Brian Cox Stars

Multi-award-winning stage and film star Brian Cox (Succession) stars in Oliver Cotton's new play The Score, presented by Shakespeare Theatre Company, following a highly successful West End run in 2025. Directed by Trevor Nunn (Les Miserables), Cox portrays the legendary genius of composer Johann Sebastian Bach, as he finds himself in a fateful encounter with the King of Prussia, Frederick II.

The Score is the latest in writer Cotton's rich and varied career, whose writing credits include Scrabble at the National Theatre and The Enoch Show at the Royal Court. Enlisting Cox for the work was a no-brainer, with the multiple BAFTA, Golden Globe, Emmy and Olivier Award winner praised by the Guardian in the original run for his ability to transfer between light and dark with the character. Storied former National Theatre and RSC artistic director Trevor Nunn rounds out the creative team.

What Is The Story?

The Score is a gripping historical drama set in the spring of 1747 at the court of Frederick II of Prussia. The revered composer JS Bach is devoutly Christian, introspective, and anti-war, while Frederick is a ruthless militant ruler steeped in Enlightenment ideals. But Frederick admires Bach's genius and presents him with a fiendish musical puzzle. What begins as a fiery clash of minds soon escalates into a series of events that will challenge both men and the worlds they represent, leading to one of the most important pieces of music in history.