Henry Goodman returns to the Royal Shakespeare Company for the first time in 12 years to play the lead in Ben Jonson’s comedy Volpone.
Goodman was last with the RSC in 2003 when he played the lead in Sean Holmes’s production of Richard III.
He teams up again with former RSC artistic director Trevor Nunn; the pair last collaborated on The Merchant of Venice and Summerfolk at the National Theatre in 1999.
Nunn's most recent work with the RSC was directing Ian McKellen in King Lear and The Seagull. Both played in Stratford before touring the world.
Henry Goodman played the lead in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at Chichester Festival Theatre and in the West End, for which he received an Olivier best actor nomination.
The cast of Volpone comprises Andy Apollo (Bonario), Sheila Atim (assistant to Lady Politic Would-Be), Ankur Bahl (Androgyno), Guy Burgess (judge/merchant), Geoffrey Freshwater (Corbaccio), Marcus Griffiths (Commandatori), Rhiannon Handy (Celia), Simon Hedger (judge), Julian Hoult (Castrone), Matthew Kelly (Corvino), Jonathan Key (Nano), Orion Lee (Mosca), Annette McLaughlin (Lady Politic Would-Be), Steven Pacey (Sir Politic Would-Be), Miles Richardson (Voltore), Richard Rees (judge), Colin Ryan (Peregrine), Nav Sidhu (Notary) and Gabby Wong (assistant to Lady Politic Would-Be).
Volpone is designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis with lighting by Tim Mitchell. The music is composed by Steven Edis with sound by Fergus O’Hare. Movement is by Lynne Page, the fight director is Terry King and video is by Nina Dunn.
Volpone runs in the Swan Theatre, Stratford from Friday 3 July until Saturday 12 September. Press night will be on Thursday 9 July.