With the ongoing pandemic and closed theaters all over the world, creatives, actors, and stage managers everywhere are struggling, but also coming up with new ways to bring the joy of plays and performances to audiences worldwide.
The Old Vic, one of the famous theaters in London’s West End, is bringing Sherlock, Fleabag and His Dark Materials star Andrew Scott back to its stage – only without an audience. Scott starred in The Old Vic’s version of Present Laughter in 2019 (you can read our review here) and is returning in a play called Three Kings.
According to The Old Vic, the plot of the play specifically-written for Scott is:
When Patrick (Scott) is eight years old his absent father returns unexpectedly and in a brief but memorable encounter, sets him the challenge of ‘The Three Kings’. Years later – recalling that meeting, and the revelations that followed – Patrick traces the events of his father’s life – and takes us on a journey of grandiose plans, aching disappointments and audacious self-delusion. By turns, hilarious and heartbreaking, Three Kings is about fathers and sons, the gifts and burdens of inheritance, and the unfathomable puzzle of human relationships.
Written by Stephen Beresford, the play was planned and written specifically for the series “Old Vic: In Camera,” meaning an empty theater except for the crew and actor(s) on stage. The audience will be able to purchase tickets and gain access to the play streamed via Zoom between July 29 and August 1, 2020. On the last day of performances, Andrew Scott will also join Dermot O’Leary to talk about the play in an online stream – which will be available for everyone, even those without a ticket.
You can buy tickets on The Old Vic website starting July 22, 2020.