Plague Over England
Encyclopedia
Plague Over England is a play written by Nicholas de Jongh
, based on an incident that occurred during John Gielgud
's life, when he was arrested for lewd behaviour; it offers an insight into the changes of the gay lifestyle over the last fifty years. It received universally positive reviews when it received its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre
in 2008, and subsequently transferred to the West End with an updated cast for a limited run.
was arrested in a public lavatory after being entrapped by a pretty policeman. There followed a high-profile court case, reenacted in Plague Over England.
critic Nicholas de Jongh's first play premiered at the Finborough Theatre
in February 2008, and transferred to the West End's Duchess Theatre
in February 2009, with Michael Feast as Gielgud and Celia Imrie
as Sybil Thorndike. It included the following cast: Michael Brown, David Burt, Simon Dutton, Steven Hansell, Sam Heughan, Hugh Ross and John Warnaby. It was directed by Tamara Harvey.
Nicholas de Jongh
Nicholas de Jongh is a British theatre critic and playwright. He served as the senior drama critic of the Evening Standard from 1991 to 2009. Prior to that, he worked for the Guardian newspaper for almost 20 years...
, based on an incident that occurred during John Gielgud
John Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
's life, when he was arrested for lewd behaviour; it offers an insight into the changes of the gay lifestyle over the last fifty years. It received universally positive reviews when it received its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre
Finborough Theatre
The Finborough Theatre is a fifty seat theatre in the Earls Court area of London, United Kingdom , which presents new British writing, UK and premieres of new plays, primarily from the English speaking world including North America, Canada, Scotland and Ireland, music theatre, and rarely seen...
in 2008, and subsequently transferred to the West End with an updated cast for a limited run.
Plot summary
On 21 October 1953, John GielgudJohn Gielgud
Sir Arthur John Gielgud, OM, CH was an English actor, director, and producer. A descendant of the renowned Terry acting family, he achieved early international acclaim for his youthful, emotionally expressive Hamlet which broke box office records on Broadway in 1937...
was arrested in a public lavatory after being entrapped by a pretty policeman. There followed a high-profile court case, reenacted in Plague Over England.
Productions
Evening StandardEvening Standard
The Evening Standard, now styled the London Evening Standard, is a free local daily newspaper, published Monday–Friday in tabloid format in London. It is the dominant regional evening paper for London and the surrounding area, with coverage of national and international news and City of London...
critic Nicholas de Jongh's first play premiered at the Finborough Theatre
Finborough Theatre
The Finborough Theatre is a fifty seat theatre in the Earls Court area of London, United Kingdom , which presents new British writing, UK and premieres of new plays, primarily from the English speaking world including North America, Canada, Scotland and Ireland, music theatre, and rarely seen...
in February 2008, and transferred to the West End's Duchess Theatre
Duchess Theatre
The Duchess Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, London, located in Catherine Street, near Aldwych.The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 and is one of the smallest 'proscenium arched' West End theatres. It has 479 seats on two levels....
in February 2009, with Michael Feast as Gielgud and Celia Imrie
Celia Imrie
Celia Diana Savile Imrie is an English actress. In a career starting in the early 1970s, Imrie has played Marianne Bellshade in Bergerac, Philippa Moorcroft in Dinnerladies, Miss Babs in Acorn Antiques, Diana Neal in After You've Gone and Gloria Millington in Kingdom...
as Sybil Thorndike. It included the following cast: Michael Brown, David Burt, Simon Dutton, Steven Hansell, Sam Heughan, Hugh Ross and John Warnaby. It was directed by Tamara Harvey.
Reception
The production received largely positive reviews, many particularly praising Imrie and Feast. However, despite rave reviews, the production closed two weeks early on the 2nd of May 2009.Critic quotes
- "Enthralling... outstanding... ambitious... impressive...touching...Michael Feast, who knew Gielgud personally, gives a beautifully deft tragi-comic performance as the great actor, at once unworldly, lecherous, self- mocking and full of fear...Celia Imrie offers a delicious double as a touchingly sympathetic Sybil Thorndike... bravo!" Charles Spencer, Daily Telegraph.
- "Lively...arresting." Benedict Nightingale, The Times.
- "Compelling...a terrific first play." The Evening Standard
- "Bracing, moving and intelligent" Sunday Express