The world premiere of Speculations by Torben Betts (Murder in the Dark) will play at London’s Marylebone Theatre.
Directed by multi-award-winning, legendary theatre and film director Trevor Nunn and starring Olivier Award-winner Janie Dee (Comic Potential, Carousel, Me and Orson Welles) as Dorothy Kilgallen, Jolyon Coy as Robert F. Kennedy Natalie Dunne as Marilyn Monroe, Gloria Obianyo as Flo Jackson, Joseph Potter as Lee Harvey Oswald and Ferdy Roberts as Carlos Marcello. See the notes at the end of this release for full biographies.
Speculations is a gripping new political thriller about one of America’s most celebrated journalists, Dorothy Kilgallen, who sets out on a mission to discover the truth behind three of the most infamous deaths of the 20th century.
Marilyn Monroe, John F. Kennedy, Lee Harvey Oswald. Three deaths that shook America. One woman refused to stop asking questions.
New York, 1965. Dorothy Kilgallen is on the trail of the biggest story of her career, but the closer she gets to the truth, the more dangerous the questions become. And when the threats reach inside her own home, she must decide how far she is prepared to go to tell a story some very powerful people would rather remain untold.
Designed by Lee Newby with Lighting Design by Johanna Town and Sound by Gregory Clarke, Speculations receives its World Premiere at the Marylebone Theatre, running from Friday 30 October – Sunday 3 January with press night on Wednesday 4 November.
ABOUT SPECULATIONS
New York, 1965. Celebrated journalist and television star Dorothy Kilgallen is on the trail of the biggest story of her career. ree years earlier, Marilyn Monroe was found dead in Los Angeles. A year after that President Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas. Then his suspected killer, Lee Harvey Oswald, was himself shot dead — live on television.
America’s questions were answered. Dorothy was not convinced.
Following a trail from Hollywood to the White House, from the Kennedy dynasty to the New Orleans underworld, Dorothy begins to see connections others have missed — connections involving Robert Kennedy, Jack Ruby, organised crime boss Carlos Marcello, Marilyn Monroe, Oswald and JFK.
Blending Hollywood glamour, political intrigue and true-crime mystery, Speculations plunges into the shadows behind some of the twentieth century’s most infamous deaths — and asks a tantalising question: ‘how far would you go for the truth?’
Creative Team
Written by Torben Betts
Directed by Sir Trevor Nunn
Design by Lee Newby
Lighting by Johanna Town
Sound by Gregory Clarke
Cast
Janie Dee Dorothy Kilgallen
Jolyon Coy Bobby
Natalie Dunne Norma Jean
Gloria Obianyo Flo
Joseph Potter Lee
Ferdy Roberts Carlos
First preview: Friday 30 October 2026
Opening night: Wednesday 4 November 2026
Final performance: Sunday 17 January 2027
The performance lasts 2 hours 20 minutes including interval
