RSC The Seven Acts of Mercy by Anders Lustgarten Swan Theatre Stratford

Naples, 1606. Inside an unfinished church, a painting is emerging from the darkness. The Seven Acts of Mercy is Caravaggio’s masterpiece - and his first painting since he killed a man and fled Rome. As the artist works, he is fuelled by anger, self-loathing and his driving need to create a work that speaks of compassion in a violent world.

Bootle, the present day. A retired dock worker teaches his grandson, as around them a community is disintegrating under the pressure of years of economic and political degradation. With all he has left, a book of great works of art, he tries to open the boy’s eyes to the tragedy and beauty of the life he faces. And the boy reciprocates in the only way he knows.

Playing out across a gap of 400 years, Anders Lustgarten’s visceral new play confronts the dangerous necessity of compassion, in a world where it is in short supply. Directed by RSC Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman.
This production contains violence and scenes of a sexual nature

The visceral new play, confronting the dangerous necessity of compassion in a world where it is in short supply, features Patrick O’Kane, who returns to the RSC after playing Macbeth in Conall Morrison’s 2007 production, as Caravaggio. O’Kane’s other theatre performances include Jimmy in Owen McCaffertys’ award-winning play Quietly, and The Crucible in Belfast’s Lyric Theatre, and Doctor Faustus at the Manchester Royal Exchange. He has appeared in hit TV shows Game of Thrones (HBO) andThe Fall (BBC Two).

Tom Georgeson plays retired dock-worker Leon. Georgeson is known for his roles as D.I. Harry Naylor in Between the Lines(BBC One), and in the Alan Bleasdale TV dramas Boys from the Blackstuff (BBC Two), Scully (Channel 4) and G.B.H. (Channel 4). His film work includes A Fish Called Wanda, and more recently he has appeared in Ashes to Ashes (BBC One) and Channel 4’s award-winning drama Shameless.

Edmund Kingsley, known for his performances in Martin Scorsese’s 2011 film Hugo, and more recently as John Maynard Keynes in Life in Squares (BBC Two), returns to the RSC to play Marchese. He was last on the RSC stage in Marina Carr’sHecuba (Swan Theatre, 2015), directed by Erica Whyman.

Leon’s grandson, Mickey, is played by 16-year-old Liverpudlian actor T.J. Jones. Jones, who has no formal acting training, has previously appeared in Mat Whitecross’ 2012 film Spike Island, about the famous The Stone Roses gig.

Lustgarten’s latest play takes its audience between Naples in 1606, where Caravaggio is working on The Seven Acts of Mercy,his first painting since he killed a man and fled Rome, and present day Bootle. Retired dock-worker Leon teaches his grandson about compassion, as around them a community is disintegrating under the pressure of years of economic and political degradation. His tools are all he has left: a book of great works of art.

Further casting for The Seven Acts of Mercy includes: Joe Allen (Jimmy), Sally Bankes (Sandra), James Corrigan (Vincenzo),Tom Georgeson (Leon), T.J Jones (Mickey), Lena Kaur (Donna), Edmund Kingsley (Marchese), Patrick Knowles (Razor),Paul McEwan (Damien), Allison McKenzie (Lavinia), Patrick O’Kane (Carravagio), Nicky Priest (Danny), Paislie Reid(Jennifer), Gyuri Sarossy (Lee), Eloise Secker (Emily).

The Seven Acts of Mercy is directed by Erica Whyman and designed by Tom Piper with lighting by Charles Balfour. Music is by Isobel Waller-Bridge, and fights are directed by Paul Benzing. Video is by Nina Dunn, and text and voice work byStephen Kemble.