Rosie O'Donnell, Julie Hesmondhalgh to Star in Play About Gisele Pelicot Case
The one-off performance at London's County Hall will feature a cast of 30 actors and public figures.
US comedian Rosie O'Donnell and Coronation Street actress Julie Hesmondhalgh are among a cast of 30 actors and public figures set to appear in a special performance of "The Pelicot Trial" in London next month. The documentary theatre-style production, based on the trial of Dominique Pelicot and the experiences of his wife Gisele Pelicot, will take place at London's County Hall on November 30.
Other notable cast members include Bridgerton actress Adjoa Andoh and The Crown actress Juliet Stevenson. The play draws from trial documents and psychiatric reports concerning dozens of men prosecuted in the case, which gained international attention and made Gisele Pelicot a symbol of resistance against sexual assault. Dominique Pelicot was convicted and sentenced to 20 years for drugging and raping his wife, and permitting other men to assault her while she was incapacitated.
The production aims to pay tribute to Gisele Pelicot, described by the Young Vic theatre as "the ordinary woman who opened the way to change." Gisele Pelicot, now 73, waived her right to anonymity, stating that the shame should lie with her abusers. The play, which was developed in collaboration with French journalists and feminist organizations, was first staged in Vienna last year and has since toured to cities including Avignon, New York, Lisbon, Milan, and Bergen.
Additional cast members for the four-hour performance include EastEnders actress Tamzin Outhwaite, Slow Horses actor Kadiff Kirwan, and Rizzle Kicks rapper Jordan Stephens. The Young Vic will also stream the performance online. Tickets for the London event are scheduled to go on general sale on Wednesday.