East (play)
East | |
---|---|
Verse drama, physical theatre, comedy | |
Setting | London's East End |
Steven Berkoff - East Official site |
East is a 1975 verse play by
The play premiered at the
Notable Productions
World premiere[2]
Performed by The London Theatre group at the
Directed by Steven Berkoff.
- Dad - Barry Stanton
- Mum - Robert Longden
- Sylv - Anna Nygh
- Les - Barry Philips
- Mike - Steven Berkoff
1976 Greenwich production[2]
Performed with a revised script in July 1976 at the Greenwich Theatre.
- Dad - Mathew Scurfield
- Mum - David Delve
- Sylv - Anna Nygh
- Les - Barry Philips
- Mike - Steven Berkoff
25th Anniversary Production
The 25th anniversary production, started at the
Performed by East Productions.
Directed by Steven Berkoff.
- Dad - Jonathan Linsley
- Mum - Edward Bryant
- Sylv - Tanya Franks
- Les - Matthew Cullum
- Mike - Christopher Middleton
A performance from the Vaudeville Theatre run was filmed in front of a live audience. The recording has been released on VHS, DVD[5] and is available for streaming or digital rental on Digital Theatre.[6]
2018 London Revival[7]
Performed by Atticist theatre company 9 January 2018 at The King's Head Theatre, London.
Directed by Jessica Lazar.
- Dad - Russell Barnett
- Mum - Debra Penny
- Sylv - Boadicea Ricketts
- Les - Jack Condon
- Mike - James Craze
The production was met with critical acclaim, receiving five award nominations and selling out its entire run.
Legacy
Reputation
East was listed as one of 100 of the “best and most influential plays”[8] performed in Britain from 1945 - 2010, by the book and accompanying iPad app Played in Britain: Modern Theatre in 100 Plays.[3]
The critic Aleks Sierz has called the play an "in-yer-face classic"[9] and has named Berkoff as "a pioneer of in-yer-face theatre".[10] The label of in-yer-face theatre, popularised by Sierz, is used to describe a confrontational style and sensibility of drama, which became prominent in new plays performed in Britain during the 1990s.[11] However, Sierz has cited East (along with some other plays) as being "an exception" for fitting the category of in-yer-face theatre prior to the 1990s.[12]
Influence
East has been cited as inspiring some of the work of a variety of playwrights and theatre makers.
The critic
Early in his career the playwright
The actor, director, stage manager and writer Harry Gibson mounted "the first revival of East outside London, in 1978" and has cited the play as "the biggest influence" on his stage adaptation of Irvine Welsh's novel Trainspotting.[16]
Actor and playwright Elliot Warren wrote his 2016 verse play Flesh and Bone as a result of being unable to afford the rights to perform East. Warren's Flesh and Bone was strongly influenced by Berkoff's play[17] and went on to win multiple awards, including the 2019 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre.[18]
Further reading
- Berkoff, Steven (2020). "9". A World Elsewhere. Routledge. pp. 50–57. ISBN 978-0-367-35687-3.
References
- ^ "Steven Berkoff: The real East Enders". The Independent. London. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2007.
- ^ ISBN 0-571-20721-9.
- ^ ISBN 9781408164808.
- ^ Grogan, Molly (May 2000). "Cool Brit theater splashes into Paris". parisvoice. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ East DVD on Steven Berkoff's website
- ^ Webpage to stream or digitally rent the 1999 recording of East on Digital Theatre
- ^ East page on Atticist theatre company's website
- ^ "Played in Britain: Modern Theatre in 100 Plays product listing on the V&A website". Archived from the original on 18 October 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Sierz, Aleks. "EAST, KING'S HEAD THEATRE". Aleks Sierz. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ISBN 0-571-20049-4.
- ISBN 0-571-20049-4. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ^ Sierz, Aleks. "New writing: overview (2002)". IN-YER-FACE THEATRE. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ^ Gardner, Lyn (15 September 1999). "'Anyone of any quality feels an outsider'". The Guardian. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- ISBN 9780413773739. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
- ISBN 0-571-20049-4. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
- ISBN 0-571-20049-4.
- ^ Gardner, Lyn (2 January 2018). "Steven Berkoff's elegy for the East End returns to London pub that launched it". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
- ^ Flesh and Bone on publisher Nick Hern Books website