Simon Thorp - Salisbury

 Simon Thorp will be playing the Earl of Salisbury. 

"Salisbury is one of the few lords to remain faithful to King Richard until the end in Richard II. He is there when the king lands in Wales after the Irish expedition and is one of the members of the Earls Rebellion against Henry IV. In the play's final scene, we are informed that Salisbury, along with several of the other conspirators, has been killed at Cirencester." - shakespeareandhistory.com

"Nor near nor farther off, my gracious lord,
Than this weak arm: discomfort guides my tongue
And bids me speak of nothing but despair."

Here's a quick way to get to know Simon from the Swindon Advertiser, May 16, 2013:

Five Minutes With...Simon Thorp

 

How do you take you tea/coffee?
Tea, white and no sugar. Coffee, flat white, two sugars.
Which fictional character do you wish was real?
Jesus
What’s the worst decision you've ever made?
Not going to drama school.
What do you enjoy most about being on the stage?
Telling a good story to an appreciative audience.
How long did it take you to learn your lines for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice? Are there any that you still struggle with sometimes?
It took me about three weeks in total, and luckily I haven’t head any issues with lines yet!
Who do you think is the best singer out of all of those Little Voice impersonates?
A tough call between Billy Holiday and Shirley Bassey.
If you could play any role, which would it be and why?
Captain Hook, to show all the celebrities how to do it!
What are the best and worst things about being on tour?
The best aspect of touring is getting to discover new places you wouldn’t necessarily visit otherwise. The worst part is missing family.

If you discovered a new species of dinosaur what would you call it?
Isthisaseriousquestion-asaurus!
If you came with a warning label, what would it say?
Warning: Gruff exterior hides sensitive inner layer. Inappropriate behaviour may result in tears. 

Simon Thorp as Don Hernando in The Heresy of Love.  Photo by Robert Day.

Simon has been in two previous RSC productions at The Swan Written on the Heart with fellow Richard II cast member Oliver Ford Davies and was directed by Greg Doran and The Heresey of Love directed by Nancy Meckler.



He was most recently Ray Say in the touring cast of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. Below the CV from that programme:

Edmund Wiseman - Harry Percy

Edmund Wiseman was on stage in 2012 in the Owen Horseley production of The Duchess of Malfi playing Antonio at the White Bear Theatre and at The Alemeida as Nocella in Filumena directed by Michael Attenborough.

Edmund Wiseman as Nocella = Photo by Hugo Glendinning

If you follow this link you can also see Edmund in the trailer for The Duchess of Malfi. 

Edmund will be playing Harry Percy:

"Percy is the Earl of Northumberland's son. We find out in Act 2, Scene 2 that he's turned on Richard and has joined up (along with his dad) with Henry Bolingbroke's forces. He plays an important part in helping Henry win the English crown, but Shakespeare doesn't really develop his character much. Still, we get a sneak peek into what we can expect from his character in the sequel, Henry IV Part 1, where he becomes "Hotspur," the hot-headed nobleman who helps lead the rebellion against his former pal King Henry." - http://www.shmoop.com 




My gracious lord, I tender you my service,
Such as it is, being tender, raw and young:
Which elder days shall ripen and confirm
To more approved service and desert.

You can read a copy of Edmund's CV here.

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED

Nigel Lindsay  - Bolingbroke

Oliver Ford Davies  - Duke of York
 
Michael Pennington  - John of Gaunt

Emma Hamilton  - The Queen

Jane Lapotaire  - Duchess of Gloucester
 
Elliot Barnes-Worrell  - Groom

 Antony Byrne  - Mowbray

 Sean Chapman  - Northumberland

Marty Cruickshank - Duchess of York

 Gracy Goldman  - Lady in Waiting

 Marcus Griffiths  - Greene

 Jim Hooper  - Bishop of Carlisle

 Youssef Kerkour  - Willoughby

Jake Mann  - Bagot

 Sam Marks  - Bushy

Miranda Nolan  - Lady in Waiting

Keith Osborn  - Scroop

Joshua Richards  - Ross/Lord Marshall

Oliver Rix  - Aumerle

 Simon Thorp  - Salisbury

 Edmund Wiseman  - Harry Percy
  
 =======================================================================
Stephen Brimson Lewis  - Production Designer

Tim Mitchell  - Lighting

Martin Slavin. - Sound

Mike Ashcroft  - Movement Director

Terry King - Fight Director

Paul Englishby - Music

RSC TICKETS ARE IN THE MAIL

New York Times interview - July 13, 2013

David was interviewed about what he is currently reading, listening to and watching among other things.

He stated he was reading A Brief History of Britain 1066-1485, by Nicholas Vincent, because he was getting ready to be in Richard II.

"I learned that he was married to a 6-year-old, which was a revelation, and there’s some question of whether or not he was gay. It can be a good reason for not researching anything and just using the script because you can’t bend the character to the historical accuracy of his life, necessarily. It can be a bit distracting but equally regularly it can enliven something and make something make more sense or give you a new way into something."

CLICK HERE to read the whole article.