkin

RSC includes: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Marat Sade 

Theatre includes: Bacchae (National Theatre), Otherland (Almeida Theatre), Dr Semmelweis (Harold Pinter Theatre), Shedding A Skin (Soho Theatre), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet (2 year tour), Gabriel, The Tempest (Globe), Emilia (Vaudeville Theatre), The Little Sob (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), White Teeth (Kiln Theatre), La Ronde (The Bunker Theatre), The 306: Day (National Theatre of Scotland), The Grinning Man (Trafalgar Studios), Pilgrims (Theatre Clwyd/HighTide Festival/The Yard Theatre), Hopelessly Devoted (Paines Plough and Birmingham REP), Arabian Nights (Watermill Theatre), Blood Wedding,The Bacchae (Royal and Derngate) 

In 2020, Amanda Wilkin’s one-woman play Shedding A Skin was announced as the winner of the prestigious Verity Bargate Award. 

Television includes: Am I Being Unreasonable Series 1 & 2 (BBC / Boffola Pictures), Until I Kill You (ITV / World Productions),  Spent (BBC / Various Artists Limited), The Split (Sister), The Girlfriend Experience (STARZ), Finding Alice, Unforgotten 4 (ITV), Berlin Station (EPIX), Doctors (BBC1), Gavin and Stacey (BBC3 & Baby Cow Productions) 

Film includes: Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again! (Obscure Pictures) 

Radio includes: Red Gold (BBC Radio Drama), Folk (BBC Radio 3), Killer (Naked Productions / BBC Radio 3), The Musical Life... Boudicca (Rubber Chicken / BBC Radio Wales), The Portal (Lepus Productions), 24 Kildare Road (BBC Radio Drama) 

Trained at:  Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama 

 

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The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by The Gatsby Charitable Foundation