The Royal Exchange Theatre has announced the cast for the world premiere of Rory Mullarkeyโs original play, Even These Things.ย
The production serves as the third piece in the theatreโs 50th anniversary programme, themed “A Homecoming”.
Award-winning Irish actress Elaine Cassidy and Katherine Pearce will lead the company in this new work, which spans three centuries of Manchester and Irish history.
Directed by James Macdonald, the play explores the making and re-making of the city, focusing on three specific moments in time: 1846, 1996, and 2026.
Playwright Rory Mullarkey said:
โThree centuries. Three moments in time. An epic story of Manchester and Ireland by multi award-winning playwright Rory Mullarkey premieres at the Royal Exchange Theatre, 30 years after an IRA bomb devastated the heart of the city.
โIn 1846, Annie Donovan has a score to settle; in 1996, it looks like any other Saturday morning in Manchester; and in 2026, Jenny moves back to the place where she grew up.
โThis original and moving new play explores private and public histories, grief and love, and the making and re-making of our city.โ
Significant Local Anniversary
The production holds particular significance for the city, as its run includes the 30th anniversary of the 1996 Manchester city centre bombing.
Even These Things will run from 15 May to 15 June 2026, with the final performance falling exactly three decades to the day since the event occurred.
To reflect the impact of these events on the region, the professional cast will be joined by a community ensemble of 108 participants drawn from across all ten Greater Manchester boroughs, placing local people at the centre of the narrative.
The Sparkling Cast
Elaine Cassidy, whose extensive credits include The Wonder, Fingersmith, and Les Liaisons Dangereuses, will play the roles of Annie Donovan and Kaz.
She is joined by Katherine Pearce as Jenny, marking her return to the Royal Exchange following her recent performances in Our Pals and No Pay? No Way!.
Katherine Pearce has also appeared in the BAFTA-winning drama Three Girls and the film England Is Mine. The cast is further supported by Fionnuala Dorrity, who takes on the roles of a helicopter pilot and Queen Victoria.
The creative team tasked with bringing this epic story to the iconic stage includes Designer Laura Hopkins, Lighting Designer Charles Balfour, and Sound Designer Ian Dickinson.
The production also features Movement and Intimacy Director Georgina Lamb and Dramaturg Emily McLaughlin.
This world premiere aims to look beyond disaster to imagine what lies ahead, exploring how a city and its people recover and evolve over hundreds of years.
