New Adaptation of Shaw’s Saint Joan Premieres at Arches Lane Theatre

A new adaptation of Saint Joan will receive its world premiere in London this spring, as writer and performer Ruthie Black presents a contemporary reinterpretation of the classic work at the Arches Lane Theatre.

Running from 8 to 12 April, the production reimagines the story of Joan of Arc through a stripped-back two-person format. Black’s version condenses the original four-hour drama by George Bernard Shaw into a tightly paced ninety-minute performance, placing the historical narrative inside an imagined modern interrogation room.

In this staging, Joan’s life, visions and trial unfold through a tense exchange between Joan herself and an Interrogator, played by James Saxby. The approach allows the play to move fluidly between dramatic reenactment and reflective debate, exploring the moral and political questions at the heart of Shaw’s original text.

The production is directed by Peter Hinton-Davis, a prominent figure in Canadian theatre who previously served as Artistic Director of the National Arts Centre and has long been associated with the renowned Shaw Festival. His interpretation emphasises the play’s continuing relevance, encouraging audiences to engage with the conflicting viewpoints that make the work enduringly provocative.

Shaw’s Saint Joan, first performed in 1923, is widely considered one of the playwright’s most complex works, examining the political, religious and social forces surrounding Joan’s rise and eventual execution. Rather than offering a clear moral conclusion, the play presents a series of arguments about power, faith and authority, inviting audiences to draw their own conclusions about Joan’s legacy.

Black’s adaptation builds on this tradition by blending theatrical styles. The production moves between courtroom drama, confessional storytelling and moments that echo contemporary digital culture, creating a hybrid form that reflects how history is interpreted and debated today. At times the characters appear to be reconstructing events in real time, while at others they seem to be imagining the past through film-like sequences played out within the confines of the interrogation room.

The minimalist staging places particular focus on performance, with Black portraying Joan as a figure whose conviction and vulnerability exist side by side. Opposite her, Saxby’s Interrogator shifts between investigator, observer and adversary, framing the narrative through questioning rather than simple retelling.

The production will be staged at the newly reopened Arches Lane Theatre, located within the Battersea Power Station development beside the River Thames. Formerly known as the Turbine Theatre, the venue has recently returned under its new name and continues its focus on contemporary theatre and new writing.

With its condensed structure and modern framing, this new version of Saint Joan seeks to reintroduce Shaw’s classic to contemporary audiences while preserving the intellectual tension that has made the play a lasting fixture of the theatre canon. By revisiting Joan’s story through an interrogation of history itself, the production invites viewers to reconsider the enduring questions at the centre of one of theatre’s most debated heroines.

Performances run 8–12 April at 7pm, with 3pm matinees from 9 to 11 April, at the Arches Lane Theatre in Battersea. Tickets range from £10.50 to £31.50.