Alan Cumming Brings Bent to London in Fall Revival

Bent, Martin Sherman's 1979 drama about a homosexual man imprisoned by the Nazis, will receive a London revival--starring Tony Award-winner Alan Cumming, according to Variety.  The production will take place at Trafalgar Studios this fall.

Daniel Kramer (Hair in London) will direct the production, which will feature Cumming as Max, the role originated by Ian McKellen in the original 1979 Royal Court staging. Richard Gere would go on to star in Bent in its 1979-1980 Broadway transfer.  On Broadway, it was nominated for two Tonys, including Best Play.

"From a social perspective, it would be wonderful if this play about personal and political freedom had gone out-of-date...It hasn't. Not only that, it has become even more pertinent. That's not just about gay identity, but the fact that the second act takes place in a detention camp at a time when the U.S. and U.K. are using not dissimilar camps for political suspects," Sherman told the industry paper.  The play will be produced by Sonia Friedman.

Cumming was most recently seen on Broadway in The Threepenny Opera. He received a Tony Award for his performance as the Emcee in the 1998 revival of Cabaret, and was also seen on Broadway in Design for Living.  Other film credits include the Spy Kids films, X2, Nicholas Nickleby, Titus, Eyes Wide Shut, Emma, Circle of Friends and Disney's TV musical adaptation of Annie.