Red Noses is a comedy about the

black death The Black Death was a bubonic plague pandemic that occurred in Europe from 1346 to 1353. It was one of the list of epidemics, most fatal pandemics in human history; as many as people perished, perhaps 50% of Europe's 14th century population. ...

by Peter Barnes, first staged at

Barbican Theatre The Barbican Centre is a performing arts centre in the Barbican Estate of the City of London, England, and the largest of its kind in Europe. The centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings an ...

in 1985. It depicted a sprightly priest, originally played by

Antony Sher Sir Antony Sher (14 June 1949 – 2 December 2021) was a British actor, writer and theatre director of South African origin. A two-time Laurence Olivier Award winner and a five-time nominee, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1982 and ...

, who travelled around the plague-affected villages of 14th century France with a band of fools, known as Floties, offering holy assistance. It was for this play that Barnes won his

Olivier award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...

Awards and nominations

Awards

* 1985

Laurence Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in West End theatre, professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of We ...

for Best New Play

Original cast

*Alain Boutros - David Whitaker *Archbishop Monselet - Raymond Bowers *Attendant, Leper - Phillip Dupuy *Bonville, Lefranc - Norman Henry *Brodin -

Pete Postlethwaite Peter William Postlethwaite (7 February 1946 – 2 January 2011) was an English character actor. After various stage and minor television appearances, Postlethwaite's first major success arose through the film '' Distant Voices, Still Lives'' ...

*Camille - Rowena Roberts *Charles Bembo - Derek Crewe *Dr Antrechau, Patris - Peter Theedom *Druce -

Jimmy Yuill James Evander Munro Yuill (born 13 February 1956) is a Scottish actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and later joined the Renaissance Theatre Company. He has appeared in many of Kenneth Branagh's films, most recently as Edwa ...

*Evaline, First Leper -

Sarah Woodward Sarah Woodward (born 3 April 1963) is a British actress who won an Olivier Award in 1998 for ''Tom & Clem'' and was Tony nominated in 2000 for '' The Real Thing''. Sarah is the daughter of actor Edward Woodward and his first wife, actress Ven ...

*First Flagellant - Steve Swinscoe *Frapper -

Nicholas Woodeson Nicholas Robin Frank Woodeson (born 30 November 1949) is an English film, television and theatre actor, and Drama Desk and Olivier award nominee. Early life and education Woodeson was born in Sudan and grew up in Haifa, Israel. He later moved ...

*Grez -

Nicholas Farrell Nicholas C. Frost (born 1955), known professionally as Nicholas Farrell, is an English stage, film and television actor. Early life Farrell was born in Brentwood, Essex. He was educated at Fryerns Grammar and Technical School in Basildon, Ess ...

*Jean le Grue -

Bernard Horsfall Bernard Arthur Gordon Horsfall (20 November 1930 – 28 January 2013) was an English actor of stage and screen. Early life Horsfall was born in Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire, and educated at Rugby School. He trained as an actor at the We ...

*Marcel Flote -

*Marguerite -

Polly James Pauline James (formerly Devaney; born 8 July 1941) is an English former actress who had a career in theatre, film, television, and radio. Early life Pauline James was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, as Pauline Devaney. Her father had managed a ...

*Marie - Katharine Rogers *Mistral, Bigod -

Nicholas Bell Nicholas Bell (born 15 August 1958) is an English actor who has worked in Australia for more than 30 years. Bell works regularly with the Melbourne Theatre Company as well as with all the major television broadcasters in Australia, most notabl ...

*Mme de Vonville - Yvonne Coulette *Moncriff, Jacques B - Charles Millham *Mother Metz - Yvonne Coulette *Pellico -

Don McKillop Donald Harley "Don" McKillop (15 February 1928 – 19 December 2005) was an English actor who trained at RADA. Notable roles include Bert the Landlord in the ''Doctor Who'' fifth and final serial of the eighth season, '' The Dæmons'' in 1971, ...

*Pope Clement VI -

Christopher Benjamin Christopher Benjamin may refer to: * Christopher Benjamin (actor) Christopher John Benjamin (27 December 1934 – 10 January 2025) was an English actor with many stage and television credits from 1958 to 2016. He played Henry Gordon Jago in ...

*Rochfort -

Richard Easton John Richard Easton (March 22, 1933 – December 2, 2019) was a Canadian actor, best known for his portrayal of Brian Hammond in the 1970s BBC serial '' The Brothers''. Life and career Easton was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, the son of Mar ...

*Sabine -

Cathy Tyson Catherine Tyson (born 12 June 1965) is an English actress. She won the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film ''Mona Lisa'' (1986), which also earned her Best Supporting Actress no ...

*Scarron - Brian Parr *Second Flagellant - Philip Barnes *Sonnerie - Jim Hooper *Third Flagellant - Tony London *Toulon -

Peter Eyre Peter Gervaise Joseph Eyre (born 11 March 1942) is an American-born English actor. Eyre was born on 11 March 1942 in New York City, the son of Dorothy Pelline (née Acton) and Edward Joseph Eyre, a banker. He was sent to a public school in Eng ...

*Viennet, Vosques - James Newall

References

* *

External links

{{OlivierAward Play 1976–2000 1985 plays English plays West End plays Laurence Olivier Award–winning plays Black comedy plays