First produced in 1965, The Killing of Sister George is a controversial, poignant and darkly funny exploration of emotional dependence and the gap between public perception and private reality.
Originally most famous for its undertones of domestic abuse and then-illegal lesbian relationships, Artful Theatre’s 50th Anniversary production now focuses on the ‘behind-the-scenes’ world at the BBC where perception is everything. Recent revelations surrounding Jimmy Saville and national News stories about Jeremy Clarkson’s antics and the sacking of Tom Jones bring this sharply into focus.
Was this iconic play an unwitting glimpse into the tawdry, sordid media world of the 1960s as it really was? – AND – Has anything really changed? They are going to murder me…!
By day, June Buckridge has played the beloved and cheerful district nurse ‘Sister George’ in the popular radio soap Applehurst for six years, but that doesn’t stop BBC executives from killing her off.
By night, overbearing June swills gin, chews on cigars and vents her anger and frustration on her much younger flatmate, Childie. But behind her fearsome exterior is a fragile, insecure woman all too aware of her fading power of attraction and terrified that her life is falling apart.
Life’s been absolute hell… You’ve no idea the things she gets up to… The death of a popular soap character is a regular occurrence in 2015, however way back in 1954 when the character of Grace Archer was killed off in a stable fire in the BBC radio serial The Archers there was a national outcry and a healthy boost in the radio drama’s audience figures. Frank Marcus wrote The Killing of Sister George around a very similar scenario for the stage in 1965, which became his most famous play.
The Killing of Sister George
Playwright Frank Marcus
Producers: Justin and Sarah Savage for Artful Theatre Productions Ltd.
Director Scott le Crass
Cast Janet Amsden (Madame Xenia)
Sioned Jones (‘Sister George’)
Briony Rawle (‘Childie’)
Sarah Shelton (Mrs Mercy Croft)
October 29th 2015 – November 21st 2015
Tuesday – Saturday, 7.45pm
Matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3pm
Running Time 2 hrs
London Theatre Workshop, 65 New Kings Road, London SW6 4SG
Ticket Price £15 (£12 concessions)
Box Office London Theatre Workshop
http://londontheatreworkshop.co.uk/