Tom Conti and Laurence Fox to star in The Patriotic Traitor

Olivier Award-winner Tom Conti and Lewis actor Laurence Fox will star in the world premiere of The Patriotic Traitor at the Park Theatre in February.

Written and directed by Jonathan Lynn, Conti will play Philippe Pétain and Fox will be Charles de Gaulle. The cast is completed by Niall Ashdown as Leon Blum/General Weygand, James Chalmers as General Le Gallet/Captain de Courcel, Ruth Gibson as Yvonne de Gaulle and Tom Mannion as Lord Halifax/Pierre Laval.

The Patriotic Traitor is the true story of close friends Charles de Gaulle and Philippe Pétain, who found themselves on opposing sides in World War II. Lynn commented: "What is a patriot? Who is a traitor? These questions are with us today, all over the world, just as much as they were in 1940. This is a story of love and betrayal, and Philippe Pétain and Charles de Gaulle's triumph and tragedy has fascinated me for many years.

"I am fortunate to have Tom Conti and Laurence Fox to bring these two great men and monstrous egotists to life."

The Patriotic Traitor runs at Park Theatre from 23 February to 19 March.