Beat the Devil (play)

{{Short description|2020 play by David Hare}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

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Beat the Devil is a 2020 monologue play by the British playwright David Hare. It is based on Hare's experience of catching COVID-19. The first production was at the Bridge Theatre in London, directed in Nicholas Hytner{{cite web| url=https://bridgetheatre.co.uk/whats-on/beat-the-devil/ | title=Beat the Devil | publisher=Bridge Theatre | location=UK | accessdate=11 November 2021 }} and starring Ralph Fiennes performing the monologue.{{cite news| title=Beat the Devil review – righteous rage of David Hare's corona nightmare | first=Arifa | last=Akbar | newspaper=The Guardian | date=30 August 2020 }}{{cite magazine| url=https://variety.com/2020/legit/reviews/beat-the-devil-review-ralph-fiennes-coronavirus-1234756123/ | title='Beat the Devil' Review: Ralph Fiennes Stars in COVID-19 Monologue in Socially Distanced Staging | first=David | last=Benedict | date=1 September 2020 | magazine=Variety | accessdate=11 November 2021 }}{{cite magazine| url=https://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/beat-the-devil-is-a-fiery-covid-monologue-performed-by-ralph-fiennes | title='Beat the Devil' is a fiery Covid monologue performed by Ralph Fiennes | first=Andrzej | last=Lukowski | date=3 September 2020 | magazine=TimeOut | location=London | accessdate=11 November 2021 }}

The play was adapted into a book published by Faber & Faber in 2020 as Beat the Devil: A Covid Monologue.{{cite book| title=Beat the Devil: A Covid Monologue | first=David | last=Hare | authorlink=David Hare (playwright) | date=2020 | publisher=Faber & Faber | isbn=978-0571366088 | url=https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571366088-beat-the-devil/ | location=UK }} A film adaptation was released in 2021, also starring Fiennes.{{cite web| url=https://www.sho.com/titles/3504634/beat-the-devil | title=Beat the Devil | publisher=Showtime Networks | date=2021 | accessdate=11 November 2021 }} It was streamed by the Showtime network in the United States.{{cite web| url=https://deadline.com/2021/09/beat-the-devil-showtime-after-uk-stage-run-1234826798/ | title='Beat The Devil' Film Version Heads To Showtime After Successful UK Stage Run | first=Bruce | last=Haring | work=Deadline | date=2 September 2021 | accessdate=11 November 2021 }} It was aired on Sky Arts in the United Kingdom on 11 November 2021.{{cite news| url=https://www.ft.com/content/226b5a5c-4968-4698-95e7-5eb12e033b72 | title=Ralph Fiennes gives voice to David Hare's Covid rage in Beat the Devil | newspaper=Financial Times | first=Dan | last=Einav | date=3 November 2021 }}