Samuel Barnett is to take on more than 15 diverse roles in the world première of Caroline Bird’s The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse at Nottingham Playhouse.
Barnett won the first Edinburgh Award from The Stage and the Scotsman Fringe Award for his role in the one-man show Feeling Afraid as if Something Terrible is Going to Happen by Marcelo Dos Santos in 2022. The show transferred to London’s Bush Theatre in 2023. He also played Ben in Mark Ravenhill’s Ben and Imo at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre in Stratford in 2024.
In The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse, Barnett will play Mary’s husband, her mother, a documentary filmmaker, a Roman centurion, Margaret Thatcher and Jesus among other roles.
As previously announced, Maxine Peake will play the title role in this two-hander, which will be directed by Sarah Frankcom, who said, “I’m thrilled that Sam is joining us on the journey of bringing Caroline Bird’s wonderful play to life. I can’t wait to see him get under the skin of its huge panoply of real and imagined characters including vicars, activists, barristers, chat show hosts, the odd Prime Minister and Kenny Everett who all help to tell the story of Mary Whitehouse, once dubbed the most dangerous woman in Britain.”
Nottingham Playhouse chief executive Stephanie Sirr MBE added, “it’s really exciting to have this incredible combination of talents working on a new Nottingham Playhouse commission. Caroline Bird’s wickedly comedic script, delivered by the incredible talents of Maxine and Sam, with Sarah Frankcom’s inspiring direction—it’s a powerhouse team and a fascinating story about one of the most divisive figures in recent history.”
The creative team includes designer Peter Butler, lighting designer Malcolm Rippeth, sound designer Annie May Fletcher and voice and dialect coach Liz Flint.
The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse delves into Whitehouse’s most explosive battle: her infamous blasphemy trial against Gay News which “revealed the shocking power behind her sweet smile”. The play challenges beliefs about freedom and censorship and explores one woman’s formidable resolve to push back the tide.
The Last Stand of Mrs Mary Whitehouse, a work of fiction inspired by real events, will run at Nottingham Playhouse from Friday 5 until Saturday 27 September. Press night will be Wednesday 10 September.