Full cast announced for 'Cloud 9' at the National Theatre

Dominic Cooke (Game of Thrones: The Mad King) directs Churchill's play about a family in Victorian Africa, which turns up 100 years later in 1970s London only to confront a very different world.

Olivia Rook17 September, 2026, 08:00

Full casting has been announced for Caryl Churchill’s Cloud 9, which begins performances in the National's Lyttelton theatre on 2 November 2026, running through 13 January 2027.

As previously announced, the cast includes Rebecca Humphries (The Crown) as Ellen/Mrs Saunders/Lin, Eloka Ivo (Black Superhero) as Joshua/Gerry, Tom Mothersdale (Bodies) as Harry Bagley/Martin, Charlotte Ritchie (Ghosts) as Maud/Victoria, Ellen Robertson (Vladimir) as Edward/Betty, Stuart Thompson (Romans: A Novel) as Betty/Edward, and Sam Troughton (Chernobyl) as Clive/Cathy.

They are joined by Tom Brace-Jenkins as understudy Betty/Edward, Izaak Cainer as understudy Clive/Cathy, Dan Furlonger as understudy Harry Bagley/Martin, Skye Hallam as understudy Maud/Victoria and Ellen/ Mrs S/Lin, Meg Lewis as understudy Edward/Betty, and Ola Teniola as understudy Joshua/Gerry.

Dominic Cooke (Game of Thrones: The Mad King) directs Churchill's play about a family in Victorian Africa, which turns up 100 years later in 1970s London only to confront a very different world.

Cooke said: "Caryl Churchill has been an inspiration to me for decades. Her ability to bring complex current ideas to life in groundbreaking theatrical forms is second to none. Of her early plays, Cloud Nine is one of my favourites: by turns hilarious, insightful and astute. Its formally playful exploration of gender and sexuality was decades ahead of its time and still feels as fresh and pertinent as ever. I can’t wait to bring this brilliant cast onto the Lyttelton stage and share Caryl’s unique vision with National Theatre audiences."

The creative team also includes set designer Miriam Buether, costume designer Samuel Wyer, lighting designer Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound designer Donato Wharton, dialect coach Penny Dyer, and voice coach Shereen Ibrahim.

Book Cloud 9 tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: Cloud 9 principal cast: Charlotte Ritchie, Ellen Robertson, Eloka Ivo, Sam Troughton. (Courtesy of National Theatre)

Frequently asked questions

What is Cloud 9 about?

Director Dominic Cooke reunites with multi award-winning playwright Caryl Churchill to direct the play which examines the complexities of identity and change.