Sir Henry's Last Night

Alone in their dressing room and away from the glare of the spotlight, this is the precious time when an actor has the chance to reflect on the most momentous events of their lives on the stage.

In this series of single-voice narratives, five of our most celebrated stars of the late 19th and early 20th century theatre share memories of the performances that changed their lives forever.

The stories are, by turn, touching, hilarious, emotionally-charged, heart-warming and poignant. Each of them, in their own way, is delightfully counterintuitive – familiar characters maybe, but each with an unfamiliar story to tell.

In Sir Henry’s Last Night, the year is 1905 and we find ourselves at the Theatre Royal, Bradford, where Sir Henry Irving, undisputed master of late 19th century theatre and the first actor to be honoured with a knighthood, is in his dressing room, preparing for what will become his final stage appearance.

Writer: Roy Apps
Reader: Hugh Ross
Director: Celia de Wolff
Executive Producer: Peter Hoare
A Pier production for BBC Radio 4