Ben Miles to play Cromwell in RSC's Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies adaptions The Royal Shakespeare Company has cast its stage adaptions of Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies, the Man Booker Prize-winning novels by Hilary Mantel. Ben Miles, best known for his performance in TV comedy Coupling, will play Thomas Cromwell and Lucy Briers will play Katherine of Aragon in the winter production. Cardinal Wolsey will be played by Paul Jesson and Nathaniel Parker will play Henry V. Both plays will perform in repertoire at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from December and will be directed by Jeremy Herrin. Although Miles began his career at the RSC, he will be returning to the company for the first time in 20 years. The plays will be Brier's RSC debut. Author Mantel said she was "delighted we have secured such gifted actors for four of the major figures in the plays." Mike Poulton has adapted Mantel's Booker and Costa Prize-winning novels. Wolf Hall will open on 11 December 2013 and Bring up the Bodies on 19 December. Both runs will finish on 29 March 2014.