20 May - 27 June We all remember a favourite aunty, uncle or grandparent, someone who, in our childhood, told us tales that made our toes curl and stories of wonder. For Lemon, it was Aunt Dan. A brilliant, intoxicating but dangerous woman who shared all the most intimate and daring secrets of her decadent, exotic adult world... Jane Horrocks, Paul Chahidi and Dominic Cooke talk about rehearsals for Aunt Dan and Lemon.   www.royalcourttheatre.com

Andre Gregory and the cast of Grasses of a Thousand Colours talk about the play and rehearsals (includes Emily McDonnell, Miranda Richardson, Wallace Shawn and Jennifer Tilly).

The Fever - WALLACE SHAWN SEASON

Written by Wallace Shawn

2 April - 2 May

"And there's an amazing moment: each day, before the market opens, before the bidding begins, there's a moment of confusion. The money is silent, it hasn't yet spoken."   A traveller from a privileged background visits an impoverished foreign country and suddenly becomes ill. As her temperature begins to rise, she becomes emotionally unsettled and contemplates with lacerating frankness the impact her life has had on the world.   The Fever turns up the heat on individual responsibility and the balance of power. Can we, should we, make the world a fairer place?   Clare Higgins delivers The Fever, Wallace Shawn's seminal play.     Director Dominic Cooke Lighting Jean Kalman Cast Clare Higgins

www.royalcourttheatre.com

JERWOOD THEATRE DOWNSTAIRS

OFF THE WALL: a season of new plays about Germany

60 years since the foundation of the Federal Republic and 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Royal Court presents Off The Wall, a season of new plays about Germany. This includes Over There by Mark Ravenhill (Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat, Pool (No Water), Shopping and F***ing) and a series of readings of new plays by German writers.

 

The Stone

Written by Marius von Mayenburg, Translated by Maja Zade

5 - 28 February

International Playwrights: A Genesis Project  

* * * * 'Mesmerising'.

Evening Standard

As a house passes from owner to owner, and from generation to generation, the secrets buried in the garden and seeping from the walls reveal themselves.

Over There

Written by Mark Ravenhill

25 February - 21 March

International Playwrights: A Genesis Project

"I found you. You're here. And I was over there. But now I'm over here. I'm here. You're my brother. I love you"

When Franz's mother escaped to the West with one of her identical twin boys, she left the other behind. Now, 25 years later, Karl crosses the border in search of his other half. As history takes an unexpected turn, the brothers must struggle to reconnect.

 

Wig Out!

Written by Tarell Alvin McCraney

21 November – 10 January

"In this gossamer- laced reality there is never a moment to be without your face, to not be together. One false move and you'll get chopped. One night can leave you legendary or a subsidiary."   Enter the legendary House of Light, a hyper-glamorous, uber-competitive drag queen refuge where a daughter who was once a son, can find a family.   While the House are primping and preening for a catwalk showdown with the other houses, drag queen Nina is wooing the delectable Eric as Wilson, a de-camped, make-up free 'straight' gay man. How can Nina/Wilson strut the thorny divide between opposite genders and differing worlds?   With sassy music, killer costumes and performed in a club cabaret setting, Wig Out! brings to glorious, vivid life, a riotous, defiant drag queen sub-culture.

 

 

Mondays - All tickets £10

Tuesday to Saturday - £25 £18 £12

For information on concessions go to http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/whatson_calendar.asp?play=526

The Girlfriend Experience

by Alecky Blythe

 

“We have Tessa, curvy dress size 14, very bubbly, offers most services. We also have Suzie, curvy dress size 18 to 20, very passionate lady, offers the full girlfriend experience.”

 

Tessa has set up a business; a brothel by the sea where mature women specialise in the Girlfriend Experience, a surprisingly caring and sympathetic service.

 

As the women stoically strive to make a living in a competitive market, their personal lives start to crumble. Will they ever have loving relationships outside work and enjoy being girlfriends themselves?

 

This extraordinary play is created entirely from edited conversations recorded inside an actual brothel.

