The final 2024/25 Sheffield University Theatre Company (SUTCo) cast has been revealed, with every production from throughout this year represented in the lineup.
The cast, for the group’s charity production of Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night, consists of thirteen members, including returning cast members and SUTCo stage debuts.
The cast contains two SUTCo stage debuts, as well as a cast member from every previous production this year, a poetic end to SUTCo’s year as the shows of the past few months seemingly unite.
Sharing the cast earlier today, the production team behind Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night said “Introducing our fantastic cast and prod team! Follow us to keep up with all the fun we’ll be having over the next few weeks!”
Leading the cast as the play’s main role is Eden Houlberg (Accidental Death of an Anarchist, The Importance of Being Earnest) as Viola.
This role will be Houlberg’s third this academic year, despite being her first year in the performance group, following her time as Constable 2 and Cecily Cardew in Accidental Death of an Anarchist and The Importance of Being Earnest, respectively.
She will play opposite One of the production’s on-stage debuts comes from Lilia Harnett (The Effect, Accidental Death of an Anarchist) as Maria.
Having worked on two previous SUTCo productions as Stage Manager and Costume Assistant, respectively, this show will be the first with Harnett working on-stage, as opposed to backstage, a rare progression within SUTCo.
Joining them are David Osamudiamen (Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker) as Orsino and SUTCo’s Front of House Manager Abbie Wright (The Effect, Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker).
Osamudiamen was last seen as Lord Hastings/Jasper Tudor in December’s production of Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker, where he was under the direction of Wright, the show’s Co-Director.
Elliot Tyndale-Biscoe (Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker) and Jamie Egan (The Effect, Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker) both return in their third SUTCo acting roles, as Sir Toby Belch and Malvolio, joined by Luke Hookham (It Came From the Ice, The Importance of Being Earnest) as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and SUTCo’s Social Secretary Kirsty Lucas as Feste.
Max Preston (Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker, Shakespeare in the Park: As You Like It) as Sebastian, Viola’s twin, will join Immy Eyre (It Came From the Ice, Medea) as Fabian.
Competing the cast are Roberto Rowinski (The Effect, Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker) as Antonio, Shruti Deshpande (5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche, Medea) as Valentine/Priest, and SUTCo’s Welfare & Inclusions Officer Sophie Layton (The Effect, Accidental Death of an Anarchist) in her acting debut as Curio/Captain.
SUTCo’s Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night is to be staged on May 10th and 11th at Crookes Valley Park in the annual slot dedicated to the production.
The event, which fundraises for charitable causes, sees the performance society take over a section of the public park for several afternoons during Week 10.
The production team, consisting of five as opposed to the usual four members, is led by two of SUTCo’s Technical Officers as Co-Directors.
Leila Arbabi (The Effect, Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker) and James Platt (Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker) reunites the pair, who have previously worked together on both Margaret Beaufort: Kingmaker and Why We Stay.
Joining them are Adam Rajczakowski (Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Amélie) as Production Manager, in his first production team role, and Projects & Workshops Officer Darcey Severne (It Came From the Ice, Accidental Death of an Anarchist) and SUTCo’s Chair Caitlin Wood (The Importance of Being Earnest, Shakespeare in the Park: As You Like It) as Co-Producers.
William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night was completed in the early 1600s, before first being published in The Bard’s First Folio in 1623.
The play follows twins Viola and Sebastian separated in a shipwreck, who resort to disguised means to get by in the strange land of Illyria.
The romantic comedy is often associated with the Christmas season, as well as having been the subject of a variety of stage, film and musical adaptations.
With SUTCo’s final cast of the year now revealed, the 2024/25 complement of actors for the performance group is now complete.
Less than two months until the latest cohort take to the stage, preparations are moving swiftly to return SUTCo to Crookes Valley Park in May.
SUTCo’s Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night will be playing at Crookes Valley Park from May 10th to 11th. Applications to join the production’s technical team close in April, & can be submitted here
