Our latest specially commissioned production celebrating great writers focuses on renowned British neurologist Oliver Sacks. His 1973 collection of beautifully crafted case histories, Awakenings was an instant success, inspiring many writers and artists. Via performance and commentary we explore two outstanding examples, Harold Pinter’s A Kind of Alaskaand Brian Friel’s Molly Sweeney, with reference to Sacks’ original case history.

Cast includes: the title star of ITV’s Doctor Finlay David Rintoul; Geraldine James, whose five-decade career has ranged from her award-winning Portia alongside Dustin Hoffman in The Merchant of Veniceto Netflix’s Anne With An E; West End regular Mark Bazeley, best known on screen for Broadchurch, Home Firesand playing Alistair Campbell in The Queen; W1A& Talking Headsstar Monica Dolan, winner of a BAFTA for Appropriate Adult and an Oliver for All About Eve; and, returning from our 2020 Dorothy Parker event, Tom Goodman-Hill(Spamalot, The Imitation Game). Scripted by Tristram Powelland produced by Honor Borwick

Following the performance, journalist, broadcaster and author Mark Lawson will chair a discussion on Oliver Sacks, Harold Pinter and Brian Friel with Michael Billington, former drama critic of the Guardian and author of a biography of Harold Pinter; consultant neurologist and author Dr Guy Leschziner; and playwright and actor Alexis Zegerman, whose plays include The Fever Syndrome.

In Association with the London Library.

Dr Guy Leschziner is a consultant neurologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, where he leads the Sleep Disorders Centre, one of the largest sleep services in Europe, and a reader in neurology at King’s College London. He also works at London Bridge and Cromwell Hospitals. Alongside his clinical work, he is the presenter of the Mysteries of Sleep series on BBC Radio 4, is editor of the forthcoming Oxford Specialist Handbook of Sleep Medicine (OUP), and is Neurology Section editor for the next edition of Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine (Elsevier).

Michael Billington was drama critic of The Guardian from 1971 to 2019 and before that a critic of theatre, film and television for The Times. He is the author of several books including a biography of Harold Pinter; a prize-winning study of post-war British theatre, State of the Nation; an analysis of The 101 Greatest Plays; and most recently, a selection of his criticism entitled Affair of the Heart. He also broadcasts frequently and has taught several theatre courses for American academies including the University of Pennsylvania.

Alexis Zegerman is a playwright and actor. Her plays include The Fever Syndrome (Hampstead Theatre, MTC/Alfred P Sloan commission), Holy Shit, (Kiln Theatre), The Steingolds, (NT Studio, finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize), Lucky Seven (Hampstead Theatre), Noise (Soho Theatre, Westminster Prize.) She was writer-in-residence at the Hampstead Theatre and Paines Plough and is currently under commission with Manhattan Theater Club/Bobbie Olsen, National Theatre, and Hampstead Theatre. Alexis also writes across film, TV and radio, winning the Prix Europa for her original BBC radio drama Deja Vu. Her latest film, Arthur’s Whiskey, has been greenlit with Diane Keaton playing the lead. As an actor, Alexis has worked at the National Theatre, the Royal Court and the West End, most recently appearing in the original cast of Tom Stoppard’s Leopoldstadt. She won a British Independent Film Award for best supporting actress for her role in Mike Leigh’s Happy-Go-Lucky.

Mark Lawson is an English journalist, broadcaster and author. Specialising in culture and the arts, he is best known for presenting the flagship BBC Radio 4 arts programme Front Row between 1998 and 2014. He is also a Guardian columnist, and presents Mark Lawson Talks To… on BBC Four.