Collaboration

Collaboration begins in 1931 in a spirit of optimism as composer Richard Strauss (Michael Pennington) and writer Stephan Zweig embark on an invigorating artistic partnership. But Zweig is a Jew and the Nazis are on the march. Is it possible to keep artistic aspiration and political action separate? How fine is the line between collaboration and betrayal? Collaboration and Taking Sides are two companion pieces by Ronald Harwood, separate plays which complement one another.

Michael Pennington's career has spanned over forty years, during which he has played a wide variety of leading roles for the RSC, the National Theatre and the English Shakespeare Company, which he co-founded in 1986 and which toured the world three times.Â

Ronald Harwood's many plays include The Dresser, Taking Sides, Quartet, Mahler's Conversion, An English Tragedy and Collaboration. His films include The Dresser (Academy Award Nomination for Best Screenplay), Taking Sides (XXIX Flaiano Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay), The Pianist (Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, Palme d'Or, 2002 Cannes Film Festival and 2003 BAFTA for Best Film), Being Julia, Oliver Twist, and most recently The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (winner of the 2008 BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay, Academy Award Nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and Humanitas Prize 2008, Writers' Guild Award for Best Screenplay, Prix Jacques Prevert du Scenario 2008), and Love in the Time of Cholera.In 1999, he was appointed a CBE.