Red Velvet

About the show

The play begins with Aldrige in later life, nearing the end of a brilliant career. A young Polish journalist, Halina Wozniak, sneaks into his dressing room to interview him about his success, and especially to find out why he has steadfastly refused to play Covent Garden Theatre since playing the lead in a production of Othello decades before. The play revisists crucial moments in Aldridge's past, especially the Othello performance, in which he stepped in for an ailing Kean, hoping to bring some authenticity to the part, but is viciously treated by critics.