Robert Portal is currently playing Paul in the UK premiere of Florian Zeller's play The Truth.
Directed by Lindsay Posner in a new version by Christopher Hampton, The Truth officially opens at the Menier Chocolate Factory tonight (16th March) for a limited run to 7th May. The cast also includes Alexander Hanson, Tanya Franks and Frances O’Connor.
Robert returns to the Menier where he previously appeared in Communicating Doors (also directed by Lindsay Posner) and The Common Pursuit.
Just a few of Robert’s theatre credits include: Phileas Fogg in Around The World In 80 Days (St James), Paulais/Henri in Grand Guignol (Plymouth), Evelyn in This Was A Man (Finborough), Henri Paillardin in A Little Hotel on The Side (Bath), Walpole in The Doctor's Dilemma (National), Hannay in The 39 Steps (West End), Victor in Private Lives (Bath/UK Tour), Thomas MacGreevy in Calico (West End), Maurice in Tom And Viv (Almeida) and Gary Le Jeaune in Noises Off (West End).
For the RSC he has appeared in Henry IV, The Rivals, Loves Labours Lost and The Merchant Of Venice. For television, Robert’s work includes Psychoville, In Love with Barbara, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard, Margaret and Ashes to Ashes; and for film, Six Days, Mr Turner, Kids in Love and My Week with Marilyn.
I recently spoke to Robert about what makes The Truth such a fascinating play…
Following the success of The Father and The Mother, everyone is talking about Florian Zeller. What were your first impressions when you looked at The Truth?
I loved it! I thought it was a really exciting play. It reads and plays very quickly – we’re doing it without an interval. It was a page turner, the audience are taken through twists and turns and don’t know where they are. It’s a play I would love to see… but sadly I can’t see it because I’m in it [laughs].
