Thrones fans rush to glimpse a raw show of Jon Snow
IN RECENT months, it has seemed as if one can barely turn on the television without seeing a bare-chested leading man decorating the screen.
This week, anyone hoping to escape the so-called Poldark effect may be wise to avert their eyes at the theatre too. Kit Harington, star of Game of
Thrones, strips to his underpants for his role in Doctor Faustus, prompting a rush of fans to see his bared bottom.
He appears in Jamie Lloyd’s production of the Christopher Marlowe play, at the Duke of York’s Theatre, which features full-frontal nudity, simulated sex, wrist-slitting and blood-splattered shooting, in a modern-day adaptation of the centuries-old story.
The violence is unlikely to perturb its audience, as reviewers noted rows of young Game of Thrones fans who had bought theatre tickets to see Harington in the flesh. He was also supported on opening night by his Game of Thrones castmates, including Natalie Dormer, Rose Leslie and Alfie Allen.
The programme is notorious for its violence and sex, with main characters regularly being killed off – potentially including Harington as Jon Snow.
Other television dramas, including the BBC’s Poldark, The Night Manager and Lady Chatterley’s Lover, are increasingly featuring topless male actors in a much-discussed trend.
Reviews for Doctor Faustus noted the connections. WhatsOnStage claimed director Lloyd took “full advantage of the obvious box office appeal of Harington”, leaving him “in tight pants for the vast swathes” of the show.
“If a glamorous female lead spent this much time in her bra, we’d definitely cry objectification,” the reviewer said. Dominic Cavendish, The Daily Tele
graph’s theatre critic, gave the show two stars, arguing: “There’s nothing intrinsically wrong with this sort of stardriven ‘event’ theatre. But alas there’s little that’s intrinsically right about Jamie Lloyd’s revival.”