The 2023 season schedule for the Park Theatre in north London has been released.
On the Ropes, a new musical drama written by Dougie Blaxland and Vernon Vanriel and directed by Anastasia Osei-Kuffour, will debut in 2023 at the venue's larger area. The article describes influential Black British boxer Vanriel's protracted 2005 fight for British citizenship, despite the fact that he had spent 43 years living in north London after coming to the country at the age of six. From January 6 through February 4, it takes place.
After that, Winner's Curse, a new drama written by former Middle East peace negotiator Daniel Taub and comedy writer Dan Patterson, will be directed by the theater's artistic director Jez Bond and star Clive Anderson (Whose Line Is It Anyway?) from 8 February to 11 March (Mock the Week). Humor and audience participation will be used to discuss the nature of international peace negotiations.
The Way Old Friends Do by Ian Hallard, which tells the tale of the world's first drag ABBA imitation band, will have its London debut during the third performance in the venue's main area. The comedy is helmed by The Unfriend's Mark Gatiss and runs from March 15 through April 15.
A coproduction of Jon Bradfield's ANIMAL is the last performance in the main area (based on a story by Bradfield and Josh Hepple). The piece, which was jointly created by the Hope Mill Theatre, centres on David, who is "homosexual, crippled, and immensely horny." From 19 April to 20 May, it is open.
The smaller Park90 venue will host two performances, including Jason Moore's The Elephant Song, directed by Nicolas Billon, which will run from 16 January to 11 February. The story of a psychiatrist who vanishes from a mental hospital is the subject of the show.
The Beach House, written by Jo Harper, follows this (15 February to 11 March). Three women's struggles with parenting, sisterhood, and distraction are the focus of the show's exploration of "the fragility of female relationships."
We're excited to present not one, but three in-house works this season, added Bond. It gives me great pleasure to welcome Clive Anderson back to Park Theatre as he directs Winner's Curse, a new play written by television comedy writer Dan Patterson and Middle East diplomat Daniel Taub that I also produced. I'm overjoyed to be giving On the Ropes, the remarkable story of north London resident Vernon Vanriel, a pivotal voice on our P200 stage. Additionally, we are excited to welcome audiences to watch ANIMAL, a hilarious and endearing story about identity and independence that was co-written by Jon Bradfield and Josh Hepple. We're thrilled to tour ANIMAL to a significant creative hotspot in Bristol. It's amazing to co-produce ANIMAL with the Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester—our second partnership in the past six months.
"As Park Theatre turns ten years old in May, we hope that these developing relationships with venues outside of London are a portent of things to come. The Way Old Friends Do, directed by Mark Gatiss, and The Elephant Song and The Beach House, two outstanding pieces in P90, round out the main stage programme. We are still on on a high after the incredible success of our initial performances in the autumn 2022 season, but I cannot wait for this season because it is going to be an absolute cracker.
