'We believe it is important to confront the reality of history. We are trying to bring hidden histories into the light. No more secrets.'
Soon after inheriting her family's stately home, eccentric artist Fenella Harford discovers a stash of hidden diaries, and she enlists a young academic, Marva, to confirm their identity.
Joined by Marva's brilliant but overlooked mentor, Abi, the three women come together to seek the truth, soon realising that the secrets at the heart of Harford Hall are darker than they could have imagined.
Winsome Pinnock's play The Authenticator is a gripping psychological thriller and a searing exploration of the haunting history of colonialism. It opened at the National Theatre, London, in 2026, directed by Miranda Cromwell.
'A thriller that takes on toxic legacies with a lightness of touch... ebullient and entertaining... the humour and zesty dialogue is cleverly barbed'
— Guardian
'A pacy and surprisingly witty three-hander exploring the legacy of enslavement... Pinnock's sharp writing ensures that it is not a straightforward exploration where one side is good and the other is evil... important and thought-provoking'
— WhatsOnStage
'Punchy... confronts current hot-button issues around the Transatlantic slave trade head on, and with humour... fascinating'
— London Standard
'A witty and thought-provoking gothic take on confronting the UK's history of enslavement... a compelling piece that mixes wry wit with real bite'
— The Stage
'Fascinating and mischievous'
— Time Out
'A ghost story full of laughs and twists... At a tight 90 minutes, the evening flies. Winsome Pinnock structures the play like a series of intellectual ambushes, each scene twisting the knife just enough to keep you leaning forward... a tense, talky, quietly incendiary three-hander about race, legacy and intellectual power... it cuts deeper than any jump scare'
— Broadway World
'Fantastic writing, full of twists and turns... riveting from start to finish'
— All That Dazzles
About the Author :
Winsome Pinnock is an award-winning British playwright of Jamaican heritage. Her plays include: The Authenticator (National Theatre, London, 2026); Rockets and Blue Lights (Royal Exchange, Manchester, 2020; National Theatre, 2021); One Under (2005) and Water (2000) at the Tricycle Theatre; Mules (Clean Break/Royal Court Theatre Upstairs/Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles and The Magic Theatre, San Francisco, 1996); Talking in Tongues (1991) and A Hero's Welcome (1989; runner-up Susan Smith Blackburn Prize) at the Royal Court Theatre; and Leave Taking (Liverpool Playhouse Theatre/Contact Theatre Manchester/Belgrade Theatre Coventry/Lyric Hammersmith/ National Theatre, 1986).
She has adapted Malorie Blackman's novel Pig Heart Boy for the stage (Unicorn Theatre / Sheffield Theatres / Children's Theatre Partnership, 2025).
The prizes awarded to her work include the Alfred Fagon Award (2018), the Windham-Campbell Prize for Drama (2022), the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize Special Commendation (1990), the George Devine Award (1991), the Pearson Award for Best New Play (1991), and the Unity Theatre Trust Award (1989).
Author photo by Matt Roberts
Review :
'A thriller that takes on toxic legacies with a lightness of touch... ebullient and entertaining... the humour and zesty dialogue is cleverly barbed'
'A pacy and surprisingly witty three-hander exploring the legacy of enslavement... Pinnock's sharp writing ensures that it is not a straightforward exploration where one side is good and the other is evil... important and thought-provoking'
'Punchy... confronts current hot-button issues around the Transatlantic slave trade head on, and with humour... fascinating'
'A witty and thought-provoking gothic take on confronting the UK's history of enslavement... a compelling piece that mixes wry wit with real bite'
'Fascinating and mischievous'
'A ghost story full of laughs and twists... At a tight 90 minutes, the evening flies. Winsome Pinnock structures the play like a series of intellectual ambushes, each scene twisting the knife just enough to keep you leaning forward... a tense, talky, quietly incendiary three-hander about race, legacy and intellectual power... it cuts deeper than any jump scare'
'Fantastic writing, full of twists and turns... riveting from start to finish'
