Merlin star’s new “douchebag” role sees the Patty Hearst story and #MeToo movement collide

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This October, Nathaniel Parker will be taking center stage – and acting as judge – at London’s Jermyn Street Theatre. He’s starring in the world premiere of his new play, Ragdoll.

I just learned that Helena Bonham Carter, known for her roles in Merlin and as Inspector Lynley, is taking on a fascinating new role. She’ll be playing a character named Robert – yes, a man! – a really successful American lawyer. The story centers around how his past behavior comes back to haunt him after the #MeToo movement gained momentum in 2017. To try and salvage his reputation, he reaches out to an old client he worked with way back in the ’70s, hoping they’ll publicly support him and help him weather the storm.

He stated, “We’re talking about unpleasant people,” and added, “It’s actually quite enjoyable. I love portraying a character like that-a villain who craves understanding, because they feel deeply wronged and are unable to consider other perspectives.”

“He’s not a fully evolved human being and he certainly doesn’t think he’s evil.”

Written by Katherine Moar, who also created the popular show Farm Hall at Jermyn Street Theatre, Ragdoll draws inspiration from the true story of Patty Hearst. Hearst was an American heiress kidnapped in 1974 and then manipulated into participating in a bank robbery by the Symbionese Liberation Army.

He explained that Catherine had a smart idea: pairing Holly as Patty and me, Robert, with a character like F.Lee Bailey. He said the reason they’re reconnecting now, after 30 or 40 years, is the rise of the #MeToo era and a story that’s surfaced in the press about him. We don’t learn the specifics of the story, but it’s easy to guess what it involves. Ultimately, he’s seeking Holly’s acceptance and forgiveness.

The show tells a story that jumps between two timelines. We see Parker and Abigail Cruttenden playing the characters as they are today, and it also flashes back to 1978, where Katie Matsell and Ben Lamb, a star from The Gilded Age, portray the characters when they were younger. This allows the audience to see both the present and the past versions of their relationship.

Parker gave all the credit for the show’s central idea to Katherine Moar, who has been involved throughout the rehearsal process. He explained, “The dialogue is so witty and flows naturally, making it incredibly easy to deliver.”

As a movie and theatre buff, one of the best feelings is when you really trust the writer. I especially love when they’re actually *in* the room during rehearsals and development – it’s just invaluable. I recently experienced that with Tom Stoppard when we worked on Rock ‘n’ Roll at Hampstead Theatre, and with Hilary Mantel while we were doing Wolf Hall. She was present for the *entire* process, which was amazing.

Skilled writers are usually quite careful with their punctuation, like periods and commas. However, if they recognize your talent and commitment to a character or idea, they’ll often give you some creative freedom and say, ‘go on, go with it,’ which is a really rewarding experience.

But although Parker is pretty gleeful about playing the baddie, he says the audience will need to work out the many layers of his and Cruttenden’s stage relationship: “Yes, we make the story absolutely clear, but the audience do have work to do, they’re there as part of the agreement between actors and audience, so they’ve got to be receptive.

The story features a relationship that’s carefully considered and thoroughly investigated, but I suspect that by the conclusion, most viewers will likely favor one character’s perspective.

Following his work on Ragdoll, Parker will be moving to Wilton’s Music Hall for a unique two-night show featuring T.S. Eliot’s The Wasteland. This presents a completely different kind of task for him, as he will be both performing the reading and handling all event organization:

For most of my career, I’ve worked as an actor, but this project is me taking control and putting myself to work! I’ve produced a few projects before, and I’ve recently really fallen in love with poetry – more than I ever thought possible. So, I decided to combine those two passions.

“It’s a very exciting feeling, if not rather nerve wracking, to be honest.”

When and where can I see Ragdoll?

Ragdoll is running from 9th October to 15th November at Jermyn Street Theatre.

The studio theatre is located right near Piccadilly Circus, making the Bakerloo or Piccadilly lines the easiest way to get there. You can also walk from Charing Cross.

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2025-10-04 11:35