‘Game of Thrones’ Star Kit Harington’s Casting in West End ‘Slave Play’ Won’t Be the ‘Jon Snow Experience,’ Says Writer Jeremy O. Harris
variety.comNaman Ramachandran “Slave Play” writer Jeremy O. Harris feels confident that casting “Game of Thrones” star Kit Harington in the production’s West End run won’t be a “distraction.” In a new interview with The Guardian, Harris said Harington was recommended to him by “Game of Thrones” star Gwendoline Christie and he would not have agreed to his casting if Harington had wanted to “make it the Jon Snow experience.” “Kit was saying ‘I don’t want this to be Kit Harington in ‘Slave Play,” this is an ensemble play and I’m not even the lead,’” Harris said. “He knows the weight his name carries and how that could become a distraction, if we allowed it to be.” The controversial play about race, identity and sexuality in 21st century America is set at the MacGregor Plantation, where the Old South is alive and well.
It follows three interracial couples undergoing “Antebellum Sexual Performance Therapy” to reinvigorate their relationships. “Slave Play” was originally staged in 2018 at New York Theatre Workshop before transferring to Broadway’s John Golden Theatre in 2019.
The production received 12 nominations at the 74th Tony Awards, breaking the record previously set by the revival of “Angels in America” to become the most Tony-nominated non-musical play of all time.
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