The Pope
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Six years ago Pope Benedict XVI stunned the world by resigning, the first Pope in 700 years to do so. What drove this arch-conservative to break with sacred tradition and cede the way for Cardinal Bergoglio – a one-time tango club bouncer, football-loving reformer with the common touch – to become Pope Francis, one of most powerful men on earth?
In this fascinating, gripping and often funny story of two very different men, Pope Benedict and Cardinal Bergoglio grapple with their complex pasts and uncertain futures. From coming of age under dictatorships in Germany and Argentina, to the scandal of sexual abuse by the clergy, The Pope shines a light into one of the world's most secretive institutions. At its heart lies a timeless question: in moments of crisis, should we follow the rules or our conscience?
Anthony McCarten
Anthony McCarten is a New Zealand-born playwright, novelist, journalist, television writer and filmmaker. He is best known for writing the biopics The Theory of Everything (2014), Darkest Hour (2017), Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) and The Two Popes (2019). A double BAFTA-winning screenwriter, he has been nominated four times for Academy Awards, among them nominations for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Theory of Everything and The Two Popes. He is the author of ten previous plays and writer of the 'book' for the upcoming Neil Diamond Broadway musical, A Beautiful Noise (2022). The Collaboration is the second instalment of his The Worship Trilogy, the other two parts being The Two Popes and Wednesday at Warren's, Friday at Bill's. As a sequence, they separately explore our worship of religion, art and money. He lives in London.
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