Coming to Broadway this season is Patriots! A new play by Peter Morgan that follows the life of billionaire Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky through the decline of the Soviet Union and the rise of the Russian oligarchs. Don’t miss out on seeing this thought provoking ang gripping production when it comes live in New York.
Patriots will begin previews on April 1st at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in Manhattan. Opening night is scheduled for April 12th and will have a 12-week limited engagement. It’s an “icily and livewire account of Putin’s rise to power” (The Telegraph) and it’s a story that’s relevant until today.
Catch a performance of Patriots when it arrives on Broadway! Be one of the first few people to witness compelling performances by Michael Stuhlbarg and Will Keen. Tickets are on sale right now. Get your hands on them before it’s too late!
Patriots Tickets:
“A cracking, exciting piece of theatre” – Evening Standard
“Gripping and coolly unnerving” – Matt Wolf
“A brilliant, bruising political drama about the rise of Putin that feels all the more chilling.” – The Financial Times
“Fast-paced and moves beautifully” – British Theatre
Peter Morgan, known for his work on “The Crown,” an Emmy-winning six-season Netflix show, presents Patriots. Morgan has written two previous Broadway plays: “The Audience,” about Queen Elizabeth II, and “Frost/Nixon,” about journalist David Frost’s legendary conversations with former President Richard Nixon.
Patriots is a compelling new production set to captivate Broadway audiences for a limited 12-week run this season. Scheduled previews kick off on April 1 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, leading up to an eagerly anticipated opening night on April 22.
Originally debuted to critical acclaim in 2022 at London’s Almeida Theatre, it enjoyed a sold-out run. Patriots later graced the stage of the Noël Coward Theatre for a successful West End engagement. Tony nominee and Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold directs this gripping narrative, which delves into the rise of Vladimir Putin following the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The play explores the complex dynamics between Putin and billionaire Boris Berezovsky, whose initial support for Putin’s ascent to power ultimately leads to a dramatic and near-Shakespearean clash as their ambitions collide.
As Russia struggles to find a new direction in the early stages of the Soviet Union’s collapse, a new class of rulers known as oligarchs—millionaire businessmen—emerges. Under the cover of these new, wealthy tzars, Vladimir Putin is all too willing to hitch a ride to the top in this scrappy, brutal, and frequently plain dirty battle for supremacy. In this incredibly timely and gripping new drama, Peter Morgan follows Boris Berezovsky from his seat at Putin’s table to his ultimate fall from grace, exposing the entire corrupt and generally horrifying process.
“This is a play that makes you think; and once you’ve thought it makes you think again.” – London Theatre
For the first time in almost two decades, Michael Stuhlbarg (The Pillowman) will make his Broadway comeback in the role of Boris Berezovsky. Stuhlbarg has several theatrical credits, but he has most recently been in films (“A Serious Man”) and television (“Boardwalk Empire”). The role was played in London by Tom Hollander.
Will Keen, who was originally cast in London, will return to the role of Vladimir Putin. For his West End performance, he won an Olivier Award for best supporting actor. Alongside the two, Luke Thallon will appear as Roman Abramovich. Additional casting will be announced later.
Patriots is directed by British filmmaker Rupert Goold, who is also directing “The Hunt” at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn early this year. Goold has had two Tony Award nominations for his work, “Ink” and “King Charles III.”
The creative team includes set designer Miriam Buether; co-costume designers Deborah Andrews and Miriam Buether; lighting designer Jack Knowles; sound designer and composer Adam Cork; movement director Polly Bennett; and projection designer Ash J Woodward. Casting is by Jim Carnahan. TT Partners is the production’s general manager.
“This political play by the writer of ‘The Crown’ taps into current world events with masterful precision” – Independent UK
When asked by The New York Times to speak about his masterful performance as Putin, Will Keen said: “Well, I read and read and read and watched and watched and watched. Physically, what was most useful to me was just observing him in press conferences — I got this enormous sense of inner turmoil, covered by an incredible physical stillness. There’s a sense of containment to him, like he’s trying to hold everything inside… Onstage, I also find that tension in him coming out in my fingers.” Keen portrays the role favorably — as a minor politician who could only afford inexpensive suits and whose success was based on a friend’s largess.
Do not miss out on seeing Keen’s Olivier Award-winning performance when he comes to Broadway for a very limited time!
Patriots will begin previews at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre from April 1, 2024. Opening night is set for the April 12. The production will officially run for two hours and 40 minutes, including one interval.
About the Ethel Barrymore:
Located at 241 West 47th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Built in 1928, the Ethel Barrymore Theatre stands as a testament to architectural brilliance. It was envisioned by Herbert J. Krapp in a fusion of Elizabethan, Mediterranean, and Adam styles, commissioned by the esteemed Shubert family. Named in honor of the renowned actress Ethel Barrymore, the theater boasts 1,058 seats and is proudly operated by the Shubert Organization. Both its facade and interior are cherished landmarks in New York City.