Cast announced for world premiere of The Interview at Park Theatre
Casting has been announced for the world premiere of The Interview at Park Theatre.
Original Theatre in association with Park Theatre will present Jonathan Maitland’s piece from 27 October – 25 November 2023.
The production will star Tibu Fortes as Martin Bashir and Yolanda Kettle as Diana, Princess of Wales.
Joining them are Naomi Frederick as Luciana and Ciarán Owens as Matt, with a further cast member to be announced.
On 20 November 1995 the BBC broadcast an interview between Diana, Princess of Wales and Martin Bashir. It was watched by hundreds of millions worldwide. But now, it is said, the interview has no legitimacy. Is it right that the way it came about has overshadowed what it was meant to be?
This powerful new play by writer and broadcaster Jonathan Maitland (author of Park Theatre hits Dead Sheep, An Audience with Jimmy Savile, The Last Temptation of Boris Johnson) and directed by Olivier Award nominated Michael Fentiman (Amelie, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Loot), gives an insight into the story behind the interview: the woman who gave it, the man who made it happen and the institution that broadcast it.
The Interview poses tough questions: What can we justify in the pursuit of truth? Can we trust our great institutions? And are we ever, really, in control of our own narrative… our legacy?
The production has set and costume design by Sami Fendall, lighting design by Emily Irish, sound design by and composition by Barnaby Race, costume supervision by Logan Kelly, production management by Andreas Ayling, wig design by Susanna Peretz and wig supervision by Pedro Paiva. The stage manager on book is Kanoko Shimizu and assistant stage manager is Paulina Krauss. The Interview is produced by Steven Atkinson for Original Theatre.
Writer Jonathan Maitland said: “The things that led to the famous interview and the events that came after it revealed much about our country and its institutions. It’s definitely the stuff of drama and I can’t wait to see our superb cast and brilliant director Michael Fentiman bring it all to life.””
Director Michael Fentiman added: “It’s a great pleasure to be directing Jonathan Maitland’s play The Interview at Park Theatre this Autumn. It’s an opportunity to return to a theatre I have very fond memories of after my production of Joe Orton’s Loot there in 2017. It’s an added bonus that I get to work with a theatre company in Original Theatre, who I have long admired as a tireless and vital part of the UK’s new work ecology. Jonathan Maitland is a writer of great integrity and bravery and it’s been an honour to be trusted with his play.”
For more information and tickets, visit parktheatre.co.uk
