General News Blog

The production of ‘Taking Sides’ and ‘Collaboration’ by Ronald Harwood, will transfer to London’s West End. The shows are to move to the Duchess Theatre, opening on the 27th May ‘09.

The opening will follow on from the previews that are set to run from 20th May. Bookings are to be available until 29th August ‘09

‘Wilhelm Furtwangler’ is played by Michael Pennington (in Taking Sides), as is ‘Richard Straus’ (in Collaboration).

Both Taking Sides and Collaboration are directed by Philip Franks.

Production is by Chichester Festival / Nica Burns & Max Weitzenhoffer for Nimax Theatres, & Duncan Weldon.

Taking Sides sees the Conductor Wilhelm Furtwängler, highly thought of by Hitler, who thought of Furtwängler as very important as a cultural icon within the Third Reich. Mr Furtwängler was later interrogated as a possible Nazi sympathiser. The show takes place as Major Arnold, is about to corss examine Mr. Furtwängler

Collaboration sees The writer Stephan Zweig and composer Richard Strauss setting off on an enthrauling artistic partnership. The only problem is that the Nazis are on the march, and Zweig is a Jew. The play raises questions about ones ability to keep seperate political actions and artistic aspirations. Just how easy is it to cross the line that lies ever thinly between betrayal and collaboration.

Here is a quote from Mr. Harwood

“It is no exaggeration to say that one of the great highlights of my professional life was to learn that Taking Sides and Collaboration were transferring from Chichester to the Duchess Theatre, London. Of all West End playhouses, the Duchess is one of the very few theatres able to hold audience and actors in an intimate embrace. It is, I believe, the ideal home for these plays which deal with the conflict between art and politics and the agonizing personal and moral choices that had to be faced by the protagonists. But those choices have still to be made by us, now, and the question how would we have behaved lies at the heart of both plays”.