Hope, Royal Court Theatre
A sharply witty look at the mounting pressure on under-funded local authorities from writer of Let the Right One in and This is England '86, Jack Thorne.
The full cast of 'Hope', courtesy of the Royal Court
Politics and parody
Local Council leaders Mark and Hilary are feeling the pinch, and the prospect of saving 22 million pounds seems impossible. At once a pressing political play and a sardonic send up of the local government cuts, Hope is a refreshing look at the intricacies of budgets and breaking the rules.
Jack Thorne, playwright
Hope will be playwright Jack Thorne's first original play to be staged at the Royal Court, following his successful adaption of Let the Right One in at the venue last year. He has already made waves on the fringe circuit, having won a Fringe First Award for his engrossing monologue Bunny. He is also a skilled writer for both big and small screen, having worked with film writer Shane Meadows on the Bafta-winning series This is England '86 and adapting both Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down and the classic The Scouting Book for Boys into films.
An exciting creative collaboration
John Tiffany, Associate Director of the Royal Court, directs. Along with the riotous children's show Twits, this is Tiffany's only directorial project this season. This will be the second time that Tiffany and Thorne have collaborated. The impressive success of Let the Right One in, which transferred to the West End, gives us reason to look forward to the next project from this creative partnership.
This writer and director combo are also rumoured to be in talks with J.K Rowling about collaborating with the ultra-anticipated Harry Potter West End musical. Whether or not these plans transpire to be as mythical as magic, it certainly speaks for the clout and impressive reputation that this pair has.
The cast
There's strong cast of experienced stage and screen actors including The Thick of It's Paul Higgins playing beleaguered idealist Mark, and Rudi Dharmalingam, who gripped us and commanded the stage in the intense two-hander The Events (Young Vic, Edinburgh Fringe), and had previously asserted his talent in the New York tour of The History Boys.
Local Council leaders Mark and Hilary are feeling the pinch, and the prospect of saving 22 million pounds seems impossible. At once a pressing political play and a sardonic send up of the local government cuts, Hope is a refreshing look at the intricacies of budgets and breaking the rules.
Jack Thorne, playwright
Hope will be playwright Jack Thorne's first original play to be staged at the Royal Court, following his successful adaption of Let the Right One in at the venue last year. He has already made waves on the fringe circuit, having won a Fringe First Award for his engrossing monologue Bunny. He is also a skilled writer for both big and small screen, having worked with film writer Shane Meadows on the Bafta-winning series This is England '86 and adapting both Nick Hornby's A Long Way Down and the classic The Scouting Book for Boys into films.
An exciting creative collaboration
John Tiffany, Associate Director of the Royal Court, directs. Along with the riotous children's show Twits, this is Tiffany's only directorial project this season. This will be the second time that Tiffany and Thorne have collaborated. The impressive success of Let the Right One in, which transferred to the West End, gives us reason to look forward to the next project from this creative partnership.
This writer and director combo are also rumoured to be in talks with J.K Rowling about collaborating with the ultra-anticipated Harry Potter West End musical. Whether or not these plans transpire to be as mythical as magic, it certainly speaks for the clout and impressive reputation that this pair has.
The cast
There's strong cast of experienced stage and screen actors including The Thick of It's Paul Higgins playing beleaguered idealist Mark, and Rudi Dharmalingam, who gripped us and commanded the stage in the intense two-hander The Events (Young Vic, Edinburgh Fringe), and had previously asserted his talent in the New York tour of The History Boys.
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| What | Hope, Royal Court Theatre |
| Where | Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AS | MAP |
| Nearest tube | Sloane Square (underground) |
| When |
26 Nov 14 – 10 Jan 15, 7:45 PM – 10:00 PM |
| Price | £12-£32 |
| Website | Click here to book via the Royal Court Theatre |