Eileen Atkins and Jonathan Pryce on The Height of the Storm Being 'Cheap Marriage Counseling' & Their First Meeting 40 Years Ago

Stage and screen legends Eileen Atkins and Jonathan Pryce have brought their talents together to star in Florian Zeller's The Height of the Storm. With a combined total of 14 Olivier Award nominations and 13 Broadway credits between these performers, this Manhattan Theater Club production is not to be missed. In honor of the play's recent opening night and extension, the duo got together for a new episode of London Calling with Imogen Lloyd Webber to talk all about the show's transfer from the West End, making audiences cry and more.

"I knew I liked Florian Zeller from The Father," Pryce says to Lloyd Webber. "I read [The Height of the Storm] and was quite disappointed because I didn't understand it. I read it a second and a third time and by then I was crying. Although we did it in London for three months, I'm still finding new things in the work here."

Originally touring across the U.K. before landing at the West End's Wyndham's Theatre, The Height of the Storm is currently playing a limited engagement at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. "It's a great gift to come back to a play," Atkins says. "To do it, and then to be off for a few months is wonderful. I love revisiting a play and have been wanting to get back to New York anyway."

Telling the story of a 50-year marriage facing change, Atkins and Pryce play the central couple. Offstage, they already have history: "Working with Eileen is a complete joy," Pryce says. "We hit it off since day one. She forgot we met. It was 1976 and we met in New York for a cup of tea. It was a very British thing to do."

Both stars have recently appeared in monster hits of the small screen with Atkins playing Queen Mary on The Crown, and Pryce as the High Sparrow on Game of Thrones. "I'm quite relieved I'm not often recognized as Queen Mary," Atkins says. "Wonderfully, here in America, one is often stopped by people who have seen you in theater." As for Pryce, he has only affection for Game of Thrones fans. "They all love the show so much so they're very respectful," he says. "I don't mind the recognition because the show was so good. I had a great time making it, and then they killed me."

Atkins and Pryce are continually surprised by the effect of their work. "We were in London and in came an old couple," Atkins says. "The man had stopped talking and the woman was obviously irritated when they sat down. At the end of the play, he put his arm around her and they walked out holding hands. That's pretty wonderful for a play to do." Pryce confirmed saying, "It's cheap marriage guidance counseling."

See Atkins and Pryce in The Height of the Storm, playing at Manhattan Theater Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

Watch the full London Calling with Imogen Lloyd Webber episode below!