'Backstairs Billy' sets full cast, joining Luke Evans and Penelope Wilton

Penelope Wilton plays the Queen Mother, with Luke Evans as her loyal butler, in the world premiere of Marcelo Dos Santos' new comedy at the Duke of York Theatre.

Kate Riley
Kate Riley

Full casting has been announced for Backstairs Billy which opens at the Duke of York's Theatre on 7 November.

Emily Barber, Iwan Davies, Ian Drysdale, Ilan Galkoff, Eloka Ivo, Michael Simkins, Nicole Sloane, along with David Buttle, Amy Newton, Keanu Adolphus Johnson, Georgie Rhys, and Jacob Ethan Tanner, will join the previously announced Luke Evans and Penelope Wilton.

Michael Grandage directs the play that follows 50-year relationship between the Queen Mother and her loyal servant William "Billy" Tallon.

Grandage and Wilton will be reunited after previously collaborating on The Chalk Garden, John Gabriel Borkman, and Hamlet. Evans previously starred in productions of Small Change and Piaf at the Donmar Warehouse, under Grandage's artistic directorship.

The creative team for the production includes set designer Christopher Oram, costume designers Christopher Oram and Tom Rand, lighting designer Ryan Day, music and sound designer Adam Cork, associate director Sophie Drake, and costume supervisor Mary Charlton.

Book Backstairs Billy tickets on London Theatre.

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Photo credit: Luke Evans and Penelope Wilton (Photo courtesy of production)

Originally published on

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