Name: The Doctor
Start: 2022-09-29
End: 2022-12-11
Location: Duke of York's Theatre

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The Doctor - LON [18876]

Juliet Stevenson (Ruth Wolff) and The Cast of The Doctor - The Doctor - Photo Credit Manuel Harlan

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The Doctor

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The Doctor - LON [18876] Product Media

Doctor1

Juliet Stevenson (Ruth Wolff), Juliet Garrick (Charlie) and John Mackay (Father) - The Doctor - Photo Credit Manuel Harlan

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Preeya Kalidas (Flint) and Juliet Stevenson (Ruth Wolff) - The Doctor - Photo Credit Manuel Harlan

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Doña Croll (Cyprian) - The Doctor - Photo Credit Manuel Harlan

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Naomi Wirthner (Hardiman) and Juliet Stevenson (Ruth Wolff) - The Doctor - Photo Credit Manuel Harlan

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Juliet Stevenson is a highly regarded British stage and screen performer known for her many performances across both in films and plays in London.

Juliet Stevenson was born in Essex. Stevenson’s mother was a teacher and her father was an army officer who was assigned a new post every two and a half years. Having studied at a number of different schools, Stevenson was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and joined the Royal Shakespeare Company upon graduating.

During her time with the RSC, Stevenson appeared in productions of *The Tempest*, *Antony and Cleopatra*, *Measure for Measure*, *Henry IV* and *As You Like It*. Having made her name as a stage actress, Stevenson began to split her time between stage and screen as she landed roles in films like *The March* and *Truly, Madly, Deeply* during the early 1990s.

In 1991, she appeared in the role of *Death and the Maiden* at the [Royal Court](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/royal-court-theatre) and its subsequent West End transfer, which saw her recognised with the Olivier Award for Best Actress. She had received four nominations prior, in 1984, 1986 and 1987, and since she has been nominated for *Duet for One* in 2010.

In recent years, Stevenson has forged a relationship with Robert Icke and the [Almeida Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/almeida-theatre). She has starred in his productions of *[Mary Stuart](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/mary-stuart)*, *[Hamlet](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/hamlet-almeida-theatre-2017)* and *[The Doctor](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/the-doctor)*, all of which premiered at the North London fringe theatre, and subsequently transferred to the West End. *Mary Stuart* saw Stevenson share the lead role with Lia Williams, and a coin flip at the beginning of each performance determine who played the title character or Elizabeth I.

Stevenson then led the highly-acclaimed Robert Icke play, *The Doctor*, at the Almeida Theatre. *The Doctor* transfers to the Duke of York's Theatre.

Juliet Stevenson - LON

Hamlet - HPT 2017 [4518]

Hamlet - HPT 2017

Hamlet - HPT 2017 [4518] Product Media

The Harold Pinter Theatre, established and adorned with Victorian architecture in 1881, is one of the most notable theatre venues in the heart of London. Originally known as the Royal Comedy Theatre, it later adopted the name of 'Harold Pinter', honouring the famous playwright. The theatre is situated conveniently in the centre of the bustling West End, an ideal location for tourists and locals alike. The interior is decorated with an impressive array of original features aligned with its historical era of inception, creating an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere for theatre-goers. The theatre has an audience capacity of 796 people across four levels, with the seats divided into Stalls, Dress Circle, Royal Circle and Balcony. Over time, it has been home to many outstanding performances, including shows like 'The Homecoming', 'Moonlight', and 'Betrayal'. The Harold Pinter Theatre undoubtedly offers a memorable and culturally enriching experience for all those who visit.

### How to Get to the Venue 

Harold Pinter Theatre is accessible and well-connected, located at Panton Street in the City of Westminster. The closest Underground stations are Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, both within a short 5-minute walk. Numerous buses service the area regularly, making it straightforward to reach using public transport. For those driving, the MasterPark at Whitcomb Street and NCP at Denman Street are the nearest parking options.

Harold Pinter Theatre - LON

Harold Pinter Theatre

The Harold Pinter Theatre is a historic venue in London's West End, known for hosting many notable performances. Convenient and easily accessible by public transit.

Mary Stuart [8144]

Mary Stuart

Mary Stuart [8144] Product Media

The **Duke of York's Theatre** is one of the most prestigious theatres in the bustling city of London. Nestled in the heart of St Martin's Lane, it boasts a rich history dating back to its opening in 1892. The theatre is named after King George V and since its establishment, it has featured an array of stunning performances and world-renowned plays. The auditorium is an impressive spectacle in its own right, designed in proscenium style, with the capacity to accommodate up to 640 spectators. Over the years, it has maintained its classic Edwardian decor, adding to the immersive theatre experience it provides. Furthermore, the theatre has state-of-the-art technical facilities and provides excellent acoustics, ensuring an awe-inspiring experience. 

**How to get to the venue:** 

Duke of York's Theatre is well-connected to public transportation. The closest tube stations include Charing Cross, Leicester Square, and Covent Garden. Alternatively, several buses stop near St Martin's Lane. For those driving, there are car parks nearby. However, due to London's congestion charge, public transport is the most convenient and often, the easiest way to reach the theatre.

**Additional Information** 

Venue opens 1hr 30min before showtime.<br>
Please arrive with plenty of time. Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable point, which may be the interval.

Duke of York's Theatre - LON

Duke of York's Theatre

The Duke of York's Theatre is a prestigious historical venue in London, showcasing world-renowned plays with modern facilities. It's accessible via public transport.

