Following its world premiere at The Lowry, Salford, in May and a sold-out run at as part of Traverse Festival 2018 at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the critically acclaimed stage adaption of Nigel Slater’s best-selling memoirs Toast prepares to make its London transfer. Toast opens at The Other Palace on 4th April 2019, with Giles Cooper cast in the role of Nigel Slater.
Giles Cooper’s performances at the National Theatre include This House, People and After The Dance, and at Shakespeare’s Globe Henry V and The Duchess of Malfi. Roles in hit British films include Pride and The Lady in The Van.
Other cast members are: Lizzie Muncey (Twelfth Night, National Theatre) as Mum and Stephen Ventura (The 39 Steps, West End) playing Dad. Marie Lawrence (Murder in Successville, BBC3) plays Joan and Jake Ferretti (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Apollo Theatre/National) completes the company as Josh.
Based on the British Book Awards Biography of the Year, Toast is a new play based on Nigel Slater’s award-winning autobiography. Vividly recreating suburban England in the 1960s, Nigel’s childhood is told through the tastes and smells he grew up with - to reflect this, audiences will be offered samples of the dishes and tastes central to his story during the show.
From making the perfect sherry trifle, waging war over cakes through to the playground politics of sweets and the rigid rules of restaurant dining, this is a moving and evocative tale of love, loss and...toast.
Originally produced by The Lowry for Week 53 festival, Toast is written by Henry Filloux-Bennett and directed by Jonnie Riordan.
The author of a collection of bestselling books and presenter of nine BBC television series, Nigel Slater has been the food columnist for The Observer for 25 years.
