The Devils

The Devils is a play, commissioned by Sir Peter Hall for the Royal Shakespeare Company and written by British dramatist John Whiting, based on Aldous Huxley's 1952 book, The Devils of Loudun. Performance The Devils had its first performance at London's Aldwych Theatre in February, 1961, with Dorothy Tutin portraying the deformed and hysterical Sister Jeanne of the Angels, and Richard Johnson as the existential hero, Father Urbain Grandier. Diana Rigg appeared in the supporting role of Philippe and Max Adrian played the zealot exorcist, Father Pierre Barre (Max Adrian himself would go on to appear in the film version of the play, albeit not as Pierre Barre, but as Ibert, the surgeon). Whiting revised his text in 1963, shortly before his death from cancer. The play was subsequently produced at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. under the direction of Zelda Fichandler, and on Broadway in 1965, with Anne Bancroft and Jason Robards in the leading roles. The Broadway version was produced by Alexander H. Cohen and directed by Michael Cacoyannis, running for 63 performances. The Broadway version was forced to close because Bancroft was injured and because of the 1966 New York City transit strike. In 1967, the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles presented The Devils as its inaugural production, directed by Gordon Davidson and starring Frank Langella in the role of Grandier. The play was performed by the Melbourne Theatre Company as part of its repertory season. It starred Fred Parslow and Joanna McCallum. In 2018, the play was performed at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, directed by Ben Naylor and Anna Healey.