Preview by Jack Foley
THE Bush Theatre is proud to present the world premiere
of M.A.D., by David Eldridge, from April 21 to May 22.
At the height of the Cold War, M.A.D. stood for Mutually Assured
Destruction. For 11-year-old John, it meant Mum and Dad.
M.A.D. is billed as a poignant and compelling family drama following
the lives of a struggling market trader, his frustrated wife and
their young boy, John, as their whole world appears to be coming
to an end.
Set in 1984, in the aftermath of the terrifying post-apocalyptic
TV drama, Threads, and then nearly 20 years later, M.A.D. tenderly
explores the gap between the lifestyles and aspirations of parents
and son.
Out of a world full of Cold War paranoia, an emotional fall-out
haunts this ordinary family, threatening to rip apart the love
that once drew them together.
David Eldridge was still at University, in Exeter, when he sent
his first play, Serving It Up to The Bush Theatre in 1996.
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It was produced as part of the London Fragments season, which
won a Time Out Live Award.
Under The Blue Sky (The Royal Court, 2000) won David the
Time Out Live Award for Best New Play in The West End, and his
adaptation of the Dogma95 film, Festen, plays at the Almeida
Theatre until May 1.
M.A.D. was commissioned by The Bush Theatre, and the cast includes
Jo McInness, who was last at The Bush as director of Simon Stephens
Christmas in January and has recently appeared in On
Blindness and Dirty Butterfly at the Soho Theatre.
Lewis Chase is currently at Rhodes Theatre School, in Essex,
and has recently starred in the feature film Agent
Cody Banks II. This is his professional stage debut.
Lee Ross recent theatre credits include Children's Day,
The Lights
and Some Voices, at the Royal Court.
His recent television credits include The Catherine Tate Show
and Hustle. Film credits include Secrets and Lies, Rogue Trader
and Metroland.
Gerald Lepkowskis theatre credits include In Arabia
We'd All Be Kings (Hampstead), and television work includes
2000 Acres of Sky and film includes Mandancin (Festival Films).
Daniel Mays theatre credits include Blackrock (The
Young Vic), The
One With The Oven / Just A Bloke and Ladybird (Royal
Court). On TV, he has appeared in Tipping The Velvet, while, on
film, credits include Pearl
Harbour and Mike Leighs new film to be premiered at Cannes
Film Festival in May this year.
M.A.D. is to be directed by Hettie Macdonald, designed by Jonathan
Fensom, with Lighting Design by Jason Taylor.
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