According to press materials, "Set during the latter years of the Trojan War, Shakespeare fills his ancient tale with savage comedy, great passion and vivid characters."
Kelly joins a cast that includes Paul Stocker and Laura Pyper in the title roles, with Jamie Ballard as Ulysses and Paul Hunter as Thersites. The full company also features Ben Bishop, Olivia Chaney, Chris Colquhoun, Matthew Flynn, Trystan Gravelle, Richard Hansell, Fraser James, Seamus O'Neill, Ania Sowinski, John Stahl, Jay Taylor, Beru Tessema and Chinna Wodu.
The production is directed by Matthew Dunster, with designs by Anna Fleischle and music composed by Olly Fox.
Kelly's other recent theatre roles include appearing in Howard Barker's Victory at the Arcola Theatre, Salieri in Amadeus for John Doyle at Wilton's Music Hall and Forgotten Voices at the Riverside Studios and Edinburgh Festival. In 2004 Kelly received the award for Best Actor at the 2004 Olivier Awards for his role as Lennie in Of Mice and Men. He is best known for his 11-year stint hosting the ITV talent show, "Stars in their Eyes"; he has also appeared on screen in "Bleak House," "Cold Blood" and "Egypt."
Stocker recently appeared in Overspill at Soho Theatre and A Conversation at Manchester's Royal Exchage. Pyper will appear as Jane Fairfax in the 2009 BBC dramatization of "Emma." Her stage work includes Don Juan in Soho at the Donmar Warehouse and Blackwater Angel at Finborough Theatre. Ballard played the title role of Hamlet for director Jonathan Miller at Bristol's Tobacco Factory in 2008, and has also appeared in . . .Some trace of her, War Horse and Saint Joan at the National Theatre. Hunter returns to the Globe after playing Bottom in the 2008 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Dunster was last represented at the Globe by his production of Che Walker's The Frontline, which premiered in 2008 and was reprised there earlier this season. He also recently directed his own play You Can See the Hills at the Young Vic, and Macbeth at Manchester's Royal Exchange. He will next direct the new show from Told by an Idiot theatre company at the Barbican later this year.
To book tickets, contact the box office at 020 7401 9919 or 020 7087 7398 or visit www.shakespeares-globe.org.
