Rep Debuts Edgar & Pinter-Directed Gray MastersDate: 4 March 2004
Birmingham Repertory Theatre is on a high-profile roll with two more major premieres announced for the coming months: the UK premiere of Continental Divide, David Edgar’s two-part examination of American politics, ahead of a transfer to London’s Barbican Centre, and the world premiere of Simon Gray’s The Old Masters, which will be directed by Harold Pinter.
Comprising Mothers Against and Daughters of the Revolution, Continental Divide explores politics in contemporary America, with views on modern campaigning from both sides of the political fence. Though related through theme and shared characters, the two plays can be seen in either order or singly.
Continental Divide premiered in Oregon in March 2003 before a season at Berkeley, California. In the UK, it plays, with the original American cast, at Birmingham Rep from 6 to 13 March 2004, and at the Barbican from 20 March to 4 April. The productions are directed by Tony Taccone. Edgar’s many other plays include Pentecost, The Prisoner’s Dilemma and Nicholas Nickleby.
While The Old Masters, which runs at Birmingham from 4 to 19 June, marks the first time that Harold Pinter has directed at the Rep (the theatre has previously revived many of Pinter’s own plays), it will be the ninth time he’s directed one of Simon Gray’s plays.
The pair’s previous collaborations include Life Support, The Common Pursuit and The Late Middle Classes, while amongst Gray’s other plays are Quartermain’s Terms, Japes, Hidden Laughter, and, currently on tour with Simon Callow ahead of a planned West End transfer, The Holy Terror.
Other ‘first’ highlights in the Rep’s spring/summer season are: the European premiere of David Lindsay-Abaire's Off-Broadway hit Fuddy Meers (16 April to 8 May 2004), starring Julia McKenzie and co-produced with Fiery Angel and Sam Mendes’ Scamp Ltd, ahead of a London season (See News, 13 Feb 2004); and the world premiere of Follow My Leader, a new political satire about the Iraq situation by Feelgood's Alistair Beaton, which will then transfer to London’s Hampstead Theatre (See News, 18 Dec 2003).
- by Terri Paddock
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