Jean Anouilh's Becket to Close December 11 in the West End
Becket centers on the lifelong friendship of Henry II Britton and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket Scott, which is tested and ends in tragedy as Becket grows more confident and thoughtful in his position. The play portrays England under Henry II as if it were France under German occupation.
The production, directed by John Caird, opened on October 27 to mixed reviews. Paul Taylor of The Independent wrote: "It's a play that never settles into being a straightforward contest between the rival claims of God and king. Becket's progress toward martyrdom is compromised by the mixed motives of a man for whom defending God's honour is also a convenient solution to personal identity problems and private self-disgust. Scott's Becket is good at conveying the emotional unreachability that so infuriates Henry. But he could afford to keep us guessing more about the completeness of Becket's sincerity… Caird smoothly negotiates the cinematic flow of scenes, apart from a couple of awkward horseback episodes played on absurdly high-wheeled vaulting horses. You're left, though, with the impression that Becket has the trappings of an important play without the soul of one."