In 1983 Roald Dahl reviewed Tony Clifton’s picture book God Cried about the 1982 Lebanon War. In the review Dahl says of the Israelis “Never before in the history of man has a race of people switched so rapidly from being much-pitied victims to barbarous murderers” Mark Rosenblatt’s debut play is inspired by the fall out from that review and the beginning of Dahl’s reputation as an anti-semite.

John Lithgow is excellent casting as the physical and ageing presence of Roald Dahl, with Rachael Stirling as his long -term mistress and now fiancee Lissie Crosland in their home, Gipsy House. When we meet Dahl he is reviewing 1983 book The Witches with its illustrations by Quentin Blake (Dahl questions how much he is getting paid) and published by Jonathan Cape, who have sent over their head of publishing (and Jewish) Tom Maschler (Elliot Levy) to deal with the fall out from Dahl’s review, which ranges from bookshops withdrawing, comment pieces in newspapers and a death threat to Dahl’s home in Buckinghamshire, which was so well known because children would write him letters.

Things come to a head when Jessie Stone (Romola Garai), a sales director from Farrar, Straus and Giroux (FSG) , the American publisher, comes to convince Dahl to apologise for his comments. He refuses, especially once he realises Stone is Jewish and has written some damning notes on his review.

Giant coming to the Royal Court during yet another Lebanon-Israeli conflict (involving Hezbollah and telecommunications that have exploded) is simply a coincidence. In the final years of his life Dahl admitted he was unashamedly anti-semitic, anti-zionist and anti-Israel because of the wars in the Middle East. As a result he alienated many people but unlike today he wasn’t ever cancelled for his views. He continued to write books, he continued to advocate for causes, and the children, who meant so much to him.

I found Giant to be quite stale as a result. There is no smoking gun, just conflict between two people (one who is possibly fictional) who have never met before and will never meet again. Even the moments of kindness, like when Dahl realises that her 15 year old son must have a disability when she speaks “reading to him” add nothing to their relationship. Nicholas Hytner doesn’t have a lot to do with Rosenblatt’s work set in one room that is being renovated and the characters of Haillie (Tessa Bonham Jones), their maid and Wally (Richard Hope), their gardener, only serve as reasons to not leave Lithgow’s Dahl alone, muttering to himself. Whilst the story of Dahl’s review and the fall out is interesting I don’t think there is enough here to sustain a 2 hour play.

Giant is in previews from 20 Sep. Press night is on 26 Sep.