18 December 2019
Newsdesk
Final casting is today announced for the UK premiere of ‘COPS’ by American writer Tony Tortora, a new play inspired by real-life events in the often brutal and corrupt world of 1950’s Chicago policing and mob violence.
‘COPS’, directed by Andy Jordan, premieres at Southwark Playhouse from Wednesday 15 January - Saturday 1 February, 2020.
Chicago. 1957. Four cops, different ages, classes and races, mired in duplicity and mutual suspicion, have to grab a gangster turned state witness before the Mob do.
Outside their office the world is changing. The Civil Rights movement. Race riots. Mass consumerism. Rock ‘n’ Roll. Elvis has arrived! Sex is everywhere...
As much comedy as it is drama, with wonderfully written characters, razor-sharp, witty banter, authentic spiky dialogue, and explosive scenes of emotional power and soul-baring poignancy, ‘COPS’ examines masculinity and racism whilst offering a touching message about how love conquers all and blood being thicker than water..
Cast: Roger Alborough was Andy Capp in ‘Andy Capp the Musical’ at the Finborough Theatre and The Professor, ‘The Lesson’, The Hope Theatre.
Jack Flammiger is a recent BA (Hons) RADA graduate, and is making his professional debut in ‘COPS’.
Daniel Francis had the lead role in ‘The Brothers Size’ and ‘Blackta’ at The Young Vic and ‘Off The Endz’ at the Royal Court.
James Sobol Kelly was in ‘The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable’, ‘Faust’ and ‘The Masque of the Red Death, all produced by Punchdrunk/National Theatre. He also played Shylock in ‘The Merchant of Venice’ and Gloucester in ‘King Lear’ for Guildford Shakespeare Company.
Creative Team:
Writer Tony Tortora
Director & Dramaturg Andy Jordan
Set & Costume Designer Anthony Lamble
Composer & Sound Designer Simon Slater
Lighting Designer Chris Corner
Assistant Director/Assistant Producer Timothy Trimingham Lee
Produced by Andy Jordan Productions Ltd and Pluto Productions Ltd.
TONY TORTORA - Writer
Writer Tony Tortora is originally from Brooklyn but now lives in Harrogate, England. The first few lines of ‘COPS’ sprang into his mind while reading an account of a real life 1950’s Chicago criminal case. While the cops are fictional the gangsters’ names are all taken from their real life counterparts. Despite its carefully researched 50’s story, the play’s depiction of the need for people from widely differing ethnic and social backgrounds to overcome prejudice and suspicion and work together seems just as relevant now.
ANDY JORDAN - DIrector
Director Andy Jordan has a long track record for discovering, developing and successfully
directing new plays. His work as a director and producer in theatre and radio has been wide-ranging, pioneering and award-winning. He has directed over 100 new plays and is
renowned for discovering and helping to develop literally hundreds of new writers, many of
whom are now internationally recognised, including Jimmy McGovern (creator ‘Cracker’),
Glenn Chandler (creator ‘Taggart’), Allan Cubitt (Emmy award-winning lead writer ‘Prime
Suspect’), Don Webb (‘Byker Grove’), Paul Unwin (‘Casualty’), Craig Warner (award-
winning screenwriter of the TV films about Princess Margaret and Robert Maxwell), and
acclaimed National Theatre/Almeida Theatre/Royal Court Theatre writer, Richard Bean, author of the international hit, ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’.
His theatre directing credits include ‘The Inn at Lydda’ for the Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre (2016) and work for many UK regional theatres, drama schools, the West End, and in New York, San Francisco and New Orleans. He has several Edinburgh Festival Awards,
including two Fringe First Awards. He was a Senior Radio Drama Producer for the BBC and is one of the UK’s leading audio producers, with two International Sony Radio Awards, two Giles Cooper Awards, the New York Radio Festival Award and the European Union Broadcasting Award.
ANTHONY LAMBLE - Set and Costume Designer
Theatre credits include: ‘Omeros’, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (Shakespeare’s Globe); ‘Dead
Monkey’ (Park Theatre); ‘Clarion’, ‘Shrapnel: 34 Fragments of a Massacre’, ‘Ghost from a Perfect Place’ (Arcola); ‘The Caucasian Chalk Circle’, ‘Translations’, ‘Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads’, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, ‘As You Like It’ (National Theatre); ‘The Tempest’ (RSC/Ohio); ‘Measure for Measure’, ‘Richard III’, ‘The Roman Actor’, ‘King Baby’ (RSC); ‘The One’ (Soho Theatre); ‘The Price’ (West End/Tricycle/Tour); ‘The Entertainer’ (Old Vic); ‘The Complaint’, ‘Everything is Illuminated’ (Hampstead); ‘Boa’ (Trafalgar Studios); ‘Three Sisters’ and ‘Shivered’ (Southwark Playhouse); as well as numerous productions for the Royal Court, Menier Chocolate Factory, West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Bush Theatre.
SIMON SLATER - Composer and Sound Designer
Simon is an Olivier-nominated composer of over 300 original scores for theatre, film,
television and radio.He most recently worked as composer on ‘Henry V’ and ‘Julius Caesar’ for the Royal Shakespeare Company, where he worked for three years. He wrote the music for ‘Macbeth’, starring Sean Bean and the award-winning ‘The Blood Libel’for Radio 4. He also composed for many productions at Hampstead Theatre Club, The Liverpool Everyman, Bristol Old Vic, The Bush and Young Vic.
Andy Jordan Productions Ltd and Pluto Productions Ltd
present
COPS
by Tony Tortora
Southwark Playhouse
77-85 Newington Causeway
London
SE1 6BD
15 January - 1 February 2020
Monday -Saturday at 8pm
Tuesday & Saturday at 3.30pm
Press night:
Friday January 17 at 8pm
TIckets:
Price £22 | £18 concessions
All previews £14
Box office:
020 7407 0234
or online
www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
Recommended for ages 15+
