06 November 2022
Newsdesk
Incredible personal experiences have inspired world premiere productions taking centre stage at Park200 in Spring 2023. Clive Anderson stars in Winner’s Curse, penned by a former Middle East peace negotiator, boxer Vernon Vanriel brings his story of a bare-knuckle fight for his right to British citizenship after four decades of living in the UK, and activist with cerebral palsy Josh Hepple contributes insights of round-the-clock care to the story of David – gay, disabled and profoundly horny. Also coming to Park200, Mark Gatiss directs a comedy about a drag ABBA tribute band. In Park90 will be the UK premiere of psychological thriller The Elephant Song along with and an exploration of the fragility of female relationships in The Beach House.
The season opens with the musical drama On The Ropes (6 Jan – 4 Feb): written by Dougie Blaxland and Vernon Vanriel, and directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour, it tells Vernon’s extraordinary story of arriving in Britain aged six with his family as part of the Windrush Generation and rising to prominence as one of the most charismatic and influential Black British boxers of the 70s and 80s. In 2005, having lived in North London for 43 years, Vernon found himself trapped in Jamaica; homeless, penniless and denied access to medical care for a heart condition. What followed was a prolonged fight with the British Home Office for his right to citizenship. Pulsating with the rhythmic energies of blues, reggae and boxing, On the Ropes is a celebration of how courage, dignity and a fighting spirit can triumph over prejudice and injustice.
Meanwhile in Park90, the UK premiere of Nicolas Billon’s The Elephant Song (18 Jan – 11 Feb) is a psychological thriller fraught with mind games and verbal tugs-of-war. A psychiatrist suddenly disappears from a mental institution. A young patient of the hospital, Michael, is suspected to be involved in his disappearance. Dr. Greenberg, the hospital director, is determined to question Michael, ignoring the head nurse's cryptic warnings. In a turbulent power struggle with Greenberg, Michael attempts to barter the truth for his potential freedom, with devastating consequences.
Next in Park200, Artistic Director Jez Bond directs Clive Anderson in Winner’s Curse (8 Feb – 11 Mar). Written by former Middle East peace negotiator Daniel Taub and comedy writer/producer Dan Patterson (Mock the Week, Whose Line is it Anyway), Winner’s Curse is a brand-new show that combines humour and audience interaction to take you behind the scenes in high stakes international peace talks. Two countries are locked in battle over a strip of land when a fragile ceasefire provides a chance for peace. Over the negotiating table, cynical diplomats, idealistic peacemakers and meddling mediators try to navigate a perilous path to agreement as the threat of continued conflict looms ever larger.
Shortlisted for the Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize, The Beach House (15 Feb – 11 Mar) is a tender new play that explores the fragility of female relationships as three women grapple with motherhood, sisterhood and distractions. Until a betrayal exposes their secret desires... Moving out of the city to raise their baby, the old house by the sea is supposed to be a peaceful new start for stay-at-home mother and songwriter Liv, and new mum Kate. And then there's Liv's sister Jenny who, despite wanting to distance herself from her overbearing sibling, finds herself being drawn back to the beach house. Conceived against an ever-changing coastal backdrop, Jo Harper’s play explores the crisis of becoming a parent, knotted bonds between two sisters and the endurance of love.
A comedy about devotion, desire and dancing queens, The Way Old Friends Do (15 Mar – 15 Apr) is written by Ian Hallard (Michael in The Boys in the Band, Park Theatre/Vaudeville Theatre) and directed by Mark Gatiss. In the late 1980s, two school friends from Birmingham tentatively come out to one another: one as gay, the other as an ABBA fan. Nearly thirty years later, a chance meeting sets them on an exciting new path, and they decide to form the world’s first ABBA tribute band – in drag. Tender and laugh-out loud funny in equal measure, this heartfelt story will appeal to anyone who understands how it feels to be a fan: of ABBA or of old friends. The Way Old Friends Do comes to Park Theatre following a run at Birmingham Rep.
