Benjamin O’Mahony will head the cast of Park Theatre’s Holy Fool, a new play by Rosalind Adler and Lea Sellers inspired by the extraordinary true story of legendary Soviet composer Dmitri Shostakovich and his battle to preserve his artistic voice under Stalin’s brutal regime.
Directed by Kate Fahy, O’Mahony will play Dmitri ‘Mitya’ Shostakovich, with Jenna Augen as Nina, Phoebe Pryce as Katya and Fergus O’Donnell as Izaak.
One of the twentieth century’s greatest composers. One wrong note could cost him everything.
At the height of Stalin’s reign of terror, celebrated composer Dmitri Shostakovich walks a perilous tightrope. One wrong note could topple him; one perfectly judged crescendo might save his life. Under the constant threat of torture and death, he must appease a brutal despot – while quietly resisting him.
Outwardly compliant, inwardly defiant, Shostakovich composes in code: music that conceals as much as it reveals.
Inspired by remarkable real events, Holy Fool is described as a tense, darkly witty and moving portrait of an artist who fought oppression not with weapons, but with music. Exploring the impossible choices faced by those living under authoritarian rule, the play asks urgent contemporary questions about censorship, propaganda, compromise and the enduring power of art to challenge tyranny.
The production reunites acclaimed director Fahy with a creative team including Will Fricker (design) alongside lighting designer Oliver Fenwick and sound designer Julian Starr.
It comes from Park Theatre and Wild Yak, together with coproducer Alexander ‘Sandy’ Marshall.
The production runs at Park Theatre, London, from Thursday, August 27 to Saturday, October 10, 2026.
Tickets here.