The Flannelettes - King's Head Theatre
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
THE King’s Head Theatre’s 45th birthday celebrations kick off with The Flannelettes, Richard Cameron’s funny and hard-hitting portrait of a Yorkshire mining village on the slide. Infused with a sound track of 60’s soul classics, it runs from May 13 to June 6, 2015.
The Flannelettes takes place in a women’s refuge in a small mining community devastated by the decline of the industry. ‘Special’ Delie is spending her summer holidays with her Aunty Brenda who runs the refuge, and keen to reform The Flannelettes, their Motown tribute act they have formed with George the pawnbroker who moonlights in drag.
Delie is in her early twenties, with a mental age of ten and the voice of a soul diva. Brenda wants escape from the brutal realities of daily life helping the long term victims of the devastated community around her. Roma wants to build her dream home and forget her life on the streets of Rotherham. New arrival Jean would love to go to her stepdaughter’s wedding. Community Copper Jim just wants Brenda.
Described as a tough and tender new play, The Flannelettes takes an uncompromising look at love and violence in a shattered community, with The Flannelettes providing a bittersweet soundtrack of sixties soul.
The Flannelettes is directed by Mike Bradwell making a long overdue return to London theatre, where he’s once more reunited with Richard Cameron following the huge success of The Glee Club and Gong Donkeys.
The cast includes Olivier Award-winning Suzan Sylvester as Brenda, James Hornsby (The Glee Club, West End) and newcomers Holly Campbell as Roma and Emma Hook as Delie.
Tickets: £15 – £25. Previews (May 13 and 14): £10. To book, call the box office on 020 7226 8561 or visit www.kingsheadtheatre.com/.
Times: 7pm, with Saturday matinee on June 6 at 3pm.
Also at the King’s Head Theatre: the Rocky Horror sequel, Shock Treatment, starring Julie Atherton (until June 6, 2015).