9 Aug 2017
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The Exorcist is Unleashed into the West End

Bill Kenwright presents the spine-chilling stage adaptation of The Exorcist

“I’m telling you that ‘thing’ upstairs isn’t my daughter…”

Exactly forty-five years after William Peter Blatty’s best-selling novel petrified a whole generation, his spine-chilling story The Exorcist is unleashed into the West End. Receiving its London premiere at the Phoenix Theatre, the production sees the stage host an entirely new genre of show, following the recent musicals The Girls and current Evita tour.

The Exorcist is best-known as William Friedkin’s 1973 horror flick, starring Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn and Jason Miller, and is considered to be one of the scariest films of all time. Earning two Academy Awards, including Best Writing Adapted Screenplay, the screenplay was first met with controversy, completely shocking audiences across the nation and causing cinema-goers to pass out. Since then, the film went on to become of the top ten highest grossing films of all time.

Adapted into a terrifying play by John Pielmeier, The Exorcist received its world premiere in 2012 at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles, starring Brooke Shields, and was met with lukewarm reviews. In 2016, the Birmingham Repertory Theatre staged the production with an all-star cast including Jenny Seagrove, Peter Bowles and Adam Garcia.

Inspired by true events, the story follows young Regan, who is suffering from an abundance of strange symptoms that have petrified her mother, Chris. When the medical profession is unable to provide any answers, Chris becomes desperate and is forced to turn to the local priest for help. Soon, Father Damien must overcome his own shaken beliefs to tackle the ‘thing’ before him. After all, he could be fighting for more than just one girl’s soul…

Presented by prolific producer Bill Kenwright, award-winning theatre director Sean Mathias directs the production, after most recently bringing No Man’s Land to the West End’s Wyndham’s Theatre, starring Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart. He is joined by Olivier Award-winning designer Anna Fleischle (Hangmen), lighting designer Tim Mitchell and illusionist Ben Hart. Adam Cork provides sound design and original compositions.

Opening at the Phoenix Theatre just in time for Halloween, The Exorcist is the chilling story of demons and all things gory. Playing a strictly limited season, this is a unique theatrical experience that you are bound to never forget.

The Exorcist is booking from October 20th 2017 to March 10th 2018.

Susannah Martin

Susannah Martin

Susannah is the Editor of Official Theatre and lover of all theatre, wine and gin-related evenings! After graduating from the University of East Anglia with a BA Honours in Drama, she moved to London to pursue a career in the Arts.

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