Ensemble announced for Royal Court Open Court

The ensemble cast has been announced for the six plays of The Royal Court Theatre's Open Court - a six week festival (10 June - 20 July 2013).

Six new plays in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs in six weeks with one company of 14 actors and four directors.

The President Has Come To See You by Lasha Bughadze, translated by Donald Rayfield, directed by Vicky Featherstone (11 - 15 June). Cast: Paul Bhattacharjee, Debbie Chazen, Farzana Dua Elahe, Laura Elphinstone, Jonjo O'Neill, Siobhan Redmond, Ferdy Roberts, Ryan Sampson, Sam Troughton, Alan Williams. . An absurd comedy about cowardice and power. Georgia is at war. Again. And the President can't cope. So he abandons his post and flees into the city to hide in the homes of his unsuspecting civilians.

Death Tax by Lucas Hnath, directed by John Tiffany (18 - 22 June). Cast: Anna Calder-Marshall, Natasha Gordon, Siobhan Redmond, Sam Troughton. A darkly comic play about death and taxes, and how we must live with both. 80 year old Maxine is convinced her daughter is paying Nurse Tina to bump her off before an impending tax deadline.

Pigeons by Suhayla El-Bushra, directed by Carrie Cracknell (25 - 29 June). Cast: Paul Bhattacharjee, Farzana Dua Elahe, Ferdy Roberts, Ryan Sampson, Nav Sidhu. An insight into the reality of growing up in an apparently multicultural society.

Mint by Clare Lizzimore, directed by Caroline Steinbeis (2 - 6 July). Cast: Debbie Chazen, Laura Elphinstone, Angela Terence, Alan Williams. . A portrayal of a man struggling to keep his head above water.

Untitled Matriarch Play (or Seven Sisters) by Nikole Beckwith, directed by Vicky Featherstone (9 - 13 July). Cast: Anna Calder-Marshall, Debbie Chazen, Farzana Dua Elahe, Laura Elphinstone, Natasha Gordon, Siobhan Redmond, Angela Terence. On the eve of her 55th birthday Lorraine gathers her five daughters around her and announces a new sibling is on the way. Utterly sick of her daughters she is determined to have a son...by surrogate.

Talk Show by Alistair McDowall, directed by Caroline Steinbeis (16 - 20 July). Cast: Paul Bhattacharjee, Jonjo O'Neill, Ferdy Roberts, Ryan Sampson, Nav Sidhu, Alan Williams. Sam runs a daily talk show from his basement bedroom. Upstairs his Dad and Grandad barely speak, but keep in touch through the baby monitor. With the return of Sam's wayward uncle can this peculiar form of domestic harmony stay uninterrupted?