The Dresser

by Ronald Harwood

Written by Academy Award-winning author Sir Ronald Harwood, The Dresser recounts the events of an evening in a provincial theatre during World War II.

As the sirens wail and the bombs fall, a troupe of actors prepare for a performance of Shakespeare’s King Lear. However, the once-famous lead actor, “Sir”, is refusing to assume his role; so it is up to his devoted dresser to inspire the ageing actor and thereby save the show, and Sir, from disaster.

Hailed for its humour, tenderness and intelligence, and widely considered to be Harwood at his best, The Dresser is a seminal play about life in the theatre and a poignant look at two grudgingly co-dependent men.

The play was nominated for Olivier and Tony Awards and adapted for the small and big screens – the 1983 film adaptation receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Screenplay.

A Stables Production directed by Peter Mould