The Score
Shakespeare Theatre Company
Jordan Wright
September 19, 2026
Brian Cox (Johann Sebastian Bach) and Jamie Wilkes (Carl Bach) in Shakespeare Theater Company’s production of The Score (Photo/Teresa Castracane).
London’s West End comes to Harman Hall with the stunning original production The Source. It would not be overstating it to remark that the leads and creatives are British TV, film, and theatre royalty with arm’s-length bios and a huge cache of prestigious awards. The story is based on a unique meeting between the Prussian King, Frederick II and Johann Sebastian Bach the esteemed 18th century Baroque composer. Frederick, a fan boy of Bach’s work, invites him to his lavish castle to write a six-part fugue based on a few notes Frederick, a rank amateur, had conjured in a dream. The fly in the ointment is Bach has never written more than a three-part fugue. Well, as it turns out, no matter for the master.
Bach leaves his loving wife, Anna, to set out on the long journey to the home of his devoted son, Carl, who lives near the King in Potsdam. Before he arrives, Frederick has charged his four court composers with the task of turning a few scattered notes from a dream into a fugue. One of the composers is Carl, one of Bach’s 11 sons, who is as broke as his father and desperate to hold onto his position at court. The musicians turn up their collective sycophantic noses at the king’s folly, but to keep their jobs, they cobble together a simple composition which they present to the king.
At Carl’s home Bach receives the noted French philosopher Voltaire who arrives from a rendezvous with the king to see his old friend. The two men conspire not to reveal to the king that they know each other as Voltaire has plans to sing Bach’s praises and smooth his path into the king’s good graces. With spies in every corner and a king whose knowledge outside of his murderous regime is skewed, Bach tells his son, “We see through a glass darkly.”
Nicole Ansari-Cox ( Anna Magdalena Bach) and Brian Cox (Johann Sebastian Bach) (Photo/Teresa Castracane).
Before his royal appointment, Bach meets the other composers who bet each other a massive sum of money that his composition will fail to please the king. With their meager fortunes on the line, Bach joins the bet yet ultimately wins the king’s favor, despite Bach calling him out for his soldiers ravaging women in his hometown of Leipzig. The ruthless king, unaccustomed to being dissed, tells Bach that war is war and these things happen.
At the time he is introduced to Frederick at court, he is composing cantatas, oratorios, fugues, suites and concertos, including compositions for weddings, funerals and executions for four churches… all while teaching Latin! There is a wonderful scene in which he counters Frederick’s naïveté by explaining the connection between music, emotion and mathematics. He tries to convince Frederick that his collection of notes has come from within his heart. In this moment we see a deeply spiritual Bach who gives no quarter to the shallow-minded king and that’s what makes this clever play so relatable. Speaking truth to power through the arts! Sticking it (warily) to a narcissist! Touché!
Writer Oliver Cotton’s play is vibrant, relevant, modern, utterly hilarious and based on historic lore. Period sets – including a magnificent black and gold harpsichord – and costumes by designer Robert Jones of Broadway and West End are splendid, especially for the flamboyant Frederick who swans around like a swathed peacock.
Stephen Hagan (King Frederick II), Christopher Staines (Court Composer), Jordan Kilshaw (Courtier), Toby Webster (Court Composer), and Matthew Romain (Court Composer) (Photo/Teresa Castracane).
The wonderful performances in this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical experience linger longingly. Directed brilliantly by Trevor Nunn with the great Brian Cox as Johann Sebastian Bach; Nicole Ansari-Cox as Anna Magdalena Bach, Bach’s wife, who is off-stage Cox’s real wife; Stephan Hagan as King Frederick II, King of Prussia; Jaimie Wilkes as Carl Bach; Peter De Jersey as Voltaire; Geoffrey Towers as Herr Von Meckelsdorf; Matthew Romain, Christopher Staines and Toby Webster as court composers; Juliet Garricks as Emelia, a servant; Will Kerr as Helstein/Courtier; Jordan Kilshaw as Courtier; Max Pink as Courtier; Claire Morrissey as Maidservant.
Lighting Design by Johanna Town; Sound Design & Original Composition by Sophie Cotton.
Highly recommended!!!
Through October 25th Shakespeare Theatre Company at Harmon Hall, 610 F Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004. For tickets and information call the box office at 202.547.1122 or visit www.ShakespeareTheatre.org.