“A man should never turn down two things. Sex, and appearing on television.”
Production images are today released for the Young Vic / Headlong co-production of James Graham’s bold new play Best of Enemies, directed by Jeremy Herrin.
1968 – a year of protest that divided America. As two men fight to become the next President, all eyes are on the battle between two others: the cunningly conservative William F Buckley Jr., and the iconoclastic liberal Gore Vidal. Beliefs are challenged and slurs slung as these political idols feud nightly in a new television format, debating the moral landscape of a shattered nation. Little do they know they’re about to open up a new frontier in American politics, and transform television news forever…
Charles Edwards plays Gore Vidal and David Harewood plays William F. Buckley Jr. The complete cast also includes Emilio Doorgasingh, Clare Foster, Tom Godwin, John Hodgkinson, Justina Kehinde, Syrus Lowe, Kevin McMonagle and Sam Otto.
David Harewood in Best of Enemies Photo Credit: Wasi Daniju The Company in Best of Enemies, Photo Credit: Wasi Daniju Emilio Doorgasingh and Charles Edwards in Best of Enemies, Photo Credit: Wasi Daniju Justina Kehinde in Best of Enemies, Photo Credit: Wasi Daniju Justina Kehinde in Best of Enemies, Photo Credit: Wasi Daniju Syrus Lowe, Kevin McMonagle and Emilio Doorgasingh in Best of Enemies, Photo Credit: Wasi Daniju
Best of Enemies is Written by James Graham and Directed by Jeremy Herrin, with Set and Costume Design by Bunny Christie, Lighting Design by Paule Constable, Sound Design by Tom Gibbons, Video Design by Luke Halls, Composition by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell, Movement Direction by Shelley Maxwell, Associate Movement Direction by Sarita Piotrowski, Casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG, Voice and Dialect by Hazel Holder, Gurkiran Kaur and Salvatore Sorce, with Jerwood Assistant Director Annie Kershaw, Jerwood Assistant Designer Amy Finch and Boris Karloff Trainee Assistant Director Sabrina Richmond.
Best of Enemies will be broadcast live for four performances 20 – 22 January as part of Best Seat in Your House, the Young Vic’s immersive multi-camera player that allows audience members to pick their preferred camera angle during the live show. The broadcast experience is designed uniquely for the production, with multiple cameras positioned to offer unique perspectives of the show. The broadcast will be available worldwide. Captions, audio description and BSL-interpretation will be available for every stream.
