Elle UK May2020

ELLE.COM/UK May 2020 47

‘Atitsbest,nothingbeatsthetheatre,’saysAaronSorkin,

thescreenwriteranddirectorbehindTheWestWingand

TheSocialNetwork, whobringshisversionofHarperLee’s

enduringclassicToKillA MockingbirdtoLondon’sGielgud

Theatre(21Mayto 31 October).RhysIfansstarsasAtticusFinch

inthestoryofasmall-townlawyerin193OsAlabamawho

defendsa blackmanwronglyaccusedofrapinga whitewoman.

‘Whenanactorfilmsamovie,they’replayingaroleover

thecourseofeightto 16 weeksandthey’reperformingthe

MOV IESTARSHAVE LONGBEENDRAWN TOT HEBRIGHT

L IGH TSOFLONDON’SWESTEND.HERE ’STHEL AT EST

CROPOFBIGNAMESJE T T INGINTOTRE ADTHEBOARDS

The h yp e...

HOL LY WO OD TA KES

TO T HE STAGE

partforacamera,’saysSorkin.‘Inatheatre,the

actorplaysthepartinonenightandcanfeelthe

electricityfromtheaudience.’

Elsewereinthecapital,don’tmissTimothée

ChalametstarringinAmyHerzog’s 4000 Milesat

TheOldVic(6Aprilto 23 May).Chalametplays

21-year-oldLeo,whoseekssolacefromhisfeisty

grandmotherVeraafterthedeathofhisbestfriend.

Next,makingherUKtheatredebutatthe

Playhouse,GoldenGlobewinnerJessicaChastain

playsdissatisfiedhousewifeNora,whoabandonsherfamily

forindependenceinA Doll’sHouse(1OJuneto 5 September).

AdaptedfromHenrikIbsen’s 1879 protofeministplay,expect

directorJamieLloydtoupdatethetalewitha post-#MeTooslant.

Finally,a revivalofPulitzerPrize-winningmusicalSundayin the

ParkwithGeorge(11Juneto5 September)seesJakeGyllenhaal

makehisWestEndreturnattheSavoyTheatre.Tissuesattheready

fora heartbreakingstorythatfollowspainterGeorgesSeuratinthe

monthsleadinguptothecompletionofhismostfamouspainting.

In the spotlight
JESSICA CHASTAIN
MAKES HER UK
STAGE DEBUT IN AN
ADAPTATION OF
HENRIK IBSEN’S 1879
PLAY, A DOLL’S HOUSE

Elle UPFRONT

WORDS by BECKY BURGUM