Collaboration is the second play by Ronald Harwood which explores the conflict between art and politics during the Second World War, written as a companion piece to Taking Sides.

Collaboration centres on composer Richard Strauss, who, in 1931, embarks on an invigorating artistic partnership with writer Stefan Zweig. However, Zweig is a Jew and the Nazis are on the march. 

This production of Collaboration is produced by Chichester Festival Theatre along with Taking Sides, also playing at the Duchess theatre. The two plays share a cast led by experienced actors Michael Pennington (as Strauss) and David Horovitch (as Zweig).

Harwood is a multi-award-winning playwright whose many plays include Quartet, Mahler’s Conversion, An English Tragedy and The Dresser, which he adapted into a screenplay. His other screenplays include the Oscar and BAFTA-winning The Pianist and the recent film The Diving Bell And The Butterfly.

Collaboration is directed by Philip Franks, an Associate Director at Chichester Festival Theatre. It plays in repertoire at the Duchess theatre with Taking Sides.

For more about Collaboration at the Duchess theatre read the First Night Feature.