Imogen Stubbs to Portray Leni Riefenstahl at the Tabard

A Thing of Beauty puts a spotlight on the Nazi's filmmaker

Left: Imogen Stubbs. Right: Leni Riefenstahl (centre standing) on the production's poster

January 28, 2026

Imogen Stubbs returns to the London stage this February in A Thing of Beauty, a provocative new fictional drama exploring the life, legacy and contradictions of filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl. Written by Wendy Oberman and Jonathan Lewis, the play receives its world‑premiere preview run at the Tabard Theatre in West London from 25 February to 1 March , with just six performances scheduled.

Riefenstahl remains one of cinema’s most contested figures: a visionary whose pioneering techniques influenced generations of filmmakers, from George Lucas to Steven Spielberg, yet whose reputation was permanently shadowed by her work under the Nazi regime. A Thing of Beauty steps into this moral grey zone, asking whether art can ever be separated from the artist—and what happens when truth, desire and ambition collide.

Set in October 1972, the play imagines an intense, searching interview between Riefenstahl and Harry Adams, a celebrated BBC documentarian wrestling with his own demons. What begins as a professional encounter spirals into a charged psychological duel, as both characters confront the stories they tell the world—and the ones they tell themselves.

Alongside Stubbs, the ensemble cast features Tony Bell, Tony Boncza, Harry Bradley, Thomas Craig, Sophie McMahon and Harry Rundle. The production is directed by Jonathan Lewis, with design by Juliette Demoulin, lighting by Mark Dymock and sound by Simon Slater. It is produced by Denise Silvey for Cahoots Theatre Company.

For booking and further details, visit the Tabard Theatre website or contact the box office directly.

Tickets costs £25.50 or £21.50 for concessions. The plan runs for 1 Hour 45 Minutes including a 15 minute interval.

Performances will take place at Theatre at the Tabard, 2 Bath Road, W4 1LW.

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