Steven Berkoff's East at the King's Head Theatre
David is joining the exciting new revival of Steven Berkoff's East in the King's Head Theatre as Lighting Designer and Production Manager. The show from Atticist Productions sees David rejoining the creative team of Life According to Saki, which won the 2016 Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award. The show is running at the King's Head Theatre, where it made its London debut in 1975, from January 10th to February 3rd 2018.
Full of wit, lust, and fury, East remains a startlingly original and influential piece of theatre - a triumphant shout of youth and energy. Its language veers from Shakespearean verse to the depths of profanity without missing a beat, teeming with life in all its murk and glory. Berkoff’s East still feels amazingly relevant today as it yanks us into interior worlds, rioting in unfulfilled dreams and explosions of longing, leaving no room for polite middle ground.
East catapults us into the rowdy youth of Mike and Les as they fight over Mike’s girl Sylv and become unexpected allies. Assaultive, riotously funny, and entirely unapologetic, we are lured into their tall-tales of felony and bravado and we come to recognise their brutal kind of charm. Sylv knows her most potent weapon is her sexuality, but she still has the spit and pluck to level with the boys. Meanwhile, Mum and Dad live separate inner lives, both coming alive in the flickering light of memories, recalling lives they once led - or wish they had.
East will be directed by Life According to Saki director Jessica Lazar. Set and costume will be by Anna Lewis, a Jerwood Young Designer, MGC Futures Bursary Holder, and Offie Nomine (Costume Design – After October, Finborough).
Bringing East to life at the King’s Head Theatre will be Russell Barnett (Hamlet, The Riverside Theatre; The Tempest, The Drayton), Jack Condon (Housed, The Old Vic; Clybourne Park, RADA; Scuttlers, RADA), James Craze (The Beginning of the End, Hull Truck Theatre and Theatre N16; Home Theatre, Theatre Royal Stratford East; Ernie – a One Man Play by James Craze), Debra Penny (Our Country’s Good, National Theatre; Flowers of the Forest, Jermyn Street Theatre; Martha Josie and the Chinese Elvis, Bolton Octagon and tour) and Boadicea Ricketts (professional debut). Carol Arnopp (Freelance keys, RTÉ Concert Orchestra; Children’s Musical Director, The Magic Flute, Cork Opera House) will take the role of the pianist and musical director.
East will run at King’s Head Theatre, 115 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 1QN from Wednesday 10th January – Saturday 3rd February 2018.
