GUTHRIE THEATER PRESENTS ANTHONY SHAFFER’S TONY-WINNING PLAY SLEUTH, DIRECTED BY KIMBERLY SENIOR
A mind-bending thriller of lies, bargains and misdirections that will keep the audience guessing until the heart-pounding conclusion
Previews begin Saturday, March 7; Opening on Thursday, March 12
Playing through Sunday, May 10 on the McGuire Proscenium Stage
(Minneapolis/St. Paul) — The Guthrie Theater (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) announced its upcoming production of Sleuth, written by Anthony Shaffer and directed by Kimberly Senior. This show begins previews on Saturday, March 7, opens on Thursday, March 12 and will play through Sunday, May 10 on the McGuire Proscenium Stage. Single and group tickets are now on sale exclusively through the Box Office or online at guthrietheater.org. Accessibility services (ASL-interpreted, audio-described, open-captioned and relaxed performances) are also available on select dates.
“At its heart, Sleuth is a game,” said Artistic Director Joseph Haj. “It’s a theatrical duel built on rules, reversals and the delicious pleasure of outsmarting the person across from you.” Haj continued, “Playwright Anthony Shaffer celebrates the way games invite us to test our cleverness, take risks and momentarily step outside our everyday life.”
Sleuth opened in London on January 12, 1970, and premiered on Broadway at the Music Box Theatre on November 12, 1970. It ran on Broadway for more than 1,200 performances and received the 1971 Tony Award for Best Play. The stage thriller was later adapted into the Oscar-nominated 1972 film starring Laurence Olivier as Andrew and Michael Caine as Milo. In 2007, a second film starred Michael Caine (this time as Andrew) and Jude Law as Milo.
When Milo Tindle visits detective writer Andrew Wyke at his English countryside home, the last thing he expects is for Andrew to propose they stage an elaborate jewelry burglary. Andrew’s endgame is a sizeable insurance payout for himself; Milo can use the jewels to financially support Andrew’s wife, Marguerite, with whom he’s been having an affair. The plan goes swimmingly at first, but as new revelations come to light, both men soon realize they’ve met their match. What follows is a heart-pounding, high-stakes game of cat and mouse where each man’s web of lies, bargains and misdirections leads to the ultimate checkmate.
For information on the cast and creative team, visit guthrietheater.org/sleuth.
Biographies
Anthony Shaffer (Playwright) was a leading British playwright and screenwriter noted for his elaborate plots. Born in Liverpool and the eldest of twins, he developed an early love of theater at the Liverpool Playhouse. After wartime evacuation and coal-mine conscription, he studied law at Cambridge, where he edited Granta and began writing. Shaffer briefly worked in journalism and as a barrister before moving into advertising and co-authoring detective novels with his twin brother, Peter. Encouraged by Peter in the late 1960s to pursue writing fully, Shaffer created Sleuth, which became a major West End and Broadway hit, earning a Tony Award and later a celebrated film adaptation. Shaffer went on to write screenplays including Hitchcock’s Frenzy (1972), the cult classic The Wicker Man (1973) and several Agatha Christie adaptations, including Death on the Nile (1978), Evil Under the Sun (1982) and Appointment With Death (1988). Shaffer is best-known for Sleuth, and he is considered a master of intricate plots, sharp dialogue and elegant mystery.
Kimberly Senior (Director) is a freelance director whose award-winning work has been seen in 15 states in over 200 productions. She helped develop and direct the Broadway production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning, Tony-nominated Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar, and she directed the HBO special Chris Gethard: Career Suicide. Her work in audio has ranged from Marvel’s Wastelanders to C13 Features’ Ghostwriter, in addition to producing dozens of other projects for Audible. Her work with solo artists includes Harvey Fierstein, Aasif Mandvi, Dan Rather and many others. Senior currently teaches for Yale University, recently ran the M.F.A. Directing program at Brooklyn College and has taught for dozens of other M.F.A. and B.F.A. programs across the country. Her first book, What Would a Person Do?, is available on Amazon, and her essay on facilitative leadership will be published on HowlRound Theatre Commons soon. She is a proud union member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society. Learn more at kimberlysenior.com.
The Guthrie gratefully acknowledges Lathrop GPM for their support of Sleuth.
Related Events
Book Signing With Kimberly Senior:
Author of What Would a Person Do?: Thoughts on Directing and Living
Sunday, March 8, 5–6:30 p.m.
Dowling Studio
Celebrate the debut book from Sleuth Director Kimberly Senior with an engaging conversation and book signing. This spirited collection of reflections bridges the gap between life and art, offering a practical guide to effective theatermaking, leadership, teaching and personhood. What Would a Person Do?: Thoughts on Directing and Living will be available for purchase in the Guthrie Store. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required at guthrietheater.org/events.
Post-Play Discussions
Patrons are invited to stay in the theater following select performances for a 20-minute conversation about the production facilitated by Guthrie staff. Cast members may join the discussion as they are able.
Sunday, March 15 at 1 p.m.
Tuesday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 22 at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, March 25 at 1 p.m.
Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m.
Accessible Performances
Relaxed Performance – Sunday, April 19 at 1 p.m.
A relaxed performance is intended to be sensitive to and accepting of any audience member who may benefit from a more relaxed environment. It is intentionally modified to accommodate patrons with sensory and vestibular sensitivities, anxiety, dementia, autism spectrum disorders, learning differences and/or other challenges attending the theater.
ASL-Interpreted Performances
American Sign Language interpreters sign the performance as it plays out onstage.
Friday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m.
Audio-Described Performances
Audio describers provide live verbal descriptions of the action, costumes and scenery for people who are blind or have low vision.
Friday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 4 at 1 p.m.
Open-Captioned Performances
LED screens display text simultaneously with the performance onstage.
Friday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, March 29 at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, April 1 at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, April 8 at 1 p.m.
Sunday, April 12 at 1 p.m.
The Guthrie also provides accessible services upon request. Requests must be received at least two weeks in advance and can be directed to 612.225.6390 or accessibility@guthrietheater.org.
Ticket Information
Single tickets range from $35 to $94 (handling fees included). Purchase single and group tickets (minimum requirement of 15 per group) through the Box Office at 612.377.2224 (single), 1.877.447.8243 (toll-free), 612.225.6244 (group) or online at guthrietheater.org. The Guthrie Theater Box Office is the only official and most secure source for Guthrie tickets. We cannot guarantee the validity of tickets purchased through any other vendor or third-party seller.
Land Acknowledgment
The Guthrie would like to acknowledge that we gather on the traditional land of the Dakota People and honor with gratitude the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations, including the Ojibwe and other Indigenous nations.
The GUTHRIE THEATER (Joseph Haj, Artistic Director) is an American center for theater performance in Minneapolis, Minnesota, dedicated to producing a mix of classic and contemporary plays and cultivating the next generation of theater artists. Under Haj’s leadership, the Guthrie is guided by four core values: Artistic Excellence; Community; Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility; and Fiscal Responsibility. Since its founding in 1963, the theater has continued to set a national standard for excellence in the field and serve the people of Minnesota as a vital cultural resource. The Guthrie houses three state-of-the-art stages, production facilities, classrooms and dramatic public spaces. guthrietheater.org