Completing the season, ANIMAL (19 Apr – 20 May) is written by Jon Bradfield, co-writer of Above The Stage’s acclaimed series of queer adult pantomimes, from a story by Jon Bradfield and Josh Hepple, an activist with severe cerebral palsy who has a masters in law and is an equality trainer and a writer-journalist at The Guardian and Huffington Post. ANIMAL follows David, who is gay, disabled and profoundly horny. He can’t eat, drink or shower by himself – let alone the rest. Totally inexperienced, he embarks on a sexual and romantic odyssey. But can David keep it casual whilst also relying on round-the-clock care? ANIMAL won the inaugural Through The Mill Prize (Hope Mill Theatre supported by Jonathan Harvey) and will premiere at Hope Mill Theatre in March; it was also shortlisted in the top five for the Papatango Prize. Everyone is welcome at any performance of ANIMAL: it will be an environment in which people can freely express themselves and experience the show according to their needs.
Throughout the Spring, Park Theatre will continue to host their ever-popular Coffee, Croissant and a Concert. Ostara Chamber Players will be inviting esteemed musicians to join them in an eclectic programme of classical music for one Sunday morning of every month.
Artistic Director Jez Bond said, “We are delighted to be presenting not one, but three in-house productions this season. It’s such a pleasure to welcome Clive Anderson back to Park Theatre as he takes the helm of Winner’s Curse – the new play penned by Middle East diplomat Daniel Taub and television comedy writer, Dan Patterson, and directed by myself. I am as pleased as punch to be giving the incredible tale of North London local lad Vernon Vanriel a crucial voice on our P200 stage with On the Ropes. Plus, we are looking forward to welcoming audiences to see a wonderful new piece of writing from Jon Bradfield and Josh Hepple, ANIMAL, a hilarious and heartwarming story about disability and desire, identity and independence. It’s fantastic to co-produce ANIMAL with the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester – our second collaboration in the past 6 months – and we’re excited to tour the show to a key creative hub in Bristol. We hope these burgeoning connections with venues outside of London are a sign of things to come as Park Theatre marks a very special landmark in May by turning 10 years old. Completing the main stage bill, Mark Gatiss directs The Way Old Friends Do, and we have two remarkable plays in P90 – The Elephant Song and The Beach House. Right now, we’re still riding high after the fantastic success of our opening shows in the Autumn 2022 season, but this is an absolute cracker of a season and I cannot wait.
Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In nine years, it has enjoyed eight West End transfers (including Daytona starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, twenty-five national tours, six Olivier Award nominations, has won multiple OffWestEnd Offie Awards and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage. Park Theatre are grateful to all those who have donated to the Park Life fund, supporting the venue through the pandemic.
Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP
6 Jan – 4 Feb
www.parktheatre.co.uk | 020 7870 6876*
* Telephone booking fee: 10% capped at £2.50 per ticket
Park200
6 Jan – 4 Feb
On the Ropes | Presented by The Production Exchange and Park Theatre
World Premiere
Written by Dougie Blaxland and Vernon Vanriel | Directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour
Press night: 10 Jan at 7.30pm
“I see a boy with a glittering future in the game, ‘cos you’ve got class, real class”
Pulsating with the rhythmic energies of blues, reggae and boxing, On the Ropes is an uplifting musical drama telling the extraordinary story of Vernon Vanriel who arrived in the UK aged 6 with his family as part of the Windrush Generation, and rose to prominence as one of the most charismatic and influential Black British boxers of the 70s and 80s.
In 2005, having lived in North London for 43 years, Vernon found himself trapped in Jamaica; homeless, penniless and denied access to medical care for a heart condition. What followed was a bare-knuckle fight for his right to citizenship with the British Home Office.
On the Ropes richly fuses live music, poetry and the duck and weave of the boxing ring into a contemporary drama, that is ultimately a celebration of how courage, dignity and a fighting spirit can triumph over prejudice and injustice.
Mon – Sat 7.30pm, matinees Thurs and Sat 3pm | £44.50 - £20 (£17.50 access), previews 6 & 7 Jan £25 - £15
2hrs 20 mins,incl. interval(approx) | 12+
Captioned: Fri 20 Jan 7.30pm | Audio Described: Fri 27 Jan 7.30pm; Tour 6.30pm
Park90
16 Jan – 11 Feb
The Elephant Song | Presented by OnBook Theatre in association with Park Theatre
UK Premiere
Written by Nicolas Billon | Directed by Jason Moore
Press night: 23 Jan at 7pm
"See that closet? He’s in there. All wrapped up so he doesn’t smell too much."
