Amadeus - Wilton's Music Hall
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
JOHN DOYLE’s revival of Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus will run from September 19 to October 19, 2006, at Wilton’s Music Hall in east London.
Set in 18th century Vienna, Amadeus explores the gripping, compulsive relationship between Austrian Court composer Antonio Salieri and flawed genius Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
The new production will star Matthew Kelly as Salieri and Jonathan Broadbent as Mozart.
Kelly was last seen on the London stage in 2003, as gentle giant Lennie in Jonathan Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men – a role that won him the 2004 Olivier Award for Best Actor.
His other stage credits include Twelfth Night, Season’s Greetings, The Taming of the Shrew, Blue Remembered Hills, Peter Pan and, most recently, Mirandolina, Ranjit Bolt’s new translation of Carlo Goldoni’s 18th-century comedy.
Doyle’s other work includes Gondoliers, Mack and Mabel and, most notably, Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, which transferred to Broadway where it picked up two of this year’s Tony Awards – for Best direction of a Musical and Best Orchestration.
Peter Hall’s Amadeus premiered at the National Theatre in 1979 and starred Simon Callow and Paul Scofield as Mozart and Salieri respectively. It subsequently transferred to Broadway with Tim Curry and Ian McKellen as the two protagonists.
It was revived by Hall, in 1998 – at the Old Vic – with Michael Sheen and David Suchet playing the leads. Again, it transferred to Broadway.
And in 1984, Milos Forman’s film version broke box office records across the globe and won eight Academy Awards, including one for Shaffer and his adapted screenplay.
The new production marks the 250th anniversary year of Mozart’s birth.
Tickets: £30, £20 concessions
For more information call the box office on 0870 060 1756 or visit the website.