Matt Charman’s new play The Observer is set during a West African country’s first democratic election. A group of international observers are sent to oversee and rubber stamp the process. New voters queue in their thousands, but a senior member of the observation team finds herself both horrified by the President’s suppressive tactics and, for once, in a position to do something about it. But as street violence escalates and the country enters free fall, an increasingly angry young translator forces this well-meaning outsider to confront the impact of her intervention.

The Observer stars Anna Chancellor, who was last seen at the National Theatre in the cast of Never So Good. She also recently appeared in the Donmar Warehouse production of Creditors. Chancellor is joined in The Observer’s cast by James Fleet, who is probably best known for his TV role as Hugo in The Vicar Of Dibley.

Richard Eyre, who directs The Observer, was Director of the National Theatre from 1988 to 1997. His recent directorial work includes The Reporter, Hedda Gabler and Mary Poppins, while his films include Iris, Stage Beauty and Notes On A Scandal.

Before The Observer, Charman has The Five Wives Of Maurice Pinder staged at the National Theatre in 2007. A Night At The Dogs, which won him the Verity Bargate Award in 2004, was staged at Soho theatre.

The Observer won the 2008 Catherine Johnson Award for Best Play as part of the Pearson Playwrights’ Scheme.

For more about The Observer at the National Theatre, Cottesloe, read the First Night Feature.