Caryl Churchill's Three and a Bit Gets Its Cast

Eleven performers have been named for the world premiere of Caryl Churchill's Three and a Bit, the first staging of a new play, at the Almeida Theatre in north London. WhatsOnStage reported the casting on 11 November 2026.

The work is a set of new short plays, meaning several separate pieces that are performed together in one production. James Macdonald is directing.

The nine actors named so far are Matthew Beard, Lucy Black, Seamus Dillane, Louisa Harland, Lola Jenkins, Tom Kanji, Assa Kanouté, Bill Milner and Jonathan Slinger. Edward Butler and Artie Wilkinson-Hunt complete the company. They will share the child role between them, alternating performances.

The run starts on 14 January 2027 and closes on 13 March 2027, a little under nine weeks. Press night, the evening when critics are invited to see the production, is on 21 January.

The creative team includes Miriam Buether, who designs the set, the physical stage world the actors move through. Evie Gurney is designing the costumes. Paule Constable is responsible for the lighting, and Christopher Shutt for the sound.

Churchill has written for the stage for more than five decades, and her plays are regularly staged in London's subsidised theatres, which receive public funding and are run as non-profit organisations. This production sits in that tradition, with a cast and team drawn from a mix of stage and screen work.

For audiences, the next milestone is the first night of performances in January. Anyone wanting tickets should check the Almeida's website for prices and booking details.