Theatre News

Alistair McGowan stars in Jimmy Savile play at Park Theatre

Jonathan Maitland’s new play forms part of the venue’s new season, which includes eight new writing premieres

Alistair McGowan
Alistair McGowan
© Dan Wooller

Alistair McGowan will star in a play about Jimmy Savile at the Park Theatre as part of the venue's new season.

Journalist Jonathan Maitland's An Audience with Jimmy Savile is the first play to examine the sex scandal surrounding Savile, and it runs at the Finsbury Park venue from 10 June to 11 July 2015. Drawing on transcripts from interviews, TV shows and reports, Maitland describes the drama as "semi-reportage".

An Audience with Jimmy Savile is Maitland's second play, following Dead Sheep, which is currently running at the Park Theatre.

Also featuring in the season, in the Park200 space, are; new family drama The Gathered Leaves by Andrew Keatley, running from 15 July to 15 August; Anthony Trollope-inspired Lady Anna: All At Sea by Craig Baxter, running from 19 August to 19 September; Steve Thompson's Roaring Trade, looking at the financial sector as the curtain comes down on the recession, running from 23 September to 24 October; Pulitzer Prize-winning Dinner With Friends by Donald Margulies, running from 27 October to 28 November; and this year's pantomime will be Rapunzel, running from 3 December 2015 to 2 January 2016.

The season in the smaller Park90 includes a revival of Nick Darke's The Dead Monkey, Shaun Kitchener's Positive, family drama Crossing Jerusalem, 1950's-set Hatched 'n' Dispatched and a revival of Grounded by Deafinitely Theatre.

Artistic director Jez Bond said: "In true Park style we’re continuing to demonstrate our commitment to both new writing and great revivals, and to presenting bold, relevant and challenging plays. I believe that theatre is not just entertainment – it’s also about opening discussion and challenging perspectives, holding a mirror up to nature and tackling even the most uncomfortable of issues so we learn from our mistakes."