Chariots of Fire - A Runaway Success

A Chariots of Fire stage production was the brainchild of the 1981 film's director, Hugh Hudson, who went on to co-produce the play with the script written by Mike Bartlett, who has written for theatre and radio and is the winner of a National Theatre Award for the play Bull. Chariots of Fire opened at the Gielgud Theatre on the 3rd July 2012 but closed just five months and while play sadly didn't receive any awards, it was highly acclaimed by the critics and audiences alike.

The two featured roles were awarded to relatively unknown actors, Jack Lowden, who recently won an Olivier Award for his part in an adaptation of the play Ghosts, and James McArdle, a RADA trained theatre actor who graduated in 2010. The film's iconic score, which was composed by Vangelis, was used in the play alongside new pieces composed by Vangelis and Tony Award winning Composer, Jason Carr.

What is Chariots of Fire About?

Chariots of Fire is based upon a true story about two Cambridge Students - Harold Abrahams is Jewish and Eric Liddle is a Scottish Christian. Both want to run in the 1924 Paris Olympics but have different reasons for doing so. The play is a thought provoking story about commitment, integrity, sticking to your principles and overcoming adversity.

Did you Know?

Rowan Atkinson did a brilliant skit in the 2012 London Olympic opening ceremony to the music of Chariots of Fire.