Olivier Award-winning Nell Gwynn comes to Keswick – cast announced

Theatre by the Lake today announces the casting for its vibrant new production of Nell Gwynn, Jessica Swale’s Olivier Award-winning play, opening this summer as a major new co-production with Shakespeare North Playhouse and Storyhouse Theatre.

Following its critically acclaimed West End run in 2016, Swale’s joyous, whip-smart celebration of theatre, power and possibility returns in a fresh new staging directed by Bryony Shanahan (Bloody Elle, Let the Right One In, No Pay No Way!).

The ensemble company that will be bringing to life the rich and unruly world of Restoration theatre, from the bustling playhouses of Drury Lane to the opulent court of Charles II are…

Rose Shalloo (The Crucible – Sheffield Crucible) as Nell Gwynn, Guy Woolf (As You Like It – Shakespeare’s Globe) as King Charles II, Stanton Wright (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – UK Tour) as Edward Kynaston, Jamie Ross (The Little Mermaid – Watermill Theatre) as John Dryden, Sufia Manya (Miss Littlewood – RSC) as Nancy, Celia Cruwys-Finnigan (Miss Littlewood – RSC) as Rose Gwynn, Adam Clifford (Hamlet – National Theatre) as Lord Arlington, Elliot Harper (One Man, Two Guvnors – National Theatre) as Charles Hart, Burhan Kathawala (Sleeping Beauty – New Wolsey Theatre) as Ned Spigget, and Tamsin Dowsett (Les Misérables) as Assistant Director / Offstage Cover.

Set in 1660, at a time when theatres were reopening after years of suppression and women were not allowed to perform on stage, Nell Gwynn tells the remarkable true story of one of Britain’s first and most famous actresses. From selling oranges in the theatre pit to captivating audiences and catching the eye of King Charles II, Nell’s rise is as witty as it is revolutionary.

Packed with music, mischief and sharp humour, this new production celebrates not only a singular historical figure but the seismic shift that changed theatre forever, paving the way for women’s voices, stories and talent to take centre stage.

Olivier Award-winning Playwright Jessica Swale said “It’s so exciting to see Nell Gwynn brought to life again, especially by Theatre by the Lake. At its heart, it’s about who gets to tell stories and whose voices are heard and that feels just as urgent now as it did then.”

Director Bryony Shanahan said, “When I first read the script for Nell Gywnn, it jumped to life right off the page. It demands to be told, to take up space, to be loud, to be funny, to be moving. At the heart of the story is Nell and her story of radical change, whilst never forgetting your roots, drives us through the action. We see her step into a space she was never ‘supposed’ to occupy and transform it completely. I’m so excited for the production to lean into the joy of theatre itself: the chaos, the creativity, the community and the necessity. It is a love letter to the form and a celebration of one of the voices who helped to shape what theatre is today.”

Artistic Director of Theatre by the Lake, Liz Stevenson, said “Ten years since the original stormed the national stage, we are proud to be producing a fresh new production, in collaboration with Shakespeare North Playhouse and Storyhouse Theatre. Bryony and her team are creating a feast for the senses, weaving together the luscious aesthetic of the restoration period with intelligent writing, vivacious live musicianship with powerhouse performances, and doing it all with the heart and gusto that Nell herself would have been proud of. It is a real treat for our audiences this summer.”

The creative team for Nell Gwynn includes writer Jessica Swale, director Bryony Shanahan, set and costume designer Jess Curtis, composer and musical director Candida Caldicot, lighting designer Mark Distin Webster, sound designer Pete Malkin, Movement Director Sundeep Saini, costume supervisor Bronya Arciszewska, casting director Liv Barr, with further creatives to be announced.

This new production promises a playful, music-filled theatrical experience that honours the legacy of Nell Gwynn while speaking directly to contemporary audiences and celebrating powerful women’s stories past, present and future.
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PERFORMANCE DATES

Shakespeare North Playhouse: 12 June – 4 July 2026
Theatre by the Lake: 9 July – 1 August 2026
Storyhouse: 21 August – 6 September 2026
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• Nell Gwynn premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe before transferring to the West End in 2016, where it won the Olivier Award for Best New Comedy.
• Jessica Swale is an Olivier Award-winning playwright, director and screenwriter, also known for Blue Stockings and Paddington: The Musical.
• Nell Gwynn (1650–1687) was one of the first women to perform on the English stage and became one of the most celebrated actresses of her time.