Pericles begins previews May 20, opens June 2 and runs until October 1. Redgrave’s Globe debut will play alongside another late Shakespeare, The Tempest, in which Mark Rylance, Edward Hogg and Alex Hassell will undertake all the roles, with the help of a clutch of dancers and singers.
The Tempest will give Rylance a chance to revisit Prospero, which he played in a U.K. tour much earlier in his career. Tim Carroll will direct.
Kathryn Hunter, who has acted in The Taming of the Shrew and Richard III at this venue, will direct Pericles. As well as Redgrave, the cast includes Jude Akuwudike, Matt Costain, Harry Gostelow, Lisa Llona Jantti, Matilda Leyser, Robert Luckay, Marcello Magni, Victoria McManus, Jules Melvin, Patrice Naiambana, Alex Poulter, Laura Rees, Hilary Tones and Aaron Walker.
Redgrave’s other recent London turns are the title roles in King Lear and Tynan, both for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Other productions in the 2005 season will include The Winter’s Tale and Plautus’ comedy The Storm (in a version by Peter Oswald, which will also feature Rylance). At the season’s end, Rylance is due to resign his post as the Globe’s artistic director. It is not yet known who will take over. For more information, call (0)20 7401 9919.