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1 Mar 2022 | |
Written by Tara Biddle | |
Arts & Culture |
Following a smash-hit run on Broadway, Aaron Sorkin’s new play based on Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, and directed by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher, will open at London’s Gielgud Theatre in March 2022.
Rafe Spall (The Big Short, The War of the Worlds, Life of Pi) stars as Atticus Finch, one of the most venerated characters in American literature. OT, Harry Redding will play his son, Jem Finch.
Harper Lee’s enduring story of racial injustice and childhood innocence has sold 45 million copies worldwide. On Broadway the production has not played to an empty seat and has become the most successful American play in Broadway history.
To Kill A Mockingbird tickets at the Gielgud Theatre London are available to purchase for performances from 10 March 2022 until 13 August 2022.
Harry (bottom right) has taken time out of his busy rehearsal schedule to tell us a bit about this amazing experience.
(Photo: c/o Kate Morley PR)
"Being a part of the ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ West End transfer has been an incredible experience. After doing a lot of my final year of drama school on Zoom, I am enormously grateful and relieved to be in a rehearsal room with twenty-seven other actors, preparing a production for live audiences.
The first day of rehearsals felt slightly like the first day of school. I was very nervous and felt out of my depth with the scale of the production. It also didn’t help that Aaron Sorkin made a surprise visit to the read through and sat directly across from me. However, after the first couple of days, I settled into the rhythm of rehearsals and enjoyed putting my attention into creating our new world in 1934 Alabama.
At Tonbridge I realised that I wanted to work as an actor. When I first arrived, I was struck by how passionate the drama department was and I’ll never forget my first play at Tonbridge, performing as a chorus member in ‘Sweeney Todd’ directed by Gavin Bruce, or working with Richard Hartley in my final year as Laertes in ‘Hamlet’. In these school productions I learnt about being ambitious in stretching myself and the importance of being curious in every aspect of my work. Gavin, Richard and Larry Thornbury also instilled in me the importance of taking the work seriously but not yourself.
I’m really looking forward to moving into the theatre next week and commencing performances on 10th March. There have been many ‘pinch-me’ moments throughout this process and the first performance onstage will be no exception".
The play opened on March 31 to great acclaim.