Game of Thrones star Kit Harington said he was “incredibly nervous” about making his West End return.
The actor marked his return playing Doctor Faustus in a new production of the play at the Duke of York’s Theatre.
He told the Press Association: “I get very nervous. I get nervous on a take before a film set, let alone a play in front of a few hundred people, a lot of whom I know and who are my peers.”
The play is a modern twist on the classic play, directed by Jamie Lloyd whose previous credits include the musical Passion and Macbeth, which featured James McAvoy.
It also features two new acts introduced by Irish playwright Colin Teevan and sees Faustus descend into a surreal world of “celebrity” after he sells his soul to the Devil.
Lloyd told the Press Association: “It’s inspired by the original text because in the original play Doctor Faustus doesn’t do anything other than meet the Pope and becomes kind of a performing monkey really.
“I loved the metaphor of him becoming a heart-throb conjurer magician because it’s so ridiculous and inane – it’s a great metaphor for the society in which we live.”
I get nervous on a take before a film set, let alone a play
The play made its debut as Game of Thrones fans in the UK were tuning in to the season six premiere of the hit show to find out the fate of his popular character Jon Snow.
His girlfriend and former Game of Thrones co-star, Rose Leslie, joined a host of his former Thrones actors such as Alfie Allen and Natalie Dormer in the audience.
Lloyd hailed Harington as “an unlikely superstar”, revealing the actor declined to have his own dressing room for the play.
“He had the choice to have his own dressing room but wanted to share; he’s just an unlikely superstar really in that he is very humble,” Lloyd said.
“There’s no ego and that’s incredibly refreshing, he’s a real team player. His face may be all over the Tubes and posters, but he considers this to be an ensemble piece shared with everybody on stage.”