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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Polly Dunbar

‘Should you tell a dying child the truth?’ The agonising dilemma at the heart of The Doctor

Robert Icke Arthur Schnitzler Juliet Stevenson Manuel Harlan Ethics Religion
Lead Juliet Stevenson - The Doctor - Rehearsal Images
Juliet Stevenson gives a powerful performance wrestling with the ethical dilemma at the heart of the play. Photograph: Manuel Harlan

A 14-year-old girl lies dying in hospital after a botched abortion. A Catholic priest arrives to administer last rites, but the white, female, Jewish doctor tending to her refuses to allow it.

This is the thorny premise of The Doctor, the new play by Robert Icke that won sweeping critical acclaim during its 2019 run at the Almeida and is now making its West End debut, with Juliet Stevenson reprising her role as the titular physician.

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