The world premiere production of The Score opens at the Theatre Royal Bath starring legendary stage and screen actor Brian Cox (HBO’s multi award-winning Succession) as Johann Sebastian Bach. Appearing from Thursday 12 to Saturday 28 October, Oliver Cotton’s astonishing new play is directed by Trevor Nunn, former artistic director of the National Theatre and the RSC, whose multi-award-winning repertoire ranges from Les Misérables to The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
Spring 1747 in Potsdam, Prussia, Johann Sebastian Bach reluctantly visits the court of Frederick II, Europe’s most ambitious and dangerous leader. The two men could hardly be more different. As the Age of Enlightenment dawns, they stand in opposite camps. Bach is deeply religious, Frederick is an atheist. Bach loathes war, Frederick revels in it. Bach studies scripture, Frederick reads military history. Frederick remains in awe of Bach’s genius however and has mischievously prepared a musical conundrum that he hopes will baffle the composer and amuse his court. The explosive events of the following days could not have been predicted by either man.
Brian Cox's glittering career has spanned more than sixty years, garnering numerous awards and nominations. He has worked with the most esteemed theatre companies and renowned directors in film and television. A double Olivier Award winner for Best Actor, his recent portrayal of Logan Roy in the hit HBO series Succession won him a Golden Globe Award. His many film credits include playing the title role in Churchill, Argyle Wallace in Braveheart, Ward Abbott in The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy, Killearn in Rob Roy, Ike Fletcher in Mending the Line, Agamemnon in Troy, Melvin Belli in Zodiac and Nathan in The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Nicole Ansari-Cox joins her husband on stage as she plays the role of Bach’s wife Anna. Her many screen credits include Succession, Law and Order, Deadwood, FBI, The Blacklist, SK Kölsch and films including Lawrence After Arabia, Remember Me, What a Feeling, Land of Dreams and Side Effects. Amongst her stage credits in Europe and America, she starred in the original production of Tom Stoppard’s Rock ‘n’ Roll, directed by Trevor Nunn, which had its world premiere at the Royal Court and transferred to the West End and Broadway.
Matthew Burns plays the role of Carl. His theatre credits include The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at Southwark Playhouse; the original UK tour of Once; Twelfth Night for Kew Gardens Open Air Theatre; the UK tour of Buddy Holly and The Cricketers and Henry V, Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet for Pendley Shakespeare Company. His screen credits include Hanna, Into The Abyss and Born On This Day.
Doña Croll makes a welcome return to Bath to play the role of Emilia. Previously at the Theatre Royal, she has performed in Henry V in 1997, Elmina’s Kitchen in 2003, Pride and Prejudice in 2017, The American Plan at the Ustinov Studio in 2013 and The Doctor in 2022.
Stephen Hagan, who plays the role of Frederick, has recently been seen as Tom Fisher in The Larkins, Malcolm in You, DC Alistair Quinn in Hope Street and Rich Clayton in Stan Lee’s Lucky
Man. This is the third time he has worked with Trevor Nunn after starring in Cyrano de Bergerac at Chichester Festival Theatre and Oliver Cotton’s Dessert at Southwark Playhouse. His stage credits also include End of the Rainbow in the West End and Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida, The Comedy of Errors and The Tempest for the RSC.
Peter de Jersey appears as Voltaire. A Royal Shakespeare Company regular and associate artist, his stage credits also include roles for the National Theatre, Donmar, Almeida, Young Vic and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. His many television credits include Holby City, Line of Duty, Warrior Nun, The Bill, Atlantis, This Time with Alan Partridge and Broadchurch.
Christopher Staines (Wolf Hall, Mrs Dalloway) appears as Quantz, Benedict Salter (An Inspector Calls) plays Benda and Eric Sirakian (The Kite Runner on Broadway) plays Graun. The cast is completed by Will Kerr, Geoffrey Towers, Jimmy Gladdon, Toby Webster and Rebecca Thornhill.
Sir Trevor Nunn is one of the foremost directors of his generation. His extensive repertoire includes theatre, film and television. He has been Artistic Director of both the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company; he has also directed extensively in the West End and on Broadway. His numerous credits include directing the original West End productions of the musicals Les Misérables, Cats, Starlight Express and Sunset Boulevard; and the Olivier Award-winning Summerfolk, Troilus and Cressida, The Merchant of Venice and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. Previously at the Theatre Royal Bath, he has directed Arcadia in 1993, Betrayal in 1999 and Relative Values in 2013. He has received numerous Olivier Awards, Tony Awards and Drama Desk Awards for his work and was knighted in 2002.
The creative team also includes Robert Jones as set and costume designer and Johanna Town as lighting designer. Sound design and additional composition is by Sophie Cotton and Cordelia Monsey is associate director.
The Score appears at the Theatre Royal Bath from Thursday 12th to Saturday 28th October. To book tickets contact the Theatre Royal Bath Box Office on 01225 448844 or book online at www.theatreroyal.org.uk
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