Simon Russell Beale talks playing Liberace on WhatsOnStage Podcast

Simon Russell Beale has spoken about playing Liberace in a new episode of the WhatsOnStage Podcast.

The episode was published on 9 October, while Beale is on stage as the American entertainer in I'll Be Seeing You. He discussed the role with co-host Sarah Crompton, according to WhatsOnStage.

The podcast is hosted by Crompton and Alex Wood. It is available on Apple Podcasts and Audible.

I'll Be Seeing You is a new play by Martin Sherman about Liberace. It is a world premiere, meaning this is its first staging anywhere. Beale stars alongside Fra Fee.

The production is at Pitlochry Festival Theatre in Scotland. It was announced as part of the theatre's Season 2026, with dates from 12 September to 11 October, according to Pitlochry Festival Theatre. That run ends on 11 October.

The show is directed by Alan Cumming. Cumming is also the theatre's artistic director.

In the podcast conversation, Beale talks about returning to the stage after serious illness. He also talks about working with playwright Tom Stoppard before Stoppard's death.

What makes this stand out is the pairing at the centre of it. Beale, one of Britain's best-known stage actors, takes on Liberace, a showman famous for glittering costumes and piano playing. For listeners, the episode offers a direct account of how he approached the part.

The full conversation is available now through the podcast's usual platforms.