The Actors Studio wraps up its extraordinary two-year celebration for its 30th birthday with an all-time favourite, a Robert Bolt classic. It will be bringing back A Man For All Seasons for the third time.

The play premiered at the Globe Theatre in 1960 and it was later made into a film which won six Oscars, a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama as well as Best Film and Best British Film at the BAFTA Awards.

The Actors Studio first staged it in 1991 at the Old Town Hall which featured Leslie Dawson, Mano Maniam, Tiara Jacquelina, the late Ramli Hassan and Patrick Teoh in his acting debut. The 2004 production at The Actors Studio @ BSC starred Ari Ratos, Zahim Albakri, Jit Murad, Susan Lankester, Fahmi Fadzil, Reza Zainal Abidin, Sharifah Aleya Al-Yahya amongst others.

Joe Hasham OAM will once again be directing the play this December and has cast an interesting mix of old and new actors. Sir Thomas More will be played by Scottish actor, Charles Donnelly, best known in Malaysia for his performance of the critically acclaimed production of Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me. Patrick Teoh, who played Wolsey in the first production, will now be playing the most prized and sought after role of Thomas Cromwell 28 years later. Reza Zainal Abidin, who was in the second staging, will be reprising his role of Chapuys while Na’a Murad will be playing Henry VIII, a role that was played by his brother, Jit, 15 years ago.

Completing the exciting line up for the 2019 staging are Qahar Aqilah, Debra Teng, Vale Wong, Colin Kirton, Mia Sara Shauki, Omar Ali, Axyr Hanz William, Tung Jit Yang, Hannan Barakbah and Murtada Ibrahim.

The play is based on the true story of Sir Thomas More who refused to endorse King Henry VIII’s wish to divorce his wife Catherine of Aragon so that he could re-marry. In the end, More paid dearly and sacrificed high office, his position in society and, ultimately, his life. More chose God over King.