Embers, a new play by Christopher Hampton (Sunset Boulevard, Les Liaisons Dangereuses) starring Tony and Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, began performances at the Duke of York's Theatre
on February 15th and opened on March 1st. The show marks the first
full-scale London production in which Irons has performed since 1986.
Embers is helmed by Tony Award-winner Michael Blakemore (Copenhagen, Kiss Me, Kate). Irons plays Henrik in the show, which is based on a novel by Sandor Marai and also features Jean Boht and Patrick Malahide. "Exploring themes of love, friendship and betrayal, Embers is set in war
torn Europe in 1940, in a Hungarian castle, where retired general
Henrik awaits the arrival of Konrad (Malahide), a friend he has not seen for
several decades," according to press notes. "The fateful day was over 30 years before when Konrad had abruptly
deserted a hunting party he was on with his lifelong friend Henrik. The
following day Konrad mysteriously fled Vienna leaving behind his two
inseparable friends - Henrik and his beautiful wife Kriztina (Boht). The
passing of so many years has not dulled Henrik's memory of that day nor
answered the questions that still haunt him," according to press notes.