“This entire town is a cesspool, darling. Beautifully lit. Well appointed. But a cesspool nonetheless.”
Hollywood, 1950. A fading star. A rising one. An agent with an agenda. And a legend who’s seen it all.
Tallulah Bankhead – magnetic, mercurial, and unapologetically sharp-tongued – stops in for a cocktail at the home of former screen idol turned interior designer Billy Haines, who may – or may not – be planning to disappear from the town he once ruled.
Enter power agent Henry Willson and his all-too-perfect protégé Chad Manford, setting the room alight. In a world where image is everything, and identity must be carefully edited to survive, can any of them break “the code” without losing everything?
The brand-new London production of The Code by Michael McKeever will be directed by Drama Desk award-winning and Tony-nominated Christopher Renshaw and star two-time Olivier winner Tracie Bennett as Tallulah Bankhead and star of stage and screen John Partridge as Billy Haines.
The Code lays bare the unspoken rules of Hollywood, then and now: a world where image still shapes opportunity, where authenticity is curated and identity remains politicised.
Starring alongside Tracie Bennett and John Partridge will be Solomon Davy as Chad Manford and Nick Blakeley as Henry Willson.
Writer Michael McKeever said: “I am thrilled to bring this show to London. I look forward to seeing what this splendid team will do with it. It’s fascinating to me how relevant the issues in the play have become in these strange times in which we live.”
Director Christopher Renshaw said: “I am genuinely excited to be at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, directing this wonderful quartet of actors in this equally wonderful play.”
Producer Jim Kierstead said: “It gives me great pleasure to bring this brilliantly inspiring and timely show to London with our incredible producing team. Working with Chris and Michael and this talented group of actors and creatives is a dream come true.”
The Code has set and costume design by Ethan Cheek, lighting design by Jack Weir, and casting by Nicholas Hockaday.
Southwark Playhouse Elephant, 1 Dante Pl, London, SE11 4RX from 12th September – 11th October.
Booking and full details: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/the-code/
