Becket
Haymarket Theatre, London, 1991.

with...
King Henry II:  Robert Lindsay
Thomas Becket:  Derek Jacobi
Archbishop of Canterbury:  Andrew Jarvis
Bishop of Oxford:  Alan Bennion
Gilbert Folliot:  David Lyon
Bishop of York:  John Darrell
Scribe:  Ben Porter
Saxon Father:  John Darrell
Saxon Girl:  Helen Schlesinger
Saxon Boy:  Brendan O’Hea
Gwendoline:  Phyllida Hancock
1st Baron:  Ken Bones
2nd Baron:  Andrew Jarvis
3rd Baron:  Ben Porter
4th Baron:  Tom Beard
Soldier:  Gregor Truter
French Girl:  Dariel Pertwee
Little Monk:  Mark Hadfield
Provost Marshall:  Alan Bennion
French Priest:  Brendan O’Hea
French Choirboy:  Jane Kehoe
William of Corbeil:  Alan Bennion
1st Servant:  JohnDarrell
2nd Servant:  Brendan O’Hea
Queen Mother;  Dilys Hamlett
Queen:  Helen Schlesinger
Prince Henry:  Brendan O’Hea
Younger Prince:  Ben Porter
Secretary:  John Darrell
Monks:  Andrew Jarvis, Ben Porter
Priest:  Tom Beard
Acolyte:  Brendan O’Hea
King Louis of France:  Ken Bones
1st French Baron:  Gregor Truter
2nd French Baron:  Tom Beard
Arundel:  Andrew Jarvis
Pope:  Trevor Ray
Cardinal:  Ronnie Stevens
Mariner:  Alan Bennion
Priest:  Alan Bennion

In Becket, Anouilh presents the history of England under Henry II as if it was France under German occupation. As Henry's long-time political playmate Thomas's elevation to Archbishop of Canterbury forces him to sacrifice the love of his leader for his newfound love of the church:"If I become archbishop I shall cease to be your friend".  Despite the revised translation, Anouilh's play itself did receive some criticism for its "lack of depth", historical inaccuracies and the implied homo-eroticism. Robert Lindsay and Derek Jacobi, however, received rave reviews for their performances. from...http://www.homestead.com/robertlindsay/becket.html

 

It(Becket) can - and this production does -
hold an audience spell-bound.....Above all,
however, you will enjoy the playing of
Jacobi and Lindsay."
The London Financial Times 
October 8, 1991

"...a fluent, vivid play which allows two
fine actors, Derek Jacobi and Robert
Lindsay, to give riveting performances...
Lindsay's performance, a marvelously
restless blend of power and vulnerability,
rage and self-mockery." 
The London Times 
October 8, 1991

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