The critically acclaimed Donmar Warehouse production of MARY STUART, starring Janet McTeer as Mary, Queen of Scots and Harriet Walter as Elizabeth I, celebrates Opening Night at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street), this evening, Sunday, April 19th, 2009.
McTeer and Walter recreate the performances that dazzled London, joined by a stellar supporting company of 11 actors, performing Peter Oswald's thrilling new version of Friedrich Schiller's classic play under the direction of Phyllida Lloyd.
Seduction, greed and deception lie at the heart of the bitter rivalry between Mary, Queen of Scots (Janet McTeer) and her cousin, Elizabeth I (Harriet Walter) of England. After being implicated in her husband's murder, Mary turns to Elizabeth for help but finds her cousin distrustful of her motives. Thus begins a bloody feud that will threaten not just their family bond, but the crown of England... MARY STUART tells the story of two iconic women whose lust for power reveals one of the most thrilling displays of passion and politics the world has ever seen.
Ben Brantley, New York Times, hailed this production of MARY STUART as "Ripping. A stage burner of a revival. Mary Stuart is portrayed to a red-blooded fare-thee-well by Janet McTeer. Queen Elizabeth I is portrayed with glittering iciness by Harriet Walter. Mary Stuart has never seemed more pertinent than it does in this vivid incarnation, staged by Phyllida Lloyd." The Daily Telegraph pronounced it "Exhilarating... Pure Class!" The Times raved, "Terrific Acting, Terrific Theatre, Terrific Schiller". The Daily Mail called the production "Unforgettable". The Observer raved, "Phyllida Lloyd has provided a gleaming, intense Mary Stuart. It's thrillingly staged and acted to the hilt". The Sunday Times claimed, "Both female leads crackle with the kind of gun-powder charisma that sparks devotion and forments intrigue. In this fine production, every lie, every deception, rings true".
Janet McTeer returns to New York for the first time since she electrified Broadway with her Tony Award-winning portrayal of Nora in A Doll's House. She won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in the celebrated film Tumbleweeds. Her other theatre work includes Duchess of Malfi, Uncle Vanya and A Midsummer Night's Dream.
Harriet Walter, considered one of England's greatest classical actresses, is a three-time Olivier Award winner for her performances in Twelfth Night, A Question of Geography and Three Sisters. Film credits include the Academy Award-nominated Atonement, Babel and Sense & Sensibility.
Peter Oswald's thrilling adaptation of Mary Stuart won the praise of critics and audiences alike in its West End run. His previous adaptations include Schiller's Don Carlos, Sophocles' Oedipus Tyrannos and a stage version of the Sanskrit epic The Ramayana. His original works include The Swansong of Ivanhoe Westeway and Augustine's Oak.
