Ralph Fiennes Eugene Onegin Finale

Ralph Fiennes' connection to Alexander Pushkin's work runs deep; he previously starred as the title character in the 1999 film adaptation *Onegin*, which was directed by his sister, Martha Fiennes. His affinity for Russian culture also saw him direct and star in *The White Crow*, a biographical film about ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev, and he speaks some Russian. His next stage role in *Grace Pervades* casts him as Sir Henry Irving, the first actor ever to be knighted and the biggest star of the Victorian stage. The play, written by David Hare, explores Irving's famed professional and possibly romantic partnership with leading actress Ellen Terry, played by Miranda Raison. The production, directed by Jeremy Herrin, transfers to the West End following a sold-out, critically acclaimed world premiere at Theatre Royal Bath in the summer of 2025. The play's title is drawn from a real-life scathing review of Ellen Terry, which sneered that "grace pervades the hussy" in reference to her children born out of wedlock. Jonathan Groff's turn as Rosalind in *As You Like It* will mark two significant firsts for the actor: his debut with the Royal Shakespeare Company and his first time performing Shakespeare in his career. He has been preparing for the role with the RSC's emeritus director of voice, Patsy Rodenburg. The production, helmed by RSC co-artistic director Daniel Evans, will run from September 26 to November 7, 2026, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Groff will be joined by Fisayo Akinade, known for roles in *Heartstopper* and *Slave Play*, who will portray Celia. This role follows a major career milestone for Groff, who recently won a Tony Award for his performance as Franklin Shepard in the acclaimed Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's *Merrily We Roll Along*. He also originated iconic stage roles as Melchior Gabor in *Spring Awakening* and King George III in *Hamilton*.