Primo

based on If This Is A Man by Primo Levi
adapted by Antony Sher

Nothing belongs to us any more. They've taken away our clothes, our shoes, even our hair. We are more than stripped bare – we are naked as worms. If we speak they will not listen, and if they listen they will not understand.

Primo Levi survived Auschwitz to bear witness to a story of almost inconceivable brutality. But against the odds, what ultimately emerges in his writing is a sense of humanity, of man's worth. Working closely with Royal Court Associate Director Richard Wilson, Antony Sher has adapted and performs this remarkable testament in a way that allows Levi's words to speak, simply, for themselves.

Antony Sher's previous appearances at the National include Stanley, Uncle Vanya and Arturo Ui. He has written novels, theatre journals, an auto-biography and the acclaimed play ID.

Primo Levi's impassioned attempt to understand the 'rationale' behind the concentration camps, The Drowned and the Saved, was completed shortly before his tragic death in 1987.

All performances are sold out. Day Seats and returns only.

Primo finished on: 1 December 2004