A psychiatrist suddenly disappears from a mental institution. A young patient of the hospital, Michael, is suspected to be involved in his disappearance.
Dr. Greenberg, the hospital director, is determined to question Michael, ignoring the head nurse's cryptic warnings. Michael speaks of elephants and opera, sharing that his mother was a famous opera singer who was distant and uncaring. He discusses the circumstances of his forced stay in the hospital, hints to doctor-patient improper relationships involving him and his supervising doctor, and a bizarre relationship with the head nurse. In a turbulent power struggle with Greenberg, Michael attempts to barter the truth for his potential freedom, with devastating consequences. Fraught with mind games and verbal tugs-of-war, The Elephant Song is a cat-and-mouse game that will keep you guessing until its haunting conclusion.
Mon – Sat 7.45pm, matinees Thurs & Sat 3.15pm | £20 - £12 (£9 access), previews 18 – 21 Jan
75 mins (approx) | 14+
Captioned: Fri 3 Feb 7.45pm
Park200
8 Feb – 11 Mar
Winner’s Curse | Presented by Park Theatre
World Premiere
Written by Daniel Taub and Dan Patterson | Directed by Jez Bond
Cast includes: Clive Anderson
Press night: 13 Feb at 7pm
Making war is a dirty business. So is making peace.
Two countries are locked in battle over a strip of land when a fragile ceasefire provides a chance for peace. Over the negotiating table, cynical diplomats, idealistic peacemakers and meddling mediators try to navigate a perilous path to agreement as the threat of continued conflict looms ever larger.
Helmed by the nation’s much-loved presenter Clive Anderson, and written by experienced diplomat Daniel Taub (former ambassador and Middle East peace negotiator) with comedy writer/producer Dan Patterson (Mock the Week, Whose Line is it Anyway, The Duck House), Winner’s Curse is a brand-new show that combines humour and audience interaction to take you behind the scenes in high stakes international peace talks.
Mon – Sat 7.30pm, matinees Thurs and Sat 3pm | £44.50 - £20 (£17.50 access), previews 8 & 9 Feb £25 - £15
Audio Described: Sat 25 Feb 3pm; Touch Tour 2pm
Park90
15 Feb – 11 Mar
The Beach House | Presented by Grace Nelder and Lucas A. Ferrara in association with Park Theatre
World Premiere
Written by Jo Harper
Press night: 20 Feb at 7pm
“Your whole life will change overnight. I want it to change. I want to have someone to love me unconditionally”
A tender new play that explores the fragility of female relationships as three women grapple with motherhood, sisterhood and distractions. Until a betrayal exposes their secret desires...
Moving out of the city to raise their baby, the old house by the sea is supposed to be a peaceful new start for Liv and Kate. But Liv, the stay-at-home mother, is a songwriter in crisis who's too distracted to write, while Kate, who's just had a baby, needs to go back to work to get some order back in her life. And then there's Liv's sister Jenny who, despite wanting to distance herself from her overbearing sibling, finds herself being drawn back to the beach house time and time again.
Conceived against an ever-changing coastal backdrop, Jo Harper’s play explores the crisis of becoming a parent, knotted bonds between two sisters and the endurance of love.
The Beach House was shortlisted for Liverpool Hope Playwriting Prize. With thanks to Arts Council England, New Diorama Theatre Broadgate and Lucas A.Ferrara for development support.
Mon – Sat 7.45pm, matinees Thurs & Sat 3.15pm | £20 - £12 (£9 access) previews 15 – 18 Feb
85 mins (approx)
Captioned: Thu 2 Mar 3.15pm
Relaxed: Thu 9 Mar 3.15pm
Park200
15 Mar – 15 Apr
The Way Old Friends Do | James Seabright in association with Jason Haigh-Ellery and Park Theatre present the Birmingham Rep production
Written by Ian Hallard | Directed by Mark Gatiss
Press night: 17 March at 7pm
A new comedy about devotion, desire and dancing queens.
In the late 1980s, two school friends from Birmingham tentatively come out to one another: one as gay, the other as an ABBA fan. Nearly thirty years later, a chance meeting sets them on an exciting new path, and they decide to form the world’s first ABBA tribute band – in drag. But can their friendship survive the tribulations of a life on the road; one full of platform boots, fake beards and a distractingly attractive stranger?
