Cast

• Aamira Challenger

  Jane Bennet

  Aamira Challenger

  Jane Bennet

  Aamira studied History at The University of Manchester before crossing the Atlantic to train at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York. On returning to the UK, she continued training at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

• Jessica Ellis

  Lydia Bennet / Lady Catherine de Bourgh

  Jessica Ellis

  Lydia Bennet / Lady Catherine de Bourgh

  Jessica Ellis is best known for playing the role of Tegan Lomax on Chanel fours soap Hollyoaks for five years. other tv credits include, Doctors, Eastenders, The Bay and most recently Coronation Street.

• Ben Fensome

  Mr Wickham / Mr Collins

  Ben Fensome

  Mr Wickham / Mr Collins

  TV credits include: The Stand Up Sketch Show (ITV2)

  Theatre Credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Pleasure Dome Theatre), Collide (White Bear Theatre), Feel More (Proforca Theatre), Every Seven Years (New Wimbledon Theatre)

  Playwriting includes: Buff (Vault Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, National Tour)

  Every Seven Years (New Wimbledon Theatre).

• Rosa Hesmondhalgh

  Elizabeth Bennet

  Rosa Hesmondhalgh

  Elizabeth Bennet

  Rosa Hesmondhalgh is an actor and writer from Yorkshire. She graduated from LAMDA in 2017 and has since written and acted in theatre and TV. Her award winning one-woman show Madame Ovary about her experience with ovarian cancer toured nationally after a sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe. She was recently nominated for a SAG Award for her work in Bridgerton.

• Joanna Holden

  Mrs Bennet

  Joanna Holden

  Mrs Bennet

  Joanna has worked for: The London Performance Studio, Hull Truck, Polka, Told by an Idiot, Clowns without Borders, Bamboozle Theatre,, Creation Theatre, Lyceum Edinburgh, Bristol Old Vic, York Theatre Royal, The British Library , Manchester Royal Exchange, Live Theatre, Northern Stage , Svenska Theatre, Soho Theatre, Keswick Theatre, Bush Theatre, The Royal Court, Bolton Octagon, RNT, Sheffield Crucible, Perth Rep, The Gate, The Tricycle, The Gilded Balloon, Vamos, Kneehigh, Cirque Du Soleil, Cartoon de Salvo,RSC,The Ding Foundation.

• Dyfrig Morris

  Mr Bennet

  Dyfrig Morris

  Mr Bennet

  DYFRIG MORRIS is a Welsh speaker originally from Machen in South Wales. He studied English literature at U.W.Cardiff before embarking on a career as a performer and musician. A strong singer, voice artist and professional drummer. Dyfrig has appeared in many stage and screen productions including

• Eve Pereira

  Mary Bennet / Mr Bingley

  Eve Pereira

  Mary Bennet / Mr Bingley

  Eve Pereira is a British/American actor from Cumbria and a graduate of Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

  Theatre credits include:

  Alice In Wonderland (The Dukes, Lancaster), A Little Princess (Theatre By The Lake), Run To The Nuns (Riverside Studios), Saturnalia (regional tour).

  Whilst training:

  Catastrophe Bay (Bristol Old Vic), Pride and Prejudice (The Mount Without), Macbeth(Bristol Old Vic).

• Kiara Nicole Pillai

  Charlotte Lucas / Caroline Bingley

  Kiara Nicole Pillai

  Charlotte Lucas / Caroline Bingley

  Kiara Nicole Pillai is a Chinese-Indian actor from Singapore. She moved to the UK in 2019, and graduated from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with a BA (Hons) in Acting.

• James Sheldon

  Mr Darcy

  James Sheldon

  Mr Darcy

  TV credits:

• Emily Kathryn

  Off Stage Swing

  Emily Kathryn

  Off Stage Swing

  Emily was born and raised in Chorley and graduated from The Oxford School of Drama in 2023. This marks her debut theatre production.

  Television Credits include: Vera (ITV). T

  heatre Credits whilst training include: Our Town, The Laramie Project, Richard III, The Rover, Agamemnon’s Return, Three Sisters, Chicken Soup with Barley. Workshop Credits include: Stage Write (Liverpool Royal Court), Henrietta (National Youth Music Theatre). Winner of the Laurence Olivier Bursary Award & finalist of the BBC Radio Carleton Hobbs Competition.

