Eric Roth to premiere stage adaptation of High Noon

Oscar-winning screenwriter Eric Roth’s debut play, an adaptation of the 1952 western High Noon, is due to receive its world premiere. Roth, who turned 80 last year, discussed the move into theatre from his home in Los Angeles.

Roth’s long film career includes an Oscar for writing Forrest Gump in 1995 and nominations for work such as The Insider, Munich and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. He said he chose High Noon because non-musical westerns are rare on stage and called adapting the film “1,000% a challenge”, describing it as “the pinnacle of what a western could be.” Thea Sharrock is directing after Ivo van Hove was attached at one point; Billy Crudup plays marshal Will Kane and Denise Gough plays his wife. Roth said Crudup’s Will is “a little more human” and that the stage version will include a sprinkling of Bruce Springsteen songs, which he called “anachronistic”.

The play retains the film’s structure of unfolding in real time as the town prepares for the noon showdown. Roth said theatre has “made me feel 22 again” and that he is being consulted closely in the production. He also has other projects in hand, including a Sydney Sweeney thriller, a real-life mafia drama for Martin Scorsese, and an executive-producer role on Michael Mann’s Heat 2. The source does not specify the premiere date or location.

Key Topics

Culture, Eric Roth, High Noon, Billy Crudup, Denise Gough, Thea Sharrock