Martin Shaw leads a star-studded cast in the West End premiere of Gore Vidal’s sharp political drama The Best Man.

Two opposing presidential party candidates are neck and neck in an unscrupulous battle for the nomination: William Russell (Shaw), ex-Secretary of State, and his ambitious populist opponent Joseph Cantwell (Jeff Fahey). The only thing that separates them is an endorsement from a respected ex-President.

But as the race heats up the campaign gets personal, where does compromise end and corruption begin? And who in the end will be proved to be ‘the best man’?

One of the UK’s best loved actors, Shaw is perhaps best known for his TV roles in Judge John Deed, Inspector George Gently and The Professionals. He returns to the stage after his West End triumphs which include An Ideal Husband, Twelve Angry Men, Are You Lonesome Tonight? and A Man for All Seasons.

Jeff Fahey, American star of TV series Lost, co-stars in The Best Man alongside one of Britain’s finest and best loved film, TV and theatre actresses Maureen Lipman.

Written and produced on Broadway nearly 60 years ago, long before the battles of Trump vs Clinton and May vs Corbyn, The Best Man never achieved a West End transfer at the time because it was thought that American politics were of no real interest to London audiences.

But now, in an era of titanic political tussles, The Best Man aims to hold up a mirror to the often surprising results of campaigning, and the all-too-often unscrupulous world of politics.