Cast and creative team announced for world premiere of The Pope by Anthony McCarten
- World premiere of The Pope by 2019 Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning and 2019 Oscar-nominated writer Anthony McCarten to open in Northampton in June
- Original music by BRIT, Oscar and Grammy Award-winning composer Anne Dudley
- Anton Lesser returns to the stage for the first time in a decade to play Pope Benedict
- Nicholas Woodeson plays Pope Francis, following his recent UK Theatre Award Nomination for Best Actor in Royal & Derngate’s Death of a Salesman
- Faith Alabi plays Sister Sophia and Lynsey Beauchamp plays Sister Brigitta
- @RoyalDerngate / #MadeInNorthampton / @AnthologyTheatr / #ThePopePlay
A Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production with Anthology Theatre
in association with Tara Finney Productions
Saturday 8 to Saturday 22 June 2019
Royal & Derngate Northampton has announced full cast and creative team for the venue’s world premiere of The Pope. This new play from Anthony McCarten, the 2019 Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning, and 2019 Oscar‑nominated writer of Bohemian Rhapsody, The Theory Of Everything andDarkest Hour, will star Anton Lesser (Game Of Thrones, The Crown, Wolf Hall, Endeavour) as Pope Benedict and Nicholas Woodeson (Baptiste, The Danish Girl, Death of Stalin, Taboo) as Pope Francis and will feature original music composed by BRIT, Oscar and Grammy-winning composerAnne Dudley (Elle, American History X, The Full Monty, Poldark). Faith Alabi (Belleville, Donmar Warehouse; Hamlet, Talawa) and Lynsey Beauchamp (Britannia, Einstein) play the roles of Sister Sophia and Sister Brigitta respectively.
This original play is the inspiration for a major motion picture of the same name that has been adapted by Anthony McCarten to premiere on Netflix later this year. Now based in London, The Pope marks his UK stage debut, although in his home country of New Zealand, his acclaimed plays include Ladies Night, which remains New Zealand’s most commercial popular play.
The production will be designed by 2018 Tony nominee Jonathan Fensom (Our Lady of Kibeho,Farinelli and the King) with lighting design by Charles Balfour (Mojo, West End; Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, National Theatre) and video design by Duncan McLean (The Jungle, West End; All My Sons, Old Vic) and is co-produced by Anthology Theatre (The Entertainer, The Wipers Times and Cat On A Hot Tin Roof) in association with Tara Finney Productions.
Six years ago Pope Benedict XVI stunned the world by quietly announcing he would resign, the first pope in 700 years to do so. What drove this arch-conservative to break with sacred tradition and cede the way for Cardinal Bergoglio – a tango-dancing, football-loving reformer with the common touch – to become Pope Francis, one of most powerful men on earth?
Together, Pope Benedict and Cardinal Bergoglio grapple with their complex pasts and uncertain futures. From coming of age under dictatorships in Germany and Argentina, to the scandal of sexual abuse by the clergy – they offer two opposing visions for the Church today. Shining a light into one of the world’s most secretive institutions, The Pope is at once a candid portrayal of two men testing the limits of their faith and an exploration of the role of religion in an age of social and political upheaval. At its heart lies a timeless question: in moments of crisis, should we follow the rules or our conscience?
Further Made in Northampton 2019 productions will be announced shortly.
Made in Northampton is sponsored locally by Michael Jones Jeweller.
For more information, visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk. Tickets can be booked online or by calling Box Office on 01604 624811.