Tracie Bennett, John Partridge, and More Will Lead THE CODE at Southwark Playhouse

The cast has been set for the brand-new London production of THE CODE by Michael McKeever, which will run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from 12 September 2025 to 11 October 2025 with an official opening night on 17 September. THE CODE will be directed by Drama Desk award-winning and Tony-nominated Christopher Renshaw (The King and I, Broadway; We Will Rock You, West End).

Starring two-time Olivier winner Tracie Bennett (Here We Are, National Theatre; Hairspray, West End; High Society, West End) as Tallulah Bankhead and star of stage and screen John Partridge (Eastenders, BBC; Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, West End; Cats, West End & UK Tour) as Billy Haines. THE CODE lays bare the unspoken rules of Hollywood, then and now: a world where image still shapes opportunity, where authenticity is curated and identity remains politicized.

Starring alongside Tracie Bennett and John Partridge will be Solomon Davy (Hairspray, UK Tour; Grease, West End) as Chad Manford and Nick Blakeley (Underdog: The Other Brontë, National Theatre; 24 Hour Plays, The Old Vic; Father Brown, BBC; Goodbye Christopher Robin, Fox Searchlight) as Henry Willson.

Writer Michael McKeever said: "I am thrilled to bring this show to London. I look forward to seeing what this splendid team will do with it. It's fascinating to me how relevant the issues in the play have become in these strange times in which we live."

Director Christopher Renshaw said: "I am genuinely excited to be at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, directing this wonderful quartet of actors in this equally wonderful play.”

Producer Jim Kierstead said: “It gives me great pleasure to bring this brilliantly inspiring and timely show to London with our incredible producing team. Working with Chris and Michael and this talented group of actors and creatives is a dream come true.”

Hollywood, 1950. A fading star. A rising one. An agent with an agenda. And a legend who’s seen it all.

Tallulah Bankhead – magnetic, mercurial, and unapologetically sharp-tongued – stops in for a cocktail at the home of former screen idol turned interior designer Billy Haines, who may – or may not – be planning to disappear from the town he once ruled.

Enter power agent Henry Willson and his all-too-perfect protégé Chad Manford, setting the room alight. In a world where image is everything, and identity must be carefully edited to survive, can any of them break “the code” without losing everything?

“This entire town is a cesspool, darling. Beautifully lit. Well appointed. But a cesspool nonetheless.”

THE CODE has set and costume design by Ethan Cheek (This Is My Family, Southwark Playhouse Elephant; Constellations, Barn Theatre), lighting design by Jack Weir (The Woman in White, Electric Theatre; The Friends Experience, London Excel; To Wong Foo, Hope Mill Theatre), and casting by Nicholas Hockaday (The Creakers, Southbank Centre; Sappho, Southwark Playhouse Elephant). The full creative team will be announced at a later date.