Gethsemane - National Theatre (Cottesloe)
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
DAVID Hare’s new ensemble play, Gethsemane, opens in the National’s Cottesloe Theatre on November 11, 2008 (previews from November 4) before continuing in repertoire until February 24, 2009.
Nothing is more important to a modern political party than fund-raising. But the values of the donor can’t always coincide with the professed beliefs of the party. And family scandal within the cabinet has the potential to throw both the money-raisers and the money-spenders into chaos.
A play about British public life, Gethsemane looks at the way business, media and politics are now intertwined to nobody’s advantage, as, in an unforgiving world, one character after another passes through Gethsemane.
Howard Davies directs a cast that includes Anthony Calf, Tamsin Greig, Jessica Raine, Daniel Ryan, Stanley Townsend and Nicola Walker.
Greig, who makes her National Theatre debut in Gethsemane, has previously appeared on stage in God of Carnage (Gielgud Theatre); as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (for which she received an Olivier Award for Best Actress) and King John (both for the RSC). Her extensive television work includes Green Wing (RTS and Bafta Awards), Love Soup and Black Books. And on radio, she played Debbie in The Archers.
However, other cast members have recently appeared at the National – Calf as Anthony Eden in Howard Brenton’s Never So Good; Townsend in Lucinda Coxon’s Happy Now?; and Raine in Simon Stephens’ Harper Regan. And Walker was last seen at the Thames-side venue in Edmond and Tales from the Vienna Woods.
Davies is an Associate Director at the National Theatre, where his recent productions include Her Naked Skin, Never So Good, Present Laughter, Philistines, The Life of Galileo, Paul, The House of Bernarda Alba and Mourning Becomes Electra.
Gethsemane is Hare’s fourteenth original play for the National Theatre. The others include Stuff Happens, The Permanent Way (a co-production with Out of Joint), Amy’s View, Skylight, The Secret Rapture, The Absence of War, Murmuring Judges, Racing Demon, Pravda (written with Howard Brenton) and Plenty.
Gethsemane has set designs by Bob Crowley, costumes by Fotini Dimou, lighting by Mark Henderson and sound by Christopher Shutt.
Following its run at the National, Gethsemane will tour the UK.