"Dear Jack, Dear Louise" is Coming to London

This spring, my play Dear Jack, Dear Louise is having its European premiere at Arcola Theatre in London, and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Of all my plays, Dear Jack, Dear Louise is the most personal. It’s based on the true story of my parents’ courtship during WWII entirely by letters. He was a doctor stationed at an army base in Oregon, while she was an aspiring showgirl living 3,000 miles away in New York City. Bringing their story to life on stage meant recreating their letters—the letters were real, but my mom destroyed them before her death, presumably because she felt they were too intimate for her sons to read. Writing their voices back into the world was a way to be with them again.

This production is particularly special to me. Arcola is a wonderful space with a history of creating excellent theatre, and the show is directed by my very dear friend, Simon Reade. Our friendship goes back over 20 years, when Simon was the Literary Manager at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He commissioned another of my favorite plays, Shakespeare in Hollywood. A few years later, as Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic, he commissioned my adaptation of The Three Musketeers. Both were joyous collaborations.

Through the years, we’ve remained close; in fact I have the honor of being godfather to his bright and talented son, Otto. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Simon is family. So who better to direct this production? A play about my family, in the hands of my theatre family. I couldn’t feel luckier.

The production promises to be a splendid affair with two talented young actors, Preston Nyman and Eva Feiler, taking on the challenge of this two-hander play. I can’t wait to jump into rehearsals next week and see them bring my parents to life.

The show runs at Studio 1 at Arcola Theatre from April 2 through May 2. If you’re in London, I hope you’ll come see it. You can find more information about the show here.