THE END OF THE NIGHT Comes to the Park Theatre in April

From the writer of Three Days In May (WhatsOnStage Best New Play Award) and A Splinter of Ice and acclaimed director Alan Strachan comes the world premiere of a tense new drama based on an astonishing true story. In the final days of World War II, a secret meeting takes place between a member of the World Jewish Congress and one of the most powerful Nazis in Germany - without Hitler's knowledge. Dr Felix Kersten, Himmler's trusted personal physiotherapist, uses his unique position of influence to facilitate a meeting between the architect of The Holocaust and Swedish Jew Norbert Masur.

Bringing together a stellar cast of stage and screen performers, Original Theatre and Park Theatre's The End of the Night stars Ben Caplan (previously a series regular in Call the Midwife) in the role of Masur alongside Richard Clothier (stage credits include numerous RSC productions and TV credits including the likes of Young Wallander) as Himmler. Completing the cast is Michael Lumsden, who is most well-known for his role as Alistair Lloyd in The Archers for the past two decades, Audrey Palmer whose stage credits include The Mousetrap and Olivia Bernstone who previously starred in Original Theatre's Birdsong both in-person and online during lockdown.

The End of the Night shines a light on a meeting which could turn Himmler's thoughts away from the downfall of the Third Reich and towards a course of action that could save thousands of lives. With battle lines crumbling and lives in the balance, the two men must try to find a way to persuade Himmler to release the last surviving concentration camp prisoners contrary to Hitler's orders that no Jew should outlast the regime.

Playwright Ben Brown said, "A few years ago I read a reference in a newspaper to Hitler's henchman, Heinrich Himmler, having a masseur who persuaded him to meet and negotiate with Jews. This led me to the true story of Norbert Masur, a Swedish member of the World Jewish Congress, who, incredibly bravely, flew to Berlin for a secret meeting with Himmler two weeks before the end of the war to try to persuade him to release the surviving members of the concentration camps. I'm so pleased that this play, which was about to be announced when Covid struck, is finally coming to Park Theatre as planned, with Alan Strachan directing and Original Theatre co-producing."

Operating and touring since 2004 the Original Theatre Company has toured extensively all over the UK and since 2020 have launched Original Theatre Online, producing a number of acclaimed online productions. Recent online productions include Birdsong, Apollo 13: The Dark Side of the Moon, The Haunting of Alice Bowles, Barnes' People, A Splinter of Ice with live streamings of Being Mr Wickham, A Cold Supper Behind Harrods and The System. Recent stage productions include The Hound of the Baskervilles, A Splinter of Ice, The Croft, Sarah Waters' The Night Watch, Stephen Jeffreys' Valued Friends (co-production with Rose Theatre Kingston); Torben Betts' Caroline's Kitchen (originally Monogamy); Alan Bennett's The Habit of Art, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Frederick Knott's Wait Until Dark, Torben Betts' Invincible, Emlyn Williams' Night Must Fall, Terence Rattigan's Flare Path and the award winning tours of Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong adapted by Rachel Wagstaff. Other productions include Three Men in a Boat (a co-production with the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, 2014 & 2015); the 50th anniversary production of Sir Peter Shaffer's The Private Ear and The Public Eye, Our Country's Good, See How They Run, Twelfth Night, Dancing at Lughnasa, Shakespeare's R&J, Vincent in Brixton, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, The Madness of George III, starring the late, great Simon Ward; Journey's End and The Importance of Being Earnest.

Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In nine years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Daytona starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, twenty-five national tours, six Olivier Award nominations, has won numerous Off West End Offie Awards and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage. Park Theatre are grateful to all those who have donated to the Park Life fund, supporting the venue through the pandemic.

Booking: www.parktheatre.co.uk | 020 7870 6876*

* Telephone booking fee: 10% capped at £2.50 per ticket

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