Rehearsal images for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s Red Velvet are released today. The production, which originally premiered at the Tricycle Theatre in 2012 before transferring to St Ann’s Warehouse in New York in 2014, is the third play in the inaugural Plays at the Garrick season and will play at the Garrick Theatre from 23 January until 27 February 2016. Red Velvet is written by Lolita Chakrabarti with direction by Indhu Rubasingham and stars Adrian Lester as Ira Aldridge.

RED VELVET by Chakrabarti, , Writer – Lolita Chakrabarti, Director – Indhu Rubasingham, Designer – Tom Piper, Lighting – Oliver Fenwick, Choreographer – Imogen Knight, The Garick Theatre , London, 2016, Credit: Johan Persson/

RED VELVET by Chakrabarti, , Writer – Lolita Chakrabarti, Director – Indhu Rubasingham, Designer – Tom Piper, Lighting – Oliver Fenwick, Choreographer – Imogen Knight, The Garick Theatre , London, 2016, Credit: Johan Persson/

RED VELVET by Chakrabarti, , Writer – Lolita Chakrabarti, Director – Indhu Rubasingham, Designer – Tom Piper, Lighting – Oliver Fenwick, Choreographer – Imogen Knight, The Garick Theatre , London, 2016, Credit: Johan Persson/

The full cast includes: Ayesha Antoine (Connie), Simon Chandler (Bernard Warde/Terence), Alexander Cobb (Henry Forrester/Casimir), Mark Edel-Hunt (Charles Kean), Emun Elliott (Pierre Laporte), Charlotte Lucas (Ellen Tree), Caroline Martin (Halina Wozniak/Margaret Aldridge) and Amy Morgan (Betty Lovell).

Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, 1833. Edmund Kean, the greatest actor of his generation, has collapsed on stage whilst playing Othello. A young black American actor has been asked to take over the role. But as the public riot in the streets over the abolition of slavery, how will the cast, critics and audience react to the revolution taking place in the theatre?

The Winter’s Tale, Harlequinade / All On Her Own, Red Velvet, The Painkiller, Romeo and Juliet and The Entertainer make up the inaugural seven play season of work for the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company.

The Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company, in partnership with Picturehouse Entertainment, will broadcast three productions of its year-long Plays at the Garrick season live to cinemas worldwide. Romeo and Juliet will be broadcast live on 7 July. Participating cinemas can be found at branaghtheatrelive.com