Samuel Beckett’s Endgame Featuring Douglas Hodge and Mathew Horne at Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath

The highly anticipated cast for the Ustinov Studio’s upcoming production of Endgame has been revealed. Joining award-winning actor, director, and writer Douglas Hodge and celebrated film and television star Clive Francis are the previously announced Mathew Horne and Selina Cadell in Samuel Beckett’s darkly comedic masterpiece.

Set in a stark room, the play centers around Hamm, an elderly, blind tyrant, and his servant Clov, who find themselves in a tense impasse. Their bleak existence is further complicated by the nostalgic interruptions from Hamm’s aged parents, who live in a dustbin. As Hamm and Clov try to maintain their bizarre routine marked by sardonic humor and co-dependence, they attempt to evade the chaotic reality surrounding them.

Douglas Hodge takes on the role of Hamm. His impressive television credits include Black Mirror, Catastrophe, The Night Manager, and Hulu’s acclaimed The Great. On film, he portrayed Alfred in Todd Phillips’s Oscar-nominated Joker. A distinguished stage actor, Hodge received an Olivier Award for his performance in La Cage aux Folles in the West End and was nominated for his role in The Caretaker. He has also directed numerous productions on Broadway and in the West End, and was formerly Associate Director at the Donmar Theatre.

Mathew Horne, known for his role as Gavin in the beloved BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey, plays Clov in this production. His other television credits include Dad’s Army, Agatha Raisin, and Worried About the Boy, along with extensive recent theater work in productions like Noises Off and Rain Man.

Clive Francis plays Nagg, and his impressive career spans over six decades across stage, radio, TV, and film, featuring in notable works such as Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange and the series Bridgerton. Francis has a long history with the National Theatre, RSC, and has extensively toured with his one-man show adaptation of A Christmas Carol. An accomplished caricaturist and playwright, he has also adapted several classics for the stage.

Selina Cadell, playing Nell, is currently starring in the West End transfer of the Ustinov’s acclaimed The Deep Blue Sea, alongside Tamsin Greig. Her extensive screen career features roles in beloved series such as Doc Martin and Upstairs Downstairs, as well as films like The Madness of King George and Nativity.

Samuel Beckett is widely acclaimed as one of the most significant writers of the 20th century, with his plays, novels, and poetry recognized as epitomes of dark comedy and tragicomic experiences.

Director Lindsay Posner, one of the UK’s foremost directors, returns to the Ustinov Studio following successful West End productions of Noises Off, A View From The Bridge, and The Deep Blue Sea.