Acclaimed International Production Of Richard III Comes To London’s Cockpit Theatre

A bold dystopian reimagining of Shakespeare’s Richard III will be coming to London’s Cockpit Theatre from Wednesday 8th to Saturday 11th July.

Directed by and starring award-winning Argentine theatre-maker Nicolás Perez Costa the play had a hugely successful run at Madrid’s Teatro Infanta Isabel, where it later transferred to a larger venue and received multiple Off Theatre Award nominations. These were for best Best Play, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Set Design.

Performed in the round and accompanied by live percussion, this physically driven reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s notorious King Richard III places the audience directly inside a brutal and decaying universe where power is fought through bodies, rhythm, and violence.

Alongside Nicolas, Hugo Coello will be reprising the role of Hastings which he first performed in the Madrid production, for which he received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at Spain’s Off Theatre Awards. The international cast also includes Marta Carvalho as Queen Elizabeth, Tricia Hitchcock as Buckingham, Juliet Prew as Queen Margaret, Mathew Miles as King Edward and Lord Stanley, Julia Rose Lisa as Lady Anne and Lord Grey, Tom Longmire as Clarence, Oliver Broad as Lord Rivers, Nabhan Uddin as Tyrell and Germán Martins as Catesby.

Often described as Shakespeare’s greatest villain, Richard III charts the ruthless rise and brief reign of the controversial Plantagenet king. This contemporary staging explores themes of power, ambition and manipulation through a highly physical theatrical language, creating a fresh perspective on a character who continues to fascinate both historians and theatre audiences alike.

Nicolás Pérez Costa is an Argentine actor, director, playwright and acting coach based in Madrid. With more than 25 years of experience in the performing arts, his work is known for its physical language, strong visual identity and emotional approach to classical and contemporary texts. As a performer, he gained international acclaim for his one-man show Juana la Loca, where he played seven characters on stage. The production toured internationally and earned him the José Estruch Award from Teatro Principal de Alicante.

Known for his inventive stagings of classical and contemporary works, Pérez Costa has directed more than 100 productions across Argentina and Spain. His recent directing credits include Dos Tronos, Dos Reinas by Pepe Cibrián and Sade, una velada incómoda. He has collaborated extensively with the legendary Argentine theatre-maker Pepe Cibrián Campoy and is founder and artistic director of IFAM Nicolás Pérez Costa in Madrid.

Richard III will be at the Cockpit Theatre from 8th-11th July 2026. For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/richard_III

Cast and Creatives

Nicolás Perez Costa – Richard III & Director Nicolás Pérez Costa is an Argentine actor, director, playwright and acting coach based in Madrid. With more than 25 years of experience in the performing arts, his work is known for its physical language, strong visual identity and emotional approach to classical and contemporary texts. As a performer, he gained acclaim for his one-man show Juana la Loca, where he plays seven characters on stage. The production toured internationally and earned him the José Estruch Award from Teatro Principal de Alicante.

Marta Carvalho – Queen Elizabeth Marta Carvalho is a Portuguese actor, theatre-maker and facilitator based in London. Her stage work includes Ready, Steady, Go! at Polka Theatre, nominated for an Offie Award, the solo show Labyrinth, Geneva Convention at Brighton Fringe, and A Soldier’s Tale at Casa da Música in Portugal. Her screen credits include Lisbon Noir (Prime Video), Sweet Survival and The Tragic Historie of Ophelia Eve.

Tricia Hitchcock – Buckingham Tricia trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and worked extensively as an actor before focusing her career on coaching and supporting neurodivergent performers. Her recent projects include Faith Hope and Charity directed by Alexander Zeldin, I Used to Be Famous (Netflix), Jitney and A Strange Loop at the Barbican.

Juliet Prew – Queen Margaret Juliet’s theatre credits include productions with Hampstead Theatre, Citizens Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Hull Truck Theatre. Her television work includes Ted Lasso, Reggie Perrin and Casualty. Recent projects include the short film The Road to After, the feature film The Circle Awakening and the stage production The Great British Lock-In.

Hugo Coello – Lord Hastings Hugo Coello is a Spanish actor and theatre-maker whose recent portrayal of Hastings in Richard III at Madrid’s Teatro Infanta Isabel earned him a nomination for Best Supporting Actor at Spain’s Off Theatre Awards. His stage credits include The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet: Electronic Tragedy in 360 Degrees and Atasco en la Frontera, which he also co-wrote.

Mathew Miles – King Edward & Lord Stanley Mathew Miles trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and works internationally as an actor and fight performer. His theatre credits include immersive productions with Convergence Theatre in Canada, VII with Teatru Malta and The New Victorians, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with 60 Hour Shakespeare.

Julia Rose Lisa – Lady Anne & Lord Grey Julia Rose Lisa is an American actor, director, environmentalist and Buddhist. For seven seasons she was a company member of the renowned Shakespeare repertory theatre Theatricum Botanicum in Los Angeles, where her roles included Juliet, Hermia and Viola.

Tom Longmire – Duke of Clarence Tom Longmire trained at Rose Bruford College and is best known for portraying Rupert Grint in the award-winning TERF at the Edinburgh Fringe. His theatre work also includes Laroche at Birmingham Black Box Theatre and touring productions with ONATTI Productions and West Midlands Children’s Theatre.

Oliver Broad – Lord Rivers Oliver trained at Middlesex University and the Desmond Jones School of Mime and Physical Theatre. His theatre credits include The Lavender Hill Mob (National Tour), Rotten Perfect at Smallhythe Place and Much Ado About Nothing. Television credits include Hotel Trubble, Jonathan Creek and Critical.

Nabhan Uddin – Tyrell Nabhan is a London-based actor whose Shakespeare credits include Macbeth at Theatro Technis, Angelo in Measure for Measure and Rosencrantz and Fortinbras in Hamlet. He trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and the Stella Adler Art of Acting Studio in Los Angeles.

Germán Martins – Catesby Germán Martins is an Argentine actor, director and theatre producer based in London. Alongside his performance career, he has worked extensively as a Stage Manager, Assistant Director and Resident Director on productions including Jekyll & Hyde Argentina, Phantom, Cinderella and The Importance of Being Wilde. He is also founder of the arts production company Tocomadera.

Dates: 8–11 July 2026 Time: 7:30pm with Matinee on 9th July at 2:30pm Venue: The Cockpit Theatre, Gateforth Street, London NW8 8EH Price: £22.63 (including booking fee) Tickets: https://www.thecockpit.org.uk/show/richard_III