Curated By Harriet Walter [Drama On 3]

Moira Buffini's outrageous comedy Dinner started life in the National Theatre's Loft in 2002, and became her first West End smash. In this brand new production, adapted by the writer for Drama on 3, Harriet Walter returns to the role she created: Paige, the hostess and architect of an evening which her guests will never forget. Two other original leads, Nicholas Farrell and Penny Downie, and four new cast members, join her in this viciously black chamber piece about appetite, which will make you think twice about ever accepting another invitation to dinner. Part of the BBC On Stage season.

Moira Buffini's Olivier award-winning comedy about the relationship between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher, Handbagged, is currently on national tour, after the original Tricycle production directed by Indhu Rubasingham became a sell-out West End run. And her collaboration with Damon Albarn and Rufus Norris, the gaming musical wonder.land, is about to open at the National Theatre, having headlined the Manchester International Festival this year. These, along with her screenplays for movies Jane Eyre (directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga), Tamara Drewe (directed by Stephen Frears) and Byzantium (directed by Neil Jordan), and her previous play for the National, the political fable Welcome to Thebes (directed by Richard Eyre), have all demonstrated Buffini's appetite for political engagement, fast-moving wit, and a delight in satirising our own times.

Moira Buffini's outrageous comedy Dinner started life in the National Theatre's Loft in 2002, and became her first West End smash. In this production, adapted by the writer for Drama on 3, Harriet Walter returns to the role she created: Paige, the hostess and architect of an evening which her guests will never forget. Two other original leads, Nicholas Farrell and Penny Downie, and four new cast members join her in this viciously black chamber piece about appetite, which will make you think twice about ever accepting another invitation to dinner.

Moira Buffini's collaboration with Damon Albarn and Rufus Norris, the gaming musical 'wonder.land', ran at the Manchester International Festival, the National Theatre and the Th??tre du Ch?telet, Paris; and her Olivier award-winning comedy about the relationship between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher, 'Handbagged', after the original Tricycle production directed by Indhu Rubasingham, became a sell-out West End run.

These, along with her screenplays for movies 'Jane Eyre' (directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga), 'Tamara Drewe' (directed by Stephen Frears) and 'Byzantium' (directed by Neil Jordan), and her previous play for the National, the political fable 'Welcome to Thebes' (directed by Richard Eyre), have all demonstrated Buffini's appetite for political engagement, fast-moving wit, and a delight in satirising our own times.

Harriet Walter stars in Moira Buffini's outrageous black comedy of appetite.

Moira Buffini's collaboration with Damon Albarn and Rufus Norris, the gaming musical 'wonder.land', ran at the Manchester International Festival, the National Theatre and the Th退 tre du Ch telet, Paris; and her Olivier award-winning comedy about the relationship between the Queen and Margaret Thatcher, 'Handbagged', after the original Tricycle production directed by Indhu Rubasingham, became a sell-out West End run.

Harriet Walter introduces an acclaimed theatre production from the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town and later seen in London and New York. Based on Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela's book, Nicholas Wright's play explores the relationship between the psychologist and Eugene de Kock, the apartheid regime's most notorious assassin.

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela....Noma Dumezweni

Eugene de Kock....Matthew Marsh

Sound design by Christopher Shutt

Directed by Jonathan Munby

Produced for the Fugard Theatre by Eric Abraham

Produced for radio by Toby Swift

1997. Pretoria Central Prison, South Africa. Psychologist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela prepares to sit opposite the notorious Eugene de Kock, nicknamed 'Prime Evil', the head of the apartheid regime's death squads. A member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Madizikela questions de Kock who is serving a 212 year sentence for crimes against humanity, murder, conspiracy to murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, and fraud. She is determined to try to understand what motivated de Kock's actions. One is reminded of European writer and philosopher Hannah Arendt's endeavour to understand the nature of evil when she wrote about the Nazi holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann's trial in Israel in 1961.

A Human Being Died That Night' is based on Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madizikela's best-selling book of the same name and explores, through her extraordinary prison interviews with de Kock, how a fundamentally moral person could become a mass murderer.

South African born Nicholas Wright is one of Britain's foremost playwrights and has written regularly for the National Theatre. His plays include 'Vincent in Brixton' (Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play 2003), 'The Last of the Duchess' (2011), 'Travelling Light' (2012) and recently a dramatisation of Pat Barker's 'Regeneration' (2014).

Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela - Noma Dumezweni

Eugene de Kock - Matthew Marsh

Harriet Walter's curated season ends with an acclaimed theatre production from the Fugard Theatre in Cape Town and later seen in London and New York. Based on Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela's book, Nicholas Wright's play explores the relationship between the psychologist and Eugene de Kock, the apartheid regime's most notorious assassin. Part of the BBC On Stage season.

1997. Pretoria Central Prison, South Africa. Psychologist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela prepares to sit opposite the notorious Eugene de Kock, nicknamed 'Prime Evil', the head of the apartheid regime's death squads. A member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Madikizela questions de Kock who is serving a 212 year sentence for crimes against humanity, murder, conspiracy to murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, and fraud. She is determined to try to understand what motivated de Kock's actions. One is reminded of European writer and philosopher Hannah Arendt's endeavour to understand the nature of evil when she wrote about the Nazi holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann's trial in Israel in 1961.

A Human Being Died That Night' is based on Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela's best-selling book of the same name and explores, through her extraordinary prison interviews with de Kock, how a fundamentally moral person could become a mass murderer.

Harriet Walter stars in two of Harold Pinter's later plays, each providing her with a challenging role she has never taken on before. In 'A Kind of Alaska', she is Deborah, who has lost the last 29 years to sleep; and in 'Ashes to Ashes', Rebecca is haunted by an altogether different kind of loss.

A Kind of Alaska:

Deborah - Harriet Walter

Hornby - Guy Paul

Pauline - Indira Varma

Directed by Toby Swift

Ashes to Ashes:

Rebecca - Harriet Walter

Devlin - Nicholas Woodeson

Directed by Harry Burton

Producer, Toby Swift.

Produced by Toby Swift.