JERWOOD THEATRE DOWNSTAIRS

Now or Later

Written by Christopher Shinn

03 September - 18 October

"I don't think we should give up our values to find common ground. Then it's not common ground, it's their ground and we're just standing on it."   Election night in the US, and things are looking rosy for the Democratic Party. Holed up in a hotel watching the results flood in are the likely President-elect, his wife, advisors and 20 year old son John Jnr. Every speech, interview and photocall has been carefully controlled and meticulously orchestrated, all leading up to this big night.   At the same time controversial photos of John Jnr are gathering momentum on the internet. Whilst his father's advisors work against the clock on damage limitation, it's up to father and son to try and reach an agreement.   Christopher Shinn's searching new play examines religion, freedom of expression and personal responsibility. His previous plays include Dying City, Four, Where Do We Live and Other People.   Director Dominic Cooke Designer Hildegard Bechtler Lighting Charles Balfour Sound Ian Dickinson   Cast includes Nancy Crane, Domhnall Gleeson, Adam James, Matthew Marsh, Pamela Nomvete, Eddie Redmayne

23 July - 09 August

2008 Olivier Award Winner for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre   Nigeria, England, America, Jamaica; are you proud of where you're from? Dark skinned, light skinned, afro, weaves, who are your true brothers and sisters?   When two brothers from different continents go down the street to buy a pint of milk, they lift the lid on a disunited nation where everyone wants to be an individual but no one wants to stand out from the crowd.   Bola Agbaje's comic, vibrant and perceptive play about identity, history and culture depicts a world where respect is always demanded but rarely freely given.   ''A joyous, irreverent energy and a fresh, winning playfulness.'' Times     ''It has such energy, humour and sharpness... displays such a feel for street-slang, and deftly unpicks the confused impulses of young adults trying to work out their identity in multicultural Britain.''           Financial Times      Director Bijan Sheibani Lighting Jon Clark Sound Ian Dickinson Choreography Aline David   Cast Zawe Ashton, Tobi Bakare, Maria Charles, Ashley Chin, Phillip Edgerley, Munir Khairdin, Tunji Lucas, Ricci McLeod, Bunmi Mojekwu, Marcus Onilude

 

www.royalcourttheatre.com

0207 565 5000

JERWOOD THEATRE DOWNSTAIRS

Upstairs Downstairs: Free Outgoing

Written by Anupama Chandrasekhar

2 - 19 July

Following their sold-out success in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs,

three Royal Court

productions return in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.

 

Just one text message. That's all it took for Deepa to be hated by the nation.

''Anupama Chandrasekhar's debut cleverly exposes several contradictions at the heart of 21st century Indian society.'' Metro     

When a well-behaved Indian girl is filmed having sex in her classroom, the video clip spreads like a virus. Transmitted from person to person and across the globe it infects firstly the local community and then seemingly the entire world with a burning moral outrage.

Free Outgoing sets the rampant technology of the modern world against the conservatism of an ancient culture.

''Chandrasekhar writes with both economy and power... Lolita Chakrabarti gives a deeply unsettling performance''. Daily Telegraph   

''A gripping and insightful story''. Time Out Critics Choice      

Director Indhu Rubasingham,

Designer Rosa Maggiora

Lighting Mark Jonathan

Sound by Christopher Shutt

Cast includes Ravi Aujla, Lolita Chakrabarti, Raj Ghatak, Shelley King, Shaheen Khan, Amit Shah

International Playwrights: A Genesis Project

Tickets – £25, £15, £10. Mondays all seats £10. Concs £10. Group discounts available.

To book tickets please call the box office on 020 7565 5000 or click here.

JERWOOD THEATRE DOWNSTAIRS

The Royal Court Theatre presents 

Upstairs Downstairs: The Ugly One

Written by Marius von Mayenburg

Translated by Maja Zade 

10 - 28 June

Following their sold-out success in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, three Royal Court productions return in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs.

Lette thought he was normal.

When the extent of his ugliness is revealed he turns to a plastic surgeon for help. But after the bandages come off, Lette soon learns that there is such a thing as too beautiful.

"A drop-dead gorgeous play."  Independent

The Ugly One is a scalpel sharp comedy on beauty, identity and getting ahead in life.

"A delectable black comedy... I have not seen a more imaginative, inventive or disturbing theatrical vision."  Evening Standard  

"A viciously comic assault on the warped values of pop-culture-fed modern society."  The Times   

Director Ramin Gray

Designer Jeremy Herbert

Lighting Charles Balfour

Sound Nick Powell

Cast includes Amanda Drew, Michael Gould, Frank McCusker, Simon Paisley Day

International Playwrights: A Genesis Project

Tickets – £25, £15, £10. Mondays all seats £10. Concs £10

To book tickets please call the box office on 020 7565 5000 or click here.