Credits

• Jane Austen

  Writer

• Kate Hamill

  Adaptor

  Kate Hamill

  Adaptor

  Kate Hamill is an actor/playwright. Wall Street Journal’s Playwright of the Year, 2017. Her work includes her play SENSE AND SENSIBILITY (in which she originated the role of Marianne)—Winner, Off-Broadway Alliance Award 2016; Nominee, Drama League Award; 265+ performances off-Broadway. Other plays include VANITY FAIR at the Pearl Theatre (in which she originated the role of Becky Sharp; Nominee, Off-Broadway Alliance Award 2017), PRIDE AND PREJUDICE at Primary Stages and Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (originated the role of Lizzy Bennet; Nominee, Off-Broadway Alliance Award). Her plays have been produced off-Broadway, at A.R.T., Oregon Shakespeare Festival, the Guthrie, Seattle Rep, Dallas Theater Center, PlayMaker’s Rep, Folger Theatre (8 Helen Hayes Award nominations; Winner, best production—S&S), Arvada Center and others; upcoming productions at Shakespeare Theatre of DC, A.C.T., Trinity Rep, Portland Center Stage, Syracuse Stage, Pittsburgh Public, Kansas City Rep, Dorset Theatre Festival and more. Upcoming world premieres: LITTLE WOMEN at the Jungle Theater and Primary Stages; MANSFIELD PARK at Northlight Theatre. She is currently working on new adaptations of “The Odyssey” and “The Scarlet Letter,” as well as several new original plays (PROSTITUTE PLAY, IN THE MINES, LOVE POEM). www.kate-hamill.com

• Lotte Wakeham

  Director

  Lotte Wakeham

  Director

  Lotte is Artistic Director at the Octagon Theatre Bolton.

• Jonnie Riordan

  Movement Director

• Sonum Batra

  Composer/Musical Director

  Sonum Batra

  Composer/Musical Director

  Sonum is a Sound Designer, Composer and Musical Director

• Louie Whitemore

  Set and Costume Designer

  Louie Whitemore

  Set and Costume Designer

  Olivier Nominated for Best Production in an Affiliate Theatre, Offie Nominated for Best Costume Designer for The Daughter-in-Law at the Arcola Theatre and Suite In Three Keys at The Orange Tree Theatre. Best Set Designer for Tonight at 8.30 at Jermyn Street. OldVic12 and JMK Finalist.

• Jamie Platt

  Lighting Designer

• Andy Graham

  Sound Designer

  Andy Graham

  Sound Designer

  Sound Design/Composition credits include: PIAF (Watermill Theatre); FRANK AND PERCY, ALONE TOGETHER, THE CHALK GARDEN, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, DIAL M FOR MURDER, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, SLEUTH (Theatre Royal, Windsor/Bill Kenwright Ltd); HEY! CHRISTMAS TREE (Chichester Festival Theatre); GRENFELL: VALUE ENGINEERING & GRENFELL: SYSTEM FAILURE (London, Birmingham); AN HOUR AND A HALF A LATE (Theatre Royal Bath, UK Tour); THE UPSTART CROW (Apollo/Gielgud); THE BOOK THIEF, BERYL, ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS, SEAGULLS, TREASURE ISLAND, SPRING AND PORT WINE (Octagon Theatre, Bolton); THE LAST TEMPTATION OF BORIS JOHNSON (Park Theatre, UK Tour); JESS AND JOE FOREVER, ALICE IN WONDERLAND (Stephen Joseph, Scarborough); THE GREATEST WEALTH, ONE HAND TIED BEHIND US, MONSTROUS TALES (Old Vic); THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES (English Theatre, Frankfurt, Jermyn Street Theatre, UK Tour); LITTLE MERMAID (UK Tour); THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT (Belgrade, Coventry); ALADDIN (Lyric Hammersmith); FUP (Minack Theatre, Kneehigh Asylum, UK Tour); THE BUSKERS OPERA (Park Theatre); THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE DROWSY CHAPERONE (Earl Cameron, Bermuda); MOUTHFULL (Trafalgar Studios).

• Olivia Barr

  Casting Director

  Olivia Barr

  Casting Director

  Olivia (Liv) Barr is a Casting Director based in the North West. She was recently appointed Casting Director (Consultant) at the Royal Exchange Theatre and regularly works with other northern-producing theatres.

• Chantell Walker

  Associate Director

  Chantell Walker

  Associate Director

  Chantell is a Theatre Director, originally from Sheffield. She trained as a young theatre director at the Liverpool & Everyman Playhouse.

• Fraser Scott

  Assistant Director

  Fraser Scott

  Assistant Director

  Fraser is the Resident Assistant Director at the Octagon Theatre, and is so excited to be working on a show with so much joy and heart. He is currently studying on the MFA Theatre Directing course at Birkbeck, where he is supported by the Andrew Lloyd Webber Foundation Scholarship.

  Previous Assisting Credits include: Shirley Valentine (Octagon), Animal Farm (Octagon), The Jungle Book (Octagon), The Drowsy Chaperone (ArtsEd) & Sweet Charity (ArtsEd), Rehab:The Musical (NEON Piccadilly)