Second Half Productions, Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Wessex Grove, Young Vic and Headlong present
Best of Enemies West End
Mon - Sat, 7.30pm
Wed & Sat matinee, 2.30pm
Previews: Mon 14 - Sat 26 Nov
Noël Coward Theatre
★★★★★ The Times, Observer, Time Out, Sunday Times, Financial Times, iNews, Evening Standard, Daily Mail
“The most riveting play in London” New York Times
“Stupendous… an absolute must-see” The Guardian
“a scintillating, perfectly-timed play” Financial Times
The sold out, critically acclaimed and multiple award-winning hit, Best of Enemies transfers to the West End this November. Zachary Quinto (The Boys in the Band, Star Trek, Heroes) makes his London stage debut playing left-wing icon Gore Vidal, with David Harewood (Homeland, Super Girl, Ten Percent) reprising his role as the right-wing figurehead William F. Buckley Jr.
1968 – a year of protest that divided America. As two men fight to become the next President, all eyes are on the battle between two others: the cunningly conservative William F. Buckley Jr., and the iconoclastic liberal Gore Vidal. Beliefs are challenged and slurs slung as these political idols feud nightly in a new television format, debating the moral landscape of a shattered nation. Little do they know they're about to open up a new frontier in American politics, and transform television news forever…
James Graham’s work for TV (Sherwood, Quiz, Brexit: The Uncivil War) and theatre (Ink, This House, Labour of Love) makes him one of the UK’s most exhilarating and celebrated writers and Best of Enemies reunites him with award-winning director, Jeremy Herrin (People, Places and Things, Wolf Hall Trilogy, This House). This Young Vic and Headlong transfer to the Noël Coward “rushes at the audience like a newshound after a story” (The Observer) and is “the most riveting play in London’ (New York Times).
Show Warnings
ToggleThis show contains themes of racism, homophobia and violence. There is occasional use of homophobic and racist slurs as well as misgendering. There are references to murder, antisemitism and frequent strong language.
Inspired by the documentary by Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon.
The Young Vic and Headlong wish to thank The Charlotte Aitken Trust, Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, The London Community Foundation and The John Ellerman Foundation, for supporting the 2021 world-premiere of Best of Enemies at the Young Vic.
Writer James Graham
Inspired by the documentary by Morgan Neville and Robert Gordon
Director Jeremy Herrin
Designer Bunny Christie
Lighting Designer Jack Knowles
Sound Designer Tom Gibbons
Video Designer Max Spielbichler
Composer Benjamin Kwasi Burrell
Movement Director Shelley Maxwell
Casting Charlotte Sutton CDG (UK) and Jim Carnahan CSA (US)
Voice and Dialect Coach Hazel Holder
Associate Director Annie Kershaw
With Deborah Alli, David Boyle, Lincoln Conway, Emilio Doorgasingh, Vivienne Ekwulugo, Clare Foster, Tom Godwin, David Harewood, Jamie Hogarth, John Hodgkinson, Syrus Lowe, Kevin McMonagle, Sam Otto, Zachary Quinto and Saaj Raja.
Audio Described Performance: Sat 3 Dec, 2.30pm
Captioned Performance: Sat 10 Dec, 2.30pm