HAPPY TO HELP

Park Theatre, London, June-July 2016. Produced by Celia Dugua in association with Shout In The Dark, Kabnis Productions, Claire Evans and Park Theatre. Supported by the Peter Wolff Theatre Trust and the Royal Victoria Hall Foundation.

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Above: Ben Mann as Josh and Katherine Kotz as Vicky. Photo by David Monteith-Hodge.

Directed by Roxy Cook. Cast: Katherine Kotz, Charles Armstrong, David Bauckham, Ben Mann, Rachel Marwood and Jonny Weldon. Designer: Emma Tompkins. Sound Designer: Alexandra Faye Braithwaite. Lighting Designer: Sherry Coenen. Company Stage Manager: Paul Thomas. Associate Producer: Claire Evans.

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Above: Jonny Weldon as Elliott and Ben Mann as Josh. Photography by David Monteith-Hodge.

A destitute farmer sells his land to the supermarket chain that drove him out of business. Fifteen years later and a bustling supermarket stands on the same spot. UK Managing Director is coming to work undercover at the store for a week. Branch manager Vicky is determined to give him a more grimly authentic experience than he’d ever have dared wish for. Shelf stacker Josh dreams of rock stardom and escape. Checkout cashier and union organiser Elliott dreams of Josh. By Friday nothing will ever be the same for them again.

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Above: Charles Armstrong as Tony. Photo by David Monteith-Hodge.

★ ★ ★ ★  “an engaging and perceptive new play that gives a fascinating insight into the workings of major retailers.” The Reviews Hub

“Playwright Ross captures the Orwellian doublethink of the industry with the insight of a man who has stacked a few shelves in his lifetime….The creation of Frisca itself is a thing to be commended: this is a sharply satirical, cult-like corporate entity with its own language and belief system…” Exeunt Magazine

“Ross writes good dialogue and the exchanges between the characters have energy and flashes of humour.” Aleks Sierz 

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Above: Jonny Weldon as Elliott, Rachel Marwood as Myra, Charles Armstrong as Tony.

★ ★ ★ ★ “an amusing, slick production” London Theatre 1

★ ★ ★ ★ “A sharp comedy that will make all us cogs in the machine laugh.” Plays To See 

“A sharp, clever comedy but with a serious message” – The Blog of Theatre Things

“cleverly constructed comedy-drama” – BroadwayWorld

“The comedy here is bold, adventurous and downright clever…….the results are seriously funny.” – Once a Week Theatre

“Here, at last, is a great, bold, angry play about the human cost of twenty first century capitalism.” – Traffic Light Theatre

“It is seriously weird, on a day the referendum fallout has given rise to agitation and cogitation across the land, to be at a play about the fixing of farm prices, the regulation of goods, the growth of exploitative work practices, and the destruction of the small man by supermarkets. The themes in Michael Ross’s new play mirror the philosophic patchwork that has the nation jumping.” Monkey Theatre Matters

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