Ian McDiarmid to star in world premiere of Julian Barnes’ THE LEMON TABLE

Photo credit: Johan Persson

Best known for playing Emperor Palpatine in Star Wars, Ian McDiarmid will perform in a stage version of The Lemon Table by Julian Barnes this Autumn, opening at Salisbury Playhouse from 14 October 2021.

Directed by Michael Grandage and adapted by McDiarmid, the one-man piece will then go on to play at Sheffield Theatres, Yvonne Arnaud Theatre Guildford, HOME Manchester and Malvern Theatres.

In The Lemon Table, Julian Barnes brings his unsentimental, wryly comic, perspective to the complicated business of ageing, with its attendant, and often bizarrely, fluctuating emotions.

Ian McDiarmid said today, “Two connected stories from Julian Barnes’ The Lemon Table, his witty and touching reflections on mortality and the workings of love, seem positively to invite the engagement and tensions of live performance.

“It’s a delight to be working once again with Michael Grandage and, at this particular time, to be embarking on a tour of the English regions with the enthusiastic support of a cohort of producers and venues.”

Michael Grandage added: “Ian McDiarmid is the reason I’m a director. He has been my collaborator and mentor for over a quarter of a century. We’ve worked together many times, many of those times on tour – we both believe passionately in presenting work to as wide an audience as possible. This year, in particular, it felt important to share this beautiful piece by Julian Barnes with audiences nationwide.”

Further creatives are to be revealed. For more information, please visit the venue websites.