The Play Podcast

Episode 113A: Arcadia Footnotes Host: Douglas Schatz Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. T om Stoppard's dramatic masterpiece, Arcadia, is a teasing detective story, a joyous comedy, and an emotionally rich exploration of love and loss. It is also a play of ideas. These Footnotes supplement our main episode on Arcadia , with observations on subjects woven into the fabric of the play, including garden design, Fermat's Last Theorem, Iterated Algorithms and something called Fractals, the Second Law of Thermodynamics and Chaos Theory.

Episode 113: Arcadia by Tom Stoppard Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Carrie Cracknell Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Tom Stoppard's 1993 play, Arcadia is viewed by many as his finest play, renowned for the breadth of its intellectual interrogations and its formal invention. The play is a structural masterpiece of ideas, as well as a teasing detective story, joyous comedy, and emotionally rich exploration of love and loss. As we record this episode a wonderful new production of Arcadia is playing at the Duke of York's theatre in London's West End, following its acclaimed run at the Old Vic theatre earlier this year. I am delighted to share the challenge and the pleasure of exploring Stoppard's dazzling drama with the director of the new production, Carrie Cracknell.

Episode 112: Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Mark Lawson Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. David Mamet's modern American classic, Glengarry Glen Ross , is a blistering commentary on the cut-throat reality of the American dream, and its poisonous impact on those who have bought into the myth and machismo of that dream. The play had its world premiere in the small Cottesloe theatre at the National Theatre in London in September 1983, and was first performed in New York the following year, winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Mamet also wrote the extended screenplay for the star-studded 1992 film version. As we recorded this episode a new production of the play was playing at the Old Vic theatre in London., with an all-female cast. This is a particularly provocative idea, because one of the primary themes of this play is masculine identity, and the salesmen in this Chicago office do not hold back in their display of machismo. To explore Mamet's unflinching slice of 1980s dog-eat-dog capitalism, I am joined by arts journalist Mark Lawson.

Episode 111: The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht Host: Douglas Schatz Guests: Stephen Sharkey and Tom Kuhn Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Bertolt Brecht's 'gangster spectacle', The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is both an exuberant and funny piece of theatre, and a chillingly topical political satire. Set in the 1930s Chicago of Al Capone, Brecht presents a parody of the rise of Hitler through the character of the gangster Arturo Ui. The play is a universal cry for vigilance against the rise of unscrupulous, populist leaders who threaten democratic societies and global peace. As we recorded this episode a new production of the play by the Royal Shakespeare Company was playing in Stratford-upon-Avon, starring Mark Gatiss as the title character. I am delighted to be joined by both the show's translator, playwright Stephen Sharkey, and by Brecht scholar, Professor Tom Kuhn, to guide us through Brecht's political parody.

Episode 110: Our Town by Thornton Wilder Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Howard Sherman Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Playwright Edward Albee described Thornton Wilder's Our Town as "the greatest American play ever written." In fact Wilder's quintessential portrait of rural America in a bygone time has somehow transcended its iconic American setting to become a universal meditation on mortality, community, and how we live our individual lives, wherever that may be. The play premiered on Broadway in 1938, winning Wilder the Pulitzer Prize, and it has been a staple of school, amateur and stock performance ever since. In fact, according to critic John Lahr writing in the introduction to the text of the Penguin edition, "the play is performed somewhere in the world every day." Howard Sherman, author of Another Day's Begun – Thornton Wilder's Our Town in the 21st Century , joins me to explore this American classic.

Episode 109: Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Dr Hester Lees-Jeffries Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet is arguably the most famous love story of all time. The tragic tale of their ecstatic young love has become iconic, not only in the theatre, but in the countless forms it has been retold, in musicals, dance, opera and film. As we record this episode a daring new production is playing in London's West End, directed by Robery Icke, and starring Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe as the "star-crossed lovers". I'm delighted to be joined to explore the play by Dr Hester Lees-Jeffries from Cambridge University, author of the introduction to the New Cambridge Shakespeare edition of the text.

Episode 108: The Lady from the Sea by Henrik Ibsen Host: Douglas Schatz Guests: Professor Kirsten Shepherd, Tzen Sam Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. When Henrik Ibsen's lyrical play The Lady from the Sea premiered in 1889, the critics were bewildered. On the surface it is a conventional drama of marital strife and the constrained social position of women, but the play is enriched by its acute portrait of psychological trauma and mystical undercurrents. I was prompted to explore the play having seen Simon Stone's modern adaptation at the Bridge theatre in London in the Autumn of 2025, and I am delighted to welcome Ibsen expert, Professor Kirsten Shepherd, back to the podcast, to discuss this intense and mysterious work. Kirsten and I are also joined by Oxford PHD student, Tzen Sam.