Tender and laugh-out loud funny in equal measure-, this heartfelt story will appeal to anyone who understands how it feels to be a fan: of ABBA or of anyone.
The Way Old Friends Do is written by Ian Hallard (The Boys in the Band Park Theatre, Great Britain and Scenes From An Execution National Theatre), and directed by Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Dracula, Doctor Who, The League of Gentlemen).
Mon – Sat 7.30pm, matinees Thurs and Sat 3pm | £44.50 - £20 (£17.50 access), previews 15 & 16 March £25 - £15
Audio Described: Tue 4 Apr 7.30pm; Touch Tour 6.30pm
Park200
19 Apr – 20 May
ANIMAL | Presented by Park Theatre and Hope Mill Theatre
Written by Jon Bradfield from a story by Jon Bradfield and Josh Hepple
Press night: 21 April at 7pm
Needs must. Needs lust.
Meet David – gay, disabled and profoundly horny. He can’t eat, drink or shower by himself – let alone the rest. Totally inexperienced, he embarks on a sexual and romantic odyssey, armed with a fierce brain and impressive nudes (that he has to get someone else to take). But can David keep it casual whilst also relying on round-the-clock care? Can he manage the thrill and uncertainty of random hook-ups after a lifetime of knock-backs?
Hilarious, uncomfortable and heartbreaking, ANIMAL won the inaugural Through The Mill Prize (Hope Mill Theatre supported by Jonathan Harvey), and was shortlisted in the top five for the Papatango Prize out of more than 1,500 entries.
Jon Bradfield co-wrote Above The Stag Theatre's acclaimed series of queer adult pantomimes, most recently Dick Whittington – A New Dick in Town (★★★★The Guardian, ★★★★★The Stage), and he wrote Missing Alice for the BBC and Old Vic. Josh Hepple is an activist with severe cerebral palsy. He has a masters in law and teaches at various universities. He has been a theatre reviewer, and is an equality trainer and a writer-journalist at The Guardian and Huffington Post.
Everyone is welcome at any performance of ANIMAL: it will be an environment in which people can freely express themselves and experience the show according to their needs.
Park Theatre will be monitoring sensory triggers closely and we will update as soon as any have been confirmed by the show’s creative team.
We have created additional wheelchair spaces at each performance, and we will announce dates for specific relaxed or semi-relaxed performances soon.
If you require further information about access, including how to become and access member, please contact the Box Office on 020 780 6876 or at boxoffice@parktheatre.co.uk.
Mon – Sat 7.30pm, matinees Thurs and Sat 3pm | £44.50 - £20, previews 19 & 20 Apr £25 - £15
2hrs, inc interval (approx) | 16+
Captioned: Fri 5 May 7.30pm | Audio Described: Fri 12 May 7.30pm; Touch Tour 6.30pm
Park200
20 Nov – 25 June (selected Sundays)
Coffee, Croissant and Concert | Presented by Park Theatre and Ostara Chamber Players
Join us for coffee, pastries and an hour of classical music in our sensational series of Sunday socials.
Born during the lockdown, four local musicians formed an ensemble with a string quartet at its core, playing in the street to lift the spirits of their Finsbury Park neighbours. After gaining a following for their N4 Doorstep Concerts during the pandemic, the quartet moved a few doors down to Park 200, where they are now delighted to be presenting a new series of classical concerts.
The ensemble includes some of London’s top chamber musicians – between them they are regulars at the Royal Opera House, London Symphony Orchestra, London Mozart Players and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment – and they’ll be inviting some esteemed musicians to join them in these eclectic programmes.
Each 60-minute concert includes well-loved chamber works together with some shorter, contrasting pieces – all played in a relaxed vibe, and perfect for the whole family. Come along and join us for an uplifting, cultural Sunday morning while enjoying coffee with friends.
Coffee from 10.15am, concert 11am | 20 Nov, 18 Dec (TBC), 22 Jan, 26 Feb, 26 Mar, 23 Apr, 28 May, 25 Jun
Ticket price: £20 – includes hot beverage, pastry and concert – children Under 16s: £10 and Access: 50% off up to two seats
