Details

The Vatican 1978: a little-known Cardinal from Venice is elected to succeed Pope Paul VI. A compromise candidate, he takes the name Pope John Paul I, and quickly shows himself to be the liberal the reactionaries within the Catholic Church most feared. Just thirty-three days later, he is dead. No official investigation is conducted, no autopsy is performed, and the Vatican's press release about the cause of death is later found to be, in large part, false. And just the evening before his death, John Paul had warned three of his most influential but hostile Cardinals that they would be replaced. His death marks the climax of fifteen troubled years of controversy and machination within the Church; schisms threaten its unity and the shadow of the Mafia hovers over its financial affairs. Only Cardinal Benelli has the power to challenge the dead Pope's enemies. This incisive thriller tracks the dramatic tensions, crises of faith and political manoeuvrings inside the Vatican surrounding the death of the man known as 'the Smiling Pope' Running time approx. 2 hours 30 minutes

Cast/Performers

David Suchet (Cardinal Benelli), Joseph Mydell (Cardinal Cantin), Michael Cronin (Cardinal Suenens), Paul Foster (Father Lorenzi), Maroussia Frank (Sister Vincenza), John Franklin Robbins (Cardinal Ottaviani), Michael Jayston (The Confessor), Charles Kay (Cardinal Felici), Joseph Long (Cardinal Lorscheider), Bernard Lloyd (Cardinal Villot), Roger May (Monsignor Magee), Christopher Mellows (Dr Buzzonetti / Thomas), Stuart Milligan (Bishop Marcinkus), Richard O'Callaghan (Cardinal Luciani), Bruce Purchase (Cardinal Baggio), Clifford Rose (Pope Paul VI)

Creatives/Company

Author: Roger Crane
Corporate Sponsor(s): Hendy Ford, Lockheed Martin
Producer(s): Duncan C Weldon, Paul Elliott (for Triumph Entertainment Ltd, Theatre Royal Haymarket Productions, Festival Theatre Chichester
Director: David Jones
Design: William Dudley
Costume: Fotini Dimou
Lighting: Peter Mumford
Music: Dominic Muldowney