PENELOPE WILTON TAKES ON HER MOST TRAGIC STAGE ROLE TO DATE

Fresh from the 2014 Chichester Festival, Penelope Wilton originates the role of Irmgard Litten, devoted mother of celebrated pre-WWII lawyer Hans Litten who famously interrogated Hitler over his party's politics towards workers in the Weimar Republic. Following critical acclaim and a sold-out season at Chichester Festival Theatre, Jonathan Church's world premiere production of Taken At Midnight by Mark Hayhurst is set to transfer to Theatre Royal Haymarket in the New Year.

WHAT IS Taken at Midnight ABOUT?

The story of Irmgard's tragic and ultimately failed campaign to free her son from Nazi concentration camps takes centre stage here. Irmgard's unwavering love for her son sees a normal woman transformed into a fearless and indomitable force to be reckoned with, as she confronts his captors at enormous personal risk to herself, to fight for Hans' release from numerous concentration camps, against the insurmountable might of Hitler and his hated Nazi regime.

This riveting drama goes into depth portraying her struggle, her son's undending resistance and is a modern-day parable for the heroic battle of the weak against the powerful, truth against lies and mothers against murderers. Mark Hayhurst also wrote the 2011 BBC Drama on the same subject, The Man Who Crossed Hitler. Taken at Midnight will play at the Theatre Royal Haymarket for a very limited eight-week run.