Following my recent event for Philip Ridley’s Tender Napalm, I return to the King’s Head Theatre for the European premiere of Mark St Germain’s award-winning Off-Broadway play Freud’s Last Session, featuring a real-life psychiatrist playing Sigmund Freud.

The first of September, 1939. Sigmund Freud, the world-renowned psychoanalyst awaits the visit of soon-to-be-legendary Chronicles of Narnia author CS Lewis on the day that the Second World War is declared.

Lewis, a former atheist turned Christian is expecting to be taken to task for his recent satirisation of Freud in a book. However, the impending war and Freud’s failing health catalyses a far deeper conversation as they clash about the existence of God, love, sex, and the meaning of life- only two weeks before Freud, with his doctor’s help, takes his own.

King’s Head Theatre Associate Artist Peter Darney returns to direct the UK premiere of this Off-Broadway hit. Psychiatrist turned actor Dr Julian Bird (Eastenders, The Tudors) takes the title role opposite Sean Browne as Lewis.

Mark St Germain’s ‘riveting’, ‘provocative’, ‘gripping’ and ‘often comical’ play is suggested byDr Armand M Nicholi Jr’s book The Question of God: CS Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life.

Following the 7pm performance on Tuesday 25 January 2022, I’ll talk to Freud’s Last Session director Peter Darney and stars Julian Bird and Sean Browne about the play and the ‘juicy intellectual debate’ at its heart. Any questions? Join us!