Interview: Tom Glenister on Chariots of Fire at Sheffield Theatres’ Crucible

Tom Glenister stars in the Crucible Theatre’s production of Chariots of Fire.

This stage adaptation, directed by Robert Hastie, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the 1924 Paris Olympics, featuring the remarkable achievements of Abrahams and Eric Liddell.

With performances running until July 27, 2024, this production promises to be a thrilling theatrical experience. Secure your tickets now through the Sheffield Theaters box office or online at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.

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This year marks 100 years since the story at the heart of the production. Does that add to the excitement of bringing the story to life on stage?

Absolutely, because the 100th anniversary of the story, those Olympics being in Paris and the Olympics being in Paris this year, it seems like the perfect time to do this show.

What was the rehearsal process like, given the obvious challenges of bringing an Olympic race to the stage?

It was demanding, but a joy, from start to finish. It was physically and mentally challenging for the entire creative team, but very exciting to come together and figure it out as a group. Ben Stone’s design is not only stunning, but also brilliantly clever. We jump around a lot in this piece, but thanks to the design and genius of Robert Hastie, the story and journey remain very clear throughout.

Given the subject matter, I would imagine that Ben Wright’s motion design for the piece was an integral part of the show’s creative process. Does this make the piece feel more energetic and alive than pieces that don’t rely so much on movement?

Ben was brilliant. She had a huge job choreographing all the races and making each one feel unique and dramatic, but she pulled it off and then some. The aim has always been to recreate the power and athleticism of running a race, giving the audience a true theatrical experience. Everyone is sold out by the end and hopefully the audience (in the best way!) will be too.

Both Harold and Eric have strong but very different religious beliefs. Is there a sense that even though the story is set a century ago, modern audiences will connect to the themes within the show?

I think so. Religion is certainly a motivating factor for both Harold and Eric, but they are energized and driven by other things as well. Very universal things: love, family, ambition, achievement. These are things that a lot of people would fight for and connect with, I think.

Olivier Award winner Mike Bartlett wrote the script for this new production, do you think the new script will appeal to both fans of the original film and people coming to the play with very little prior knowledge of the story?

Absolutely, Mike’s script pays a wonderful tribute to the film and has a lot of respect for it. It’s a brilliant, powerful story, so whether people come with prior knowledge or completely fresh, they’re in for a treat.

One of the most memorable things about the original film was the Oscar-winning score composed by Vangelis. How important was the score to bringing the play to life?

The music is epic. Frew, our composer and music director, did an incredible job of keeping the Vangelis feel of the film while providing a brand new, delightful score. I think the music is the real heartbeat of this production. It’s worth saying that although the score is completely original, fans of the Vangelis score will not be disappointed. That’s all I’ll say about it! No spoilers!

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