A REVIVAL of TS Eliot’s theatrical masterpiece, Murder in the Cathedral, has attracted rave reviews – the Evening Standard described the production as magnificent and star Sir David Suchet’s performance as “spell-binding”, and the Daily Mail called it “hugely impressive”. The Orange Tree Theatre production at St John the Divine Church in Richmond is coming to Bath Theatre Royal, Tuesday 10th to Saturday 21st November, its only dates outside London.

The production is a sweeping, atmospheric drama directed by the Orange Tree artistic director Tom Littler, with a cast of 20 and marks the return to the British stage after almost a decade for David Suchet, one of the greatest actors of his generation.

Tom Littler says: “Eliot’s questions of conscience and power feel as urgent now as when he wrote them. This is set to be a truly special production, and I can’t wait for audiences to experience it.”

David Suchet plays Thomas Becket in Eliot’s epic study of a character who has shone through almost 1,000 years of history. Besides his iconic role as Hercule Poirot, the Emmy Award-winning actor’s five-decade stage career includes Amadeus and All My Sons.

He first appeared at Bath in Oleanna in 1993, with other appearances including Man and Boy in 2004, Long Day’s Journey Into Night, 2012, The Importance of Being Earnest in 2015 and the Olivier Award-nominated The Price in 2018. Bath audiences also enjoyed an exclusive look into his life with David Suchet: Poirot and More; A Retrospective in 2021.

The cast also includes stage and screen star David Yelland, as one of the tempters and one of the knights. He has previously performed at Bath in Mrs Warren’s Profession (2009), Farm Hall (2023) and most recently with And Then There Were None (2024).

The cast is completed by Ben Caplan, Mensah Bediako, Paul Hickey, Jyuddah Jaymes, Michael Lyle, Nick Sampson and Jad Sayegh with Mila Carter, Sally Cheng, Chyna-Rose Frederick, Rebecca Thorn, Sonya Cullingford, Rebecca Askew, Florence Dobson, Samanatha Dorsey, Beatrice John, Yuki Sutton and Hannah Whitehouse. Mensah Bediako(Third Priest), Ben Caplan(Second Tempter, Second Knight), Paul Hickey (Second Priest),Jyuddah Jaymes (First Tempter, First Knight), Michael Lyle (First Priest), Nick Sampson(Third Tempter, Third Knight), and Jad Sayegh (Messenger). In Richmond, the Women of Canterbury are played by a community ensemble.