Jessica Gunning, Jodie Whittaker, Benedict Wong and Jeremy O. Harris join lineup of Echo at the Royal Court
Stars of Doctor Who, Baby Reindeer and Doctor Strange are among those to take part in Echo (Every Cold-Hearted Oxygen) – the experimental new show at the Royal Court Theatre, where actors go on stage without having seen a script first.
Jessica Gunning, Jodie Whittaker, Benedict Wong and Jeremy O. Harris will take to the stage on different nights in the new show from Iranian playwright Nassim Soleimanpour, directed by Omar Elerian, which has been described as “unrehearsed cold reads”. They previously announced artists such as Toby Jones and Fiona Shaw and Rebecca Lucy Taylor (Self Esteem).
"I am terrifyingly excited (if that's even possible), to be taking part in the Royal Court's Echo and look forward to working with Nassim and Omar on this unique theatrical experience,” said Gunning, who recently starred in the Netflix megahit Baby Reindeer.
The premise of Echo is a thrilling one: each night, a different actor performs the play live, having never seen the script before and with no clues of what’s about to happen.
“Unrehearsed and unprepared, the script becomes their guide as they journey through the story of the playwright,” according to a press release from the Royal Court.
Gunning said: “I've always thought that theatre has the potential to be a little bit magic and can only imagine projects like this make it feel even more so – stepping into the unknown each night with a completely different person. And what a group of actors to be part of – I feel very honoured and can't wait."
Sheila Atim (The Woman King), Monica Dolan (Mr Bates vs The Post office), Adrian Lester (Trigger Point), Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso) and Mawaan Rizwan (Juice) have also joined the exciting lineup. One final special guest is still to be announced.
Soleimanpour (White Rabbit, Red Rabbit, NASSIM), has become known for his groundbreaking, unrehearsed shows where actors ‘cold read’ the script. In 2017, reviewing his Bush Theatre show, the Standard said the technique “adds to this show's charming sense of surprise”; with the actor Andi Osho interpreting the show “with an amusing mix of verve and bewilderment”.
Italian-Palestinian theatre-maker Omar Elerian previously directed the Royal Court’s Two Palestinians Go Dogging, of which the Standard said: “This is one for those whose idea of a stimulating night out is to be aggressively and repeatedly challenged... it has also lodged in my brain like a nagging earworm.”
Echo is running as part of London’s International Festival of Theatre, LIFT.
The new lineup:
13 July, 6.30pm: Fiona Shaw15 July, 7.30pm: Benedict Wong16 July, 7.30pm: Sheila Atim17 July, 7.00pm: Adrian Lester18 July, 7.30pm: Jeremy O. Harris19 July, 7.30pm: Rebecca Lucy Taylor aka Self Esteem20 July, 1.30pm: Monica Dolan20 July, 6.30pm: TBA22 July, 7.30pm: Meera Syal23 July, 7.30pm: Jodie Whittaker24 July, 7.30pm: Mawaan Rizwan25 July, 7.30pm: Jessica Gunning26 July, 7.30pm: Nick Mohammed27 July, 1.30pm: Toby Jones27 July, 6.30pm: Kathryn HunterEcho (Every Cold-Hearted Oxygen), Royal Court, July 13 to 27; royalcourttheatre.com
