JT Rogers interview - 'Oslo is a play about honest, painful hope'

Following its award-winning run on Broadway, JT Rogers' play Oslo has just enjoyed a limited engagement at the National Theatre. As of next week, it will take up a longer residence in the West End at the Harold Pinter Theatre, so we sat down with Rogers to talk about his play, which is about Irsaeli-Palestinian negotiations, and how it came about thanks to a children's soccer match. 

Oslo is about the secret, back-door negotiations between the state of Israel and Palestinian Liberation Organization, which lead to the Oslo Accords of the early '90s - the closest the two countries have ever been to piece. The talks were orchestrated by a pair of Norweigan diplomats, husband and wife Terje Rød-Larsen and Mona Juul, behind the backs of their bosses. 

In London, the play stars Lydia Leonard and Toby Stephens. In an interview, Leonard told us the play made her realise "just how little I knew about Israel and Palestine", but that the play doesn't require any prior knowledge, as it is a "really gripping piece, a political thriller."

Watch our interview with JT Rogers below. 

Oslo runs at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 3rd October. 

Oslo Tickets are available now.