“No human is an island. We don’t drive change alone,” says a televised debate moderator in [*The Doctor*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/18876-the-doctor-tickets). But for Professor Ruth Wolff, the subject of said debate, what instigates change? Can medicine be the basis for all rational thoughts, or does identity politics intersect into big decision making?

At the start of *The Doctor*, Wolff rationalises denying a 14-year-old who self-administered her own abortion the ability to have her last rites as a Father is not permitted in the room. The case initially sends shockwaves in the medical community, but quickly transpires into a national medical ethics dilemma: a 50,000-strong petition demands her appearance on TV debates, she eventually resigns from her position, and becomes physical. By the end, the central case is overshadowed by wider debates about religion, ethnicity, and personal morals, but for Wolff, it all relays back to the one moment she said no.

Robert Icke adapts Arthur Schnitzler’s 1912 play, *Professor Bernhardi*, into *The Doctor*. Elements of the original text remain — Ruth Wolff is a Jewish physician, and the patient dies of sepsis. But *Professor Bernhardi*’s identity politics overhaul transforms *The Doctor* into an urgent and provocative piece of theatre that taps into the sociopolitical zeitgeist.

Icke taps into our unconscious bias from the get-go. As characters reveal their ethnicity or gender through words, we’re left to build the characters through language, rather than at face value. In doing so, it takes away potential predictability, and we learn of events at the same time as Ruth Wolff. As she begins to understands how her ideas affect others, you almost watch the character’s brain snap into action, and it’s compelling viewing. Three hours fly by in a matter of minutes. 

[Juliet Stevenson](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/juliet-stevenson) gives a masterful performance as Professor Ruth Wolff, timing every disdainful look and eyebrow raise to perfection. She starts out as a callous doctor with a penchant for correct grammar and a booming voice to a fragile, vulnerable woman who loses everything that forms her identity. You see her tears. You feel her heartache. As she frantically runs around the bare stage, you cry for someone to help her break her surroundings and the walls she built for herself. For Stevenson to do this eight times a week is seriously impressive. 

You’d be forgiven for thinking Ruth Wolff’s case in The Doctor is similar to that of the witch hunts in *The Crucible*, coincidentally playing at the National Theatre. For Wolff, “doctors are witches in white,” — a label to be feared and an easy scapegoat if things go wrong. As she’s forced into the spotlight in a televised debate (Stevenson sits with her back to the audience and we see her on camera throughout this section), Wolff must defend herself in a medical witchhunt where there’s no way out. She must wake up to “wokeness”, or else she’s on the stakes.

But for one doctor to shine, it takes an exceptional team too: Chris Osikanlu Colquhoun, Doña Croll, Mariah Louca, Daniel Rabin, Naomi Wirtner, and Sabrina Wu work commendably as doctors of all ranks in the first half to bring a *Grey’s Anatomy* likeness to proceedings, and debate show panellists in the second half. 

Detached from the main narrative, Wolff acts as an emotional crux for Sami, a young person who struggles to find their place in a confusing world. Matilda Tucker plays Sami with their heart on their sleeve, and as the pair break apart from each other, the end result is harrowing.

Hannah Ledwidge’s live drumming adds a theatrical heartbeat to the proceedings. It amplifies the tension in all the right moments without distraction, and also adds pace. Natasha Chiver’s cold and clinical lighting matched with Hildegard Bechtler’s equally bare set design complement the show.

If *The Doctor* play laid on an operating table, medical practitioners would examine how science, religion, and identity sit in the body and affect our way of living. Now, *The Doctor* sits on a wider table — the [Duke of York’s Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/duke-of-yorks-theatre) — allowing more audiences to understand what makes a person. *The Doctor* is the dramatic equivalent of a scientific breakthrough.

[*The Doctor is at the Duke of York's Theatre through 11 December. Book The Doctor tickets on London Theatre.*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/18876-the-doctor-tickets)

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=7607&content_product_id=7607&venue_id=116)

'The Doctor' review — a battle between science and religion in Robert Icke's urgent morality play

Juliet Stevenson is a highly regarded British stage and screen performer known for her many performances across both in films and plays in London. Stevenson was trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art then joined the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Juliet Stevenson - Stars on Stage | London Theatre

Juliet Stevenson- 124x124px

Duke of York's LON

The Duke Of York’s Theatre opened as the Trafalgar Square Theatre in 1892.The playhouse received its current name three years later in 1895, in honour of the future King George V. 

Famous productions to play at the Duke Of York’s Theatre include David Belasco’s *Madame Butterfly* in 1900 – Puccini was in the audience and famously turned the story into an opera. J. M. Barrie's famous creation *Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up* opened at the theatre on 27 Dec. 1904.

Typically, the Duke of York's Theatre is home to short-running plays, with West End and Broadway stars appearing.

## Duke of York's Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Royal Circle and Upper Circle.

The Stalls offer good legroom throughout, and the raking of the seats is very good, noticeably from Row D onwards. 

In the Royal Circles, there is no visual obstruction from the Upper Circle. 

The seats in the Upper Circle curve towards the stage. The final two rows of the Upper Circle are bench seats.

## Additional Information

Venue opens 1hr 30min before showtime.<br>
Please arrive with plenty of time. Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable point, which may be the interval.

Duke of York's Theatre - London Theatre

Duke of York's theatre, initially Trafalgar Square Theatre in 1892, was renamed in 1895. It typically showcases short-running plays with West End, Broadway stars, and has three auditorium levels.

Duke of York's Theatre - TodayTix

DukeofYorks-SeatingMap-816 x1208 px

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