Riotous court-room epic based on biblical tale receives a traverse style resurrection at original Shakespearean actors’ church
Written by Stephen Adly Giurgis | Directed by Antony Law
St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch, London 17 April to 19 May at 7.30pm
PRESS PERFORMANCE: Friday 19 April 2013 at 7.30pm
“A simply great ensemble work…” British Theatre Guide on Bouncers
A cast of 14 stage history’s most infamous betrayal in the atmospheric setting of London’s original actor’s church, where Burbage himself lies buried in the grounds. First directed and performed by esteemed American film and stage actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman and LAByrinth Theatre Company in New York, this intoxicating mix of love, betrayal, forgiveness and hope brings together testimonies from famed characters as diverse as Sigmund Freud, Mary Magdalene, Pontius Pilate, Mother Teresa and Satan.
St Leonard’s Church provides the perfect setting for this comic drama with a legacy stretching back to the very origins of performance. The church houses the crypt that Shakespeare originally envisaged for Romeo and Juliet’s demise. The audience will be divided by traverse style seating and will encounter an over-sized courtroom set, including an eight foot high desk and chair. Set in the business end of Purgatory, in a small town called Hope, this is not the imagined world of clouds and white waiting rooms, but a place of ruthless litigation where troubled souls wait to be permanently assigned to either heaven or hell.
Director Antony Law said: “My motivation for directing the The Last Days of Judas Iscariot came from the moment I first read it in Foyles: the beauty of the writing, and the ideas and premise of the play. There are many modern parallels and current issues raised in the work. For example, what makes us make decisions? Who is left with the consequences?”
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot received its world premiere in 2005 at New York’s Public Theater, produced by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by highly regarded American actor Phillip Seymour Hoffman’s LAByrinth Theatre Company. The performance received its European premiere in 2008, directed by Olivier Award winning director Rupert Goold at the Almeida Theatre.
Antony Law’s directing credits include Road (2013) at the Cockpit Theatre, Matilda, Mike and Dan at the Pleasance Theatre (2012), Bouncers (2010) at Leicester Square Theatre and The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (2010) at the Cockpit Theatre. He has also directed a number of Dennis Kelly plays including Love and Money (2012), Taking Care of Baby (2012) and Debris (2011), DNA (2011) and Howard Barker works including Scenes from an Execution (2007), Victory (2008) and A Hard Heart (2008). Acting credits include Oblast/Chorus in Hurts Given and Received (2010) at Riverside Studios, Find Me (2007) at the Etcetra Theatre, London and Pulling (2002, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and national tour). His film appearances include Gulliver’s Travels (2010) and Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd (2007).
American playwright, screenwriter, director and actor Stephen Adly Guirgis is co-artistic director and member of LAByrinth Theater Company which was formed in New York in 1992. His plays have been performed on five continents and throughout the United States. Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train (2001), Our Lady of 121st Street (2003), In Arabia We’d All Be Kings (2007), The Last Days of Judas Iscariot (2005) and The Little Flower of East Orange (2008) were all produced by LAByrinth Theatre Company and directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman. Other plays include The Motherfucker with the Hat (2011) which premiered at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre on Broadway in 2011, Den of Thieves, Race Religion Politics, Dominica: The Fat Ugly Ho and the upcoming Untitled/St. Paul play. UK and regional premieres of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot have been performed at the Donmar Warehouse, The Almeida, the Arts, Hampstead Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe (2012 Fringe First Award) and two US midwest premieres at Steppenwolf. Stephen’s TV writing credits include NBC’s UC: Undercover, David Milch’s CBS drama Big Apple, NYPD Blue and The Sopranos.
St Leonard’s Church is regarded as the original actors’ church. The building as it stands now dates to 1740 though the first historical reference dates back to the 12th century. Shakespeare lived in nearby Bishopsgate and many of his plays were first performed in Shoreditch. The church which was situated near to The Theatre, England’s first purpose built playhouse and the Curtain Theatre. Several theatrical figures of note are buried there, namely James Burbage, founder of The Theatre and his son Richard who was the leading man in many of Shakespeare’s plays. The church is currently presided over by the Reverend Paul Turp and was more recently used for BBC Two programme Rev and as the backdrop for alternative pop act Florence + The Machine’s Drumming Song video.
www.judaslondon.com | www.shoreditchchurch.wordpress.com/ | Running Time: 2 hours 30 minutes (with interval) | Contains strong language (parental discretion advised)
Company Information
Produced, Directed and Designed by Antony Law Written by Stephen Adly Giurgis
Casting Direction & Production Management Libby Edwards Lighting Design by Heather Doole
Cast includes Michael Aguilo (El Fayoumy), Laurence Bouvard (Fabiana Aziza Cunningham), Tom Greaves (Jesus), Priyank Morjaria (Judas Iscariot), Antony Law (Butch Honeywell), Peter Marinker (Judge Littlefield/Caiaphas the Elder), Earl R Perkins (Matthew/Bailiff/Zealot), Maggie Robson (Henrietta Iscariot), Shereen Russell (Saint Monica), Kathy Trevelyan (Gloria/Mother Teresa), Lawrence Werber (Peter/Pilate), Christopher Wolert (Thomas/Freud/Matthias), tbc (Mary Magdalene/Sister Glenna/Loretta) and tbc (Satan).
St Leonard’s Church, Shoreditch
Shoreditch High St, Hackney, London, E1 6JN
www.shoreditchchurch.wordpress.com
17th April to 19th May | Wed – Sat at 7.30pm
Sat Matinee at 2.30pm | Sun at 3pm (post show talks will follow every Sunday performance)
£12 – £18
www.sohotheatre.com | Box Office: 020 7478 0100
