The Last Confession, starring David Suchet, is to transfer into the Haymarket on 28 June (press night 2 July) following its current run at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Roger Crane’s debut stage play, directed by David Jones, is a thriller which explores the mystery surrounding the sudden death of Pope John Paul I, who was found dead just 33 days after being elected in 1978. Suspicions are aroused when it is revealed that, on the evening of his death, the Pope had warned three enemy Cardinals that he intended to replace them. While the Vatican refuses to conduct an official investigation into the death, Cardinal Benelli (Suchet) is the only one to challenge the dead Pope’s enemies.
Suchet was last on a London stage at the National in Once In A Lifetime in late 2005 and previously Man And Boy at the Duchess. Further back, his stage credits include Harold Pinter’s production of Oleanna, Peter Hall’s revival of Amadeus and Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?, opposite Diana Rigg. He is best known on television for playing Belgian detective Hercule Poirot in the Agatha Christie mysteries, and recently portrayed the late businessman Robert Maxwell on BBC2.
Joseph Mydell (Breakfast With Mugabe at the Soho, As You Like It at the Novello) joins Suchet in the cast, as do Michael Jayston, Richard O’Callaghan, Roger May, Bernard Lloyd, Stuart Milligan, Clifford Rose, Charles Kay, John Franklyn-Robbins, Bruce Purchase, Michael Cronin, Joseph Long, Paul Foster, Maroussia Frank and Christopher Mellows.
The Last Confession runs at the Haymarket until 15 September. Currently playing in the theatre is The Lady From Dubuque, starring Maggie Smith, which ends its run on 9 June. To book tickets for The Lady From Dubuque click here.
CB