Episode 107: Entertaining Mr Sloane by Joe Orton Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Dr Emma Parker Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Joe Orton's black comedy Entertaining Mr Sloane offended many established critics when it premiered in 1964. Orton's first full-length play signalled the arrival of a unique new voice, defined by its anarchic farce, camp sexuality, and faux-refined language, like a ramped-up Oscar Wilde let loose in the emerging age of free love. The play's first production was promoted with ads warning that it was "not for the narrow minded". I have long wanted to cover Orton on the podcast, and I was prompted to start with this play by the recent revival staged at the Young Vic theatre in London. I am delighted to welcome Orton enthusiast and expert, Dr Emma Parker, to help me explore Orton's provocative farce.

Episode 106: End by David Eldridge Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: David Eldridge Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. David Eldridge's new play End is the final instalment of what David has described as a "triptych for the theatre", following Beginning in 2017, and Middle in 2022. Each of the plays in the series presents a snapshot of a couple at a particular time of life. In End we meet a couple who are facing the premature end of their life together. The play is not only an emotionally painful meditation on mortality, but also a testament to the life affirming power of love. As we record this episode End is playing at the National Theatre in London, with Saskia Reeves and Clive Owen as the couple. I was privileged to talk with David about Beginning way back in episode 11 of the podcast, and then Middle in episode 47, so I am delighted to be able complete the trilogy by welcoming David back to talk about End .

Episode 105: The Weir by Conor McPherson Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Conor McPherson Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. The curtain rises on a small rural pub in northwest Ireland. A few of the regulars have dropped in for company and bit of the craic. This is the simple premise of Conor McPherson's breakthrough, internationally successful play, The Weir . The play is a quiet, yet mesmerising piece of drama that consists of nothing more than a handful of people coming together and telling a few stories. Stories which reveal not only personal anxieties, regret and grief on the part of its characters, but which, in the telling, draw us into a collective experience of the mystery of being alive. The Weir premiered in a tiny space at the Royal Court Upstairs in July 1997. It has since been performed all over the world, and as we recorded this episode a new production was playing in London's West End, directed by the author himself and starring Brendan Gleeson as Jack. I'm delighted to be able to talk with Conor himself about his magical play.

Episode 104: Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Will Tosh Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. William Shakespeare's romantic comedy, Twelfth Night, or What You Will is one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, renowned for its clever cross-dressing plot and festive hi-jinks, but also for its elusive tone, fluctuating between the comic and a darker cruelty. The play is also infused with desire, both declared and suppressed, even subversive, as the characters search for love, status and identity. As we record this episode a new production of the play is playing at Shakespeare's Globe theatre in London, and I'm delighted to welcome to the podcast the Globe's Director of Education, Dr Will Tosh.

Episode 103: Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Max Webster Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Titus Andronicus is Shakespeare's first tragedy, although in fact, scholars believe that Shakespeare did not write the whole play himself. Whatever its origins, the play is notorious for its graphic horror, which includes multiple killings, amputations, decapitations, rape and cannibalism. Horrors that have overwhelmed audiences and alienated critics for centuries. Although the play was hugely popular in Shakespeare's time, later critics dismissed it for its excessive violence and crude, fragmented structure. However, the play's bleak portrait of amoral leadership, sexual violence, racial conflict, and personal and political despair has struck a chord in more recent times, with several acclaimed productions and restored critical opinion. As we record this episode an exciting new production of the play is on stage at the Hampstead theatre in London, having transferred following its acclaimed run at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. The production is directed by Max Webster, who joins me to explore Shakespeare's full-blooded tragedy.

Episode 102: Every Brilliant Thing by Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe Host: Douglas Schatz Guests: Duncan Macmillan Jonny Donahoe Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. Every Brilliant Thing When their mother attempts to take her own life, a seven-year old child decides to start a list; a list of "everything brilliant about the world. Everything worth living for." A list for mum. This is the premise for Every Brilliant Thing , the hit one-person play created by playwright Duncan Macmillan and performer Jonny Donahoe. The play started life at Ludlow Fringe Festival in 2013, and in the decade or so since, it has been seen in over 70 countries around the world. As we record this episode Every Brilliant Thing has reached London's West End, with a rotating cast of five different performers appearing over its three-month run at the Soho Place theatre. The critic, Lyn Gardner, described Every Brilliant Thing as "one of the funniest plays you'll ever see about depression." She is spot on – it is funny and poignant and finally life affirming. I am very privileged to be joined in this episode by the show's two creators, Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe.

Episode 101: The 101 Greatest Plays Host: Douglas Schatz Guests: Michael Billington Mark Lawson Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. In 2015 the esteemed theatre critic, Michael Billington, published The 101 Greatest Plays – From Antiquity to the Present. Michael wrote that his selection was intended as a "provocation", a "prelude to debate". Ten years on I invited Michael and the arts journalist, Mark Lawson, to join me to review and debate his criteria and selection. During our discussion we not only wrangled over specific inclusions and exclusions in Michael's list, including most controversially his omission of both King Lear and Waiting for Godot , we also addressed more general questions about the criteria for selection, what elements make a great play, and what makes a play more likely to endure beyond its own time. Join us in the debate!

