The Marlowe Theatre has shared the first photographs of its production of A Tale of Two Cities, now running in Canterbury ahead of a UK tour that continues into 2027.
Marc Brenner photographed A Tale of Two Cities at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, where the production runs from 14-19 September 2026. Press night is Thursday 17 September at 7pm.
The Charles Dickens novel is staged in the adaptation by Terence Rattigan and John Gielgud. Michael Fentiman directs; the director's credits include Amélie, Titus Andronicus, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Loot. The pictures follow our first look inside the rehearsal room in August, and show the company in costume on the set designed by Max Jones.
The story moves between London and Paris in the 1770s, with revolution building in France. Sydney Carton, a gifted but world-weary English barrister, and Charles Darnay, who has broken with his aristocratic French family, both fall in love with Lucie Manette. Their lives become entangled, and when the Terror takes hold in Paris, love offers some a way out and sends others to the guillotine.
Samuel Collings plays Sydney Carton and the Marquis de St. Evrémonde. Ed Sayer is Charles Darnay and the Brother of Marquis de St. Evrémonde, and Jordan Loughran is Lucie Manette and the Seamstress. François Testory plays Dr. Manette and the Valet. Robyn Sinclair plays Madame Defarge, the Attorney General and the Patrol.
Completing the company are Martin Bassindale (Stryver and Defarge), Scarlett Brookes (Miss Pross, Judge and Road Mender), Daniel Hickey (Clerk and Peasant Boy), Jasmine Kerr (Foreman, Peasant Girl and Gaoler), Roger Ringrose (Lorry and Gabelle) and Simon Startin (Barsad and Gaspard).
Costumes are by Kinnetia Isidore, lighting by Ben Jacobs and sound by Richard Hammarton. Barnaby Race composed the music and Nina Dunn designed the video for PixelLux. Susanna Peretz designed wigs, hair and make-up, Helena Palmer CDG cast the production and Jonathan Holby directed the fights. Fabien Enjalric is dialect coach, Pip Minnithorpe associate director, Audrey Brisson creative associate and the playwright Leo Butler dramaturg. The production is supported by National Lottery public funding through Arts Council England.
The cast and tour were announced in August. After Canterbury the production goes to Leeds, then picks up again in January. More venues are still to be announced. Confirmed dates:
- 14-19 September 2026: Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
- 22-26 September 2026: Leeds Playhouse, Leeds
- 15-23 January 2027: Theatre Royal Bath, Bath
- 2-6 February 2027: Cheltenham Theatre, Cheltenham
- 9-13 February 2027: Chichester Festival Theatre, Chichester
- 16-20 February 2027: King's Theatre, Edinburgh
- 23-27 February 2027: Theatr Clwyd, Mold
Tickets for Cheltenham and Edinburgh go on sale soon, and Theatr Clwyd's in mid-October.
Both autumn stops include access performances. In Canterbury, the 7.30pm show on Friday 18 September is captioned and followed by a Q&A; on Saturday 19 September the 2.30pm matinee is BSL-interpreted and the 7.30pm performance is audio-described. In Leeds, the 7.30pm show on Wednesday 23 September is audio-described, Friday 25 September has a post-show Q&A, and the 2pm matinee on Saturday 26 September is both BSL-interpreted and captioned.
