Jermyn Street Theatre - Autumn 2015
Season preview
JERMYN Street Theatre continues its 21st anniversary year with an autumn season of American work that includes Michael John LaChiusa’s Off-Broadway hit, See What I Wanna See, which runs from September 8 to October 3.
See What I Wanna See is followed by the UK premiere of Eugene O’Neill’s early work, The First Man, which runs from October 6 to October 31 and is directed by Jermyn Street Theatre Artistic Director Anthony Biggs.
A highly autobiographical work, The First Man is a tale of male pride, family jealousy and maternal longing from one of America’s greatest playwrights.
The First Man will be accompanied by the first UK production of O’Neill’s long lost play Exorcism directed by Grace Wessels.
Written in 1919, O’Neill pulled the play after a few performances of its premiere and destroyed all the copies he could find. Finally rediscovered in 2003, The Exorcism tells the story of Ned Malloy, a young man who, down on his luck and living in a tawdry NY rooming house with his alcoholic roommate Jimmy, is forced to stage a humiliating event in order to escape his miserable marriage.
The Exorcism will be performed on October 15, 22 and 29 at 3.30pm.
The season continues – from November 3 to November 21 – with another UK premiere, Dry Land, the critically acclaimed off-Broadway hit and Susan Smith Blackwood Award nominee by rising star Ruby Rae Spiegel.
Set in the girls’ locker room of a Florida high school, the energetic four-hander explores an unlikely friendship that is put to the most extreme of tests. Tackling issues surrounding sexuality and the pressures of youth, this is a play of our time. Described as “tender, caustic, funny and harrowing, often all at the same time”, when Dry Land opened in New York last September, it was lauded by critics across the board.
Jermyn Street Theatre Artistic Director Anthony Biggs said:
“I am delighted with the sheer quality, breadth and range of the productions we are presenting in this autumn’s American season. It is fitting that we reach the climax of our 21st year by presenting four UK premieres of bold and ambitious work. Jermyn Street theatre has a reputation for discovering and rediscovering truly great theatre for a contemporary audience and I am immensely proud to continue in this tradition.”
Lesere, a gripping psychological thriller by Ashley G Holloway, continues at Jermyn Street Theatre until August 1, 2015. It will be followed – from August 4 to August 22 – by Vivien: Letter To Larry.
For more information or to book, call the box office on 020 7287 2875 or visit www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk/.