14 March 2005
Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company presents
CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY
by Arnold Wesker
Directed by Giles Croft
Nottingham Playhouse
Friday 8 – 23 April 2005
Box Office: 0115 941 9419
With a general election on the horizon, Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company will be examining the breakdown of political ideals with a major revival of Arnold Wesker’s seminal play CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY. Based on Wesker’s own experiences of growing up in a Jewish family in East London at the time of the 1930s anti-fascist riots, CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY blends the personal and political in a touching tale of one family’s struggle for a better life. First performed in 1958, CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY is a seminal play of 20th century theatre and a vibrant and honest testament to fading ideals and familial bonds. Performed at the Playhouse from 8 to 23 April, CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY is directed by Giles Croft, Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse.
Frequently performed abroad, this is the first significant UK staging of the play for over two decades. First performed at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry in 1958, CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY was the first play in the ‘Wesker Trilogy’, and was performed later that year at the Royal Court Theatre, London. John Dexter’s original production of the play opened to critical success with THE OBSERVER’S theatre critic Kenneth Tynan noting: “Mr Wesker confronts us, as sanely as the theatre has ever done, with a fundamental issue: is there a viable middle course between welfare socialism and communism? He has written a fair, accurate and intensely exciting play” and Bernard Levin of THE TIMES adding that “its quality is undiminished by the passing years”. CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY is a landmark play in the history of post-war British theatre, and Wesker is one of the UK’s most important playwrights, standing alongside John Osborne and Harold Pinter.
For the Kahn family the Promised Land is neither the Jerusalem of their forebears, not the basement flat they live in now. For Sarah and Harry, and their children Ada and Ronnie, the dream of a better world is sustained by the vitality of the East End community around them. Beginning with the Cable Street riots of the 1930s and ending with the Russian invasion of Hungary in 1956, history begins to take its toll as a mother’s resilience and strong ideals contend with a father’s weakness, and a son’s disillusionment. CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY is a deeply moving portrait of the forces that drive us apart, and the ties that bind us together. A fictional account of Wesker’s own experiences, CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY is a political drama spanning three decades that documents the effect of post-war social issues on Jewish families in Britain.
The cast for CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY comprises Robert Benfield (Hymie), Russell Bentley (Prince), Rachel Edwards (Ada/Bessie), Caroline Lennon (Cissie), Shona Morris (Sarah), Daniel Rabin (Monty), Simon Schatzberger (Harry), Nitzan Sharron (Ronnie/Dave).
Simon Schatzberger will be playing the father, Harry Khan. A Nottingham born actor, Simon is best known for his role as Adrian Mole in the West End show THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE AGED 13 ¾ (Wyndham’s Theatre and National Tour). His television work includes DANIEL DERONDA (BBC), BLACK BOOKS (Channel 4) and Tom Hanks’ BAND OF BROTHERS (Dreamworks/HBO). Shona Morris plays matriarch Sarah Khan. Her previous theatre work includes CROSSFIRE (Paines Plough), THE BACCHAE (Shared Experience), THE MOTHER, and the role of Prospero in THE TEMPEST (both National Theatre). For television, Shona’s work includes THE BUDDHA OF SUBURBIA, JONATHAN CREEK and SONS AND LOVERS. Nitzan Sharron will be playing Ronnie Khan/Dave. Following his performance at Nottingham Playhouse, Nitzan will be performing in THE MIKE LEIGH PROJECT at the National Theatre. Previous theatre work includes HENRY V (Donmar Warehouse) and Steven Berkoff’s RITUAL IN BLOOD (Nottingham Playhouse). Caroline Lennon makes a welcome return to Nottingham Playhouse following her role in Giles Croft’s 2004 production of ANGELS AMONG THE TREES and WONDERFUL TENNESSEE in 2000. Caroline is best known for her role as Irish adulterer Siobhan Hathaway in BBC Radio 4’s THE ARCHERS. Caroline has also performed in HAY FEVER (Savoy Theatre and tour) AGAMEMNON’S CHILDREN (Gate Theatre) and YERMA (Bristol Old Vic). Robert Benfield has worked extensively in theatre, with his work including MYTHS (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond), THE THREE SISTERS (New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich), and PYTHAGORAS (Birmingham Repertory Theatre). Russell Bentley will be playing Prince. His theatre work includes OLD WICKED SONGS (Bristol Old Vic and the Gielgud Theatre, London) and ROARING LIONS (Lyric Hammersmith). The roles of Ada and Bessie will be played by Rachel Edwards, who performed in the Birmingham Repertory Theatre production and tour of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK and LES PARENTS TERRIBLES (Jermyn Street Theatre). The role of Monty will be played by Daniel Rabin, whose theatre work includes MISS JULIE (Southwark Playhouse) and SEVEN SONNETS OF MICHAELANGELO (Lyric Hammersmith).
Director Giles Croft is Artistic Director for Nottingham Playhouse and a Vice President of the European Theatre Convention. Giles’s last production for Nottingham Playhouse was Jonathan Holloway’s ANGELS AMONG THE TREES in 2004. In 1985 Giles was appointed Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre, London and in 1989 joined the National Theatre as Literary Manager. Giles took up the post of Artistic Director at The Palace Theatre, Watford, before taking up the position at Nottingham Playhouse in 1999. Designer for CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY is Dawn Allsopp, whose recent work includes A TASTE OF HONEY (Theatre Royal, York) and BEYOND BELIEF (Library Theatre, Manchester).
To book tickets for CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY please contact the Nottingham Playhouse Box Office on 0115 941 9419 or book online at www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk.
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Nottingham Playhouse Listings Information:
CHICKEN SOUP WITH BARLEY
Written by Arnold Wesker, Directed by Giles Croft
Friday 8 – Saturday 23 March 2005
Performance time: 7.45pm
No performances: 18 April and Sundays
Matinee performances: 16 April (2.30pm), 21 April (1.30pm)
Post-show discussion: 19 April (7.45pm)
Audio-described performances: 19 April (7.45pm), 20 April (7.45pm)
BSL Sign-language Interpreted performance (Alan Haythornthwaite): 22 April (7.45pm)
Quids In performances (£3.50 tickets for 14-26 year olds, subject to availability): 8-12 April (7.45pm)
Ticket Prices: £6 - £22 (Concessions available)
Box Office: 0115 941 9419; Book Online: www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
