FIRST LOOK AT PAUL BETTANY AND JEREMY POPE AS WARHOL AND BASQUIAT
REHEARSAL IMAGES RELEASED FOR THE COLLABORATION
The Collaboration
By Anthony McCarten
Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah
16 February – 2 April 2022
Main House
“Boxers are like painters, both smear their blood on the canvas.”
The Young Vic today releases rehearsal images of Paul Bettany and Jeremy Pope as Warhol and Basquiat in the world premiere of The Collaboration, Anthony McCarten’s thrilling new drama, directed by Young Vic Artistic Director Kwame Kwei-Armah.
New York, 1984. Fifty-six-year-old Andy Warhol’s star is falling. Jean-Michel Basquiat is the new wonder-kid taking the art world by storm. When Basquiat agrees to collaborate with Warhol on a new exhibition, it soon becomes the talk of the city. As everyone awaits the ‘greatest exhibition in the history of modern art’, the two artists embark on a shared journey, both artistic and deeply personal, that re-draws both their worlds.
Paul Bettany, multi award-winning actor (The Avengers, WandaVision, A Very British Scandal) is the iconic Warhol alongside two-time Tony Award nomineeJeremy Pope (Hollywood, Choir Boy, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations) as the magnetic Basquiat, with the complete cast also including Sofia Barclay and Alec Newman.
The Collaboration is Written by Anthony McCarten, and Directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah, with Set and Costume Design by Anna Fleischle, Lighting Design by Mark Henderson, Sound Design by Emma Laxton, Projection Design by Duncan McLean, Composition by Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Casting by Isabella Odoffin CDG, DJ/VJ by Xana, Assistant Direction and Production Dramaturgy by Olivia Nwabali and Associate Design by Tina Torbey.
Socially Distanced Perfs: 8 March 7.30pm, 9 March 2.30pm & 7.30pm, 10 March 7.30pm, 18 March 7.30pm
Relaxed Perf: 8 March, 7.30pm
Captioned Perf: 10 March, 7.30pm
Audio Described Perf: 18 March, 7.30pm