The Guardian’s influential critic Michael Billington called the National Theatre’s latest revival of Sir Peter Shaffer’s acclaimed play AMADEUS, “a stunning piece of theatre,” and said Lucian Msamati’s performance in the key role as the sensational villain Antonio Salieri, the established court composer obsessed with rival Mozart, with music and ultimately with God was “following in the footsteps of Paul Scofield. Ian McKellen, David Suchet and Rupert Everett, Msamati is an excellent Salieri.”

The British-Tanzanian actor and playwright is best known on the small screen for his role as Salladhor Saan in the HBO series GAME OF THRONES. His extensive stage career includes becoming the first black actor to play Iago in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of OTHELLO in the spring of 2015. Directed by Michael Longhurst, AMADEUS runs in repertory on the Olivier stage until February next year. I dropped this sketch into Lucian’s London agent and he signed and returned it with a complementary dedication.