'Our Perdita Is Found'

After 3 rounds of auditions and intense competition, one young Suffolk actress has just landed the role of Shakespeare’s Princess ‘Perdita’ in The Winter’s Tale.

Nancy Smith, aged just 19, will work alongside the professional cast for four weeks of rehearsals, being trained up for the demanding challenge of performing in the open air at the region’s largest outdoor theatre event. Nancy, who is currently taking a gap year before hoping to pursue her ambitions as an actor is thrilled to have won the opportunity;

“It’s such a thrill to have been chosen to be a part of The Winter’s Tale. I’m so excited to start rehearsals and welcome the challenge of performing in Rendlesham Forest.”

The production is being mounted this August, marking Red Rose Chain's 10th year of THEATRE IN THE FOREST, a large-scale outdoor theatre event in Rendlesham Forest in August.

Red Rose Chain’s Artistic Director Joanna Carrick was thrilled to find Nancy amongst all the hopefuls who attended auditions;

“Nancy has a beautiful, individual look, which is great – but what really excited us was her confidence and emotional connection to the Shakespearean text. She also has a very strong voice which is really important when performing in the open air.”

This summer’s production expects over 8000 audience members during the 4 week run. The event has grown from a little known gem to one of the highlights of the summer in Suffolk. Earlier this year Red Rose Chain hit the local and national headlines with their hoax bear sightings in the build up to April Fool’s Day. The bear, which was created entirely by manipulating video footage, never actually appeared at all, although plans are underway to create the famous moment in the play where the a bear chases a character off stage. Actor and designer for the production Jimmy Grimes explains;

“The bear is famous for its tiny moment in the story where the stage direction reads ‘Exit, pursued by a bear’. We’ve used the image of the bear in a fun way on our posters to try to show that our production is a fun, family friendly performance. We’re currently working on our bear costume, which we hope will be enjoyed by kids and adults alike.”