Episode 100: A Moon for the Misbegotten by Eugene O'Neill Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Beth Wynstra Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. A Moon for the Misbegotten is the last play that Eugene O'Neill wrote. It is in some way a eulogy for his brother, Jamie O'Neill, who like the character of Jim Tyrone in this play, drank himself to death. In fact, it is also an epilogue of sorts to his autobiographical masterpiece Long Day's Journey into Night , where we first met Jim Tyrone. It is eleven years later, and Jim is about to leave the family home in Connecticut following the death of his parents, but not before saying a final goodbye to the woman who lives next door, Josie Hogan. Josie and Jim have unacknowledged feelings for each other, but their tortured moonlit night together does not offer them the salvation or future that they may have thought possible. As we record this episode, a new production of A Moon for the Misbegotten is playing at the Almeida theatre in London, and I am delighted to be joined by O'Neill expert, Beth Wynstra, to explore what one American critic called 'a major minor-masterpiece". To mark our 100th episode listeners have a chance to win £100 of theatre tokens – visit https://www.theplaypodcast.com/100-a-moon-for-the-misbegotten-by-eugene-oneill/ for details on how to enter!

Episode 099: Till the Stars Come Down by Beth Steel Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Beth Steel Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. It is Sylvia and Marek's wedding day. But this is not an entirely traditional English wedding, because unlike her older sisters, Sylvia's husband-to-be is not a local man; Marek is a Polish immigrant. As the festivities unfold, fuelled by beer and vodka, emotions run high, and fault lines appear within the family that will change their lives forever. Beth Steel's Till the Stars Come Down , is an hilarious and heartbreaking family drama, as well as a richly layered exploration of the social and economic landscape of the country they live in. Till the Stars Come Down premiered to great acclaim at the National Theatre in January 2024, and as we record this episode is back on stage at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London's West End. I'm delighted to be joined by the play's author, Beth Steel.

Episode 098: Stereophonic by David Adjmi Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: David Adjmi Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. It is 1976, and a fictional rock band are holed up in a studio in California attempting to record their much anticipated second album. The pressures of an inflated studio budget and raised artistic expectations expose the fault lines in the band's professional and personal relationships. David Adjmi's Tony-award-winning play, Stereophonic , is a fly-on-the-wall depiction of both the magic and the monotony of collaborative artistic endeavour, as the cast recreates the live process of making music, and play out the price they pay for their art and fame. As we record this episode, Stereophonic has opened in London's West End following its triumph on Broadway, and I am thrilled to be joined by the play's author, David Adjmi, to explore his unique creation.

Episode 097: Giant by Mark Rosenblatt Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Mark Rosenblatt Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. It is 1983, and the famous children's author Roald Dahl's life is in some turmoil. He has just divorced his wife of 30 years, and his new fiancée has just moved into the family home and has initiated disruptive renovations to the house, disturbing his very particular writing routines. Dahl also now finds himself the target of publlic outrage for the antisemitism contained in his recent published criticism of Israel's violent attack on Lebanon. Representatives from his British and American publishers have arrived to try to persuade Dahl to issue some conciliatory response, but Dahl is characteristically disinclined to retreat from his deeply-felt opinions. This is the premise for Mark Rosenblatt's award-winning first play Giant , which is currently earning five-star reviews in London's West End. I am delighted to be joined by the play's author, Mark Rosenblatt, to explore his electrifying play.

Episode 096: Dealer's Choice by Patrick Marber Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Matthew Dunster Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. A poker game in the basement of a London restaurant is the setting for six men to play out their dreams and disappointments in Patrick Marber's first play, Dealer's Choice . The play premiered at the National Theatre in 1995, and thirty years on a cracking new production is on stage at the Donmar Warehouse in London. I'm delighted to be joined by its director, Matthew Dunster, to explore Marber's perceptive portrait of male conflict and compulsion.

Episode 095: Rhinoceros by Eugène Ionesco Host: Douglas Schatz Guest: Omar Elerian Welcome to The Play Podcast where we explore the greatest new and classic plays. Each episode we choose a single play to talk about in depth with our expert guest. We'll discuss the play's origins, its themes, characters, structure and impact. For us the play is the thing. A rhinoceros charges through the square of a small French village, and soon all of its inhabitants are being transformed into rhinoceros themselves. Eugène Ionesco's 1959 absurdist satire, Rhinoceros , was conceived as a metaphor for support for the rise of Fascism in Europe between the world wars, and for conformism more generally. As we record this episode an imaginative new adaptation of the play is playing at the Almeida theatre in London, and I'm delighted to be joined by the show's translator and director, Omar Elerian.