Jessica Turner replaces Siân Phillips in Chichester’s Atonement world premiere
The stage adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel Atonement at Chichester Festival Theatre has announced a casting change, with Jessica Turner stepping in for Siân Phillips in the role of older Briony Tallis. The production, directed by Adam Penford, runs from 29 May to 20 June.
Siân Phillips will no longer play the older Briony Tallis in Christopher Hampton’s stage adaptation of Atonement, which receives its world premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre. Jessica Turner takes over the role, and performances will proceed as scheduled. The production opens on 29 May, with a press night set for 5 June.
Set on an English country estate in the summer of 1935, the play follows 13-year-old Briony Tallis as her accusation after witnessing an encounter between her sister Cecilia and Robbie, the son of the housekeeper, triggers long-lasting consequences. The story spans from the 1930s through World War Two and beyond.
Phillips, who had been rehearsing the role with director Adam Penford, expressed her regret at withdrawing. She praised the production and the kindness shown by the theatre’s team, saying she hoped to see the show as soon as possible.
The cast also includes Miriam Petche as Cecilia, Jasper Talbot as Robbie, and Isabella Dempster as the younger Briony. Additional company members are James Backway, Tom Chapman, Yanexi Enriquez, Debra Gillett, Gabin Kongolo, Natasha Magigi, and Jonathan Oliver.
Ian McEwan’s Atonement was shortlisted for the Booker Prize and appears on Time Magazine and the Guardian’s lists of the 100 greatest novels of the past century. It was famously adapted into a film starring Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, and James McAvoy.
Christopher Hampton’s adaptation follows his acclaimed work on plays such as Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which won Olivier and Evening Standard Awards and is currently revived at the National Theatre. Adam Penford, artistic director of Nottingham Playhouse, directs the production; he previously helmed The Sound of Music at Chichester in 2023.
The creative team includes designer Anthony Ward, lighting designer Aideen Malone, composer and sound designer Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, movement and intimacy director Ben Wright, video designer Andrzej Goulding, and casting director Helena Palmer.
