Cultural mix updates Arthur

One of Britain's great national heroes, King Arthur, is to be played by French black actor William Nadylam in a new London show described as "a modern take" on the old Celtic myth.

Entitled Merlin, and due to open at Riverside Studios next month, it was originally written by German Tancred Dorst 20 years ago and has since been seen in 17 countries across the world, though not in England.

It deals primarily with the Round Table, the rise and collapse of a great ideal, and involves not only the knights but characters as various as Mark Twain and Lord Rothschild.

Now translated into English by German director Patricia Benecke, it has become such a modern production that it will faithfully reflect the multicultural mix of today's Britain.

Hence, Sir Lancelot will be played by British Asian actor Selva Raslingam, Sir Gawain by British Ghanain actor Daniel Kobbina and Sir Kay by British Malaysian actor Kwong Loke.

Such casting will throw into even more prominence the white skin and red hair of the half-Irish Jacqueline Hynes, who has been chosen to play Guinevere.

It is this kind of multicultural casting that has persuaded Nadylam, who speaks fluent English, to try to make his career in this country rather than in his native France - even though he is highly regarded there.

He said: "There is very great openness in English theatre which does not apply in France."