Sarah Frankcom’s new production of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize winning play Our Town comes to Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre for a month-long run.
The epic tale of community and humanity puts Manchester at its heart. In this intimate in-the-round stage Wilder’s epic exploration of human existence is redefined for now. On designer Fly Davis’ set audience members can choose to eavesdrop on the actors on stage, in their homes and at their kitchen tables as Our Town becomes everybody’s town.
Our Town at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, will be performed by an ensemble cast of 15 actor. Youssef Kerkour appears as Stage Manager, Norah Lopez Holden as Emily Webb, Patrick Elue as George Gibbs, Carla Henry as Mrs. Julia Gibb, Nicolas Khan as Dr. Gibbs, Graeme Hawley as Mr. Webb and Wyllie Longmore as Professor Willard. The cast is completed by Patricia Allison, Kelly Hotten, Chris Jack, Luke Matthews, Tarek Merchant, Nadia Nadarajah, Michael Peace and Eamonn Riley.
What is Our Town about?
Our Town tells the story of Emily and George, two unremarkable teenagers growing up in a small New Hampshire town at the turn of the last century. You’re invited to eavesdrop on this tightly wound community as events unfold. We see the apparently trivial and the deeply profound play out across the course of a decade. We see the impact on the characters of love and marriage; of birth and death.
Who is behind the production of Our Town at the Royal Exchange Theatre?
Our Town is a Royal Exchange Theatre production. The play is directed by Sarah Frankcom and designed by Fly Davis.
Sarah Frankcom originally joined the Royal Exchange as Literary Manager and became sole Artistic Director in 2014. Her recent productions have included: A Streetcar Named Desire, The Skriker (co-commission with MIF15) and Hamlet.
Fly Davis returns to the Royal Exchange following her striking designs for A Streetcar Named Desire and How My Light Is Spent. Other work includes A Tale of Two Cities and Oliver Twist (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), A Winter’s Tale (Lyceum), I Want My Hat Back and Comedy of Errors National Theatre).
Sound designers Max and Ben Ringham return following their work on the critically acclaimed Persuasion. Lighting Designer Jack Knowles continues his work with Sarah Frankcom following The Skriker and A Streetcar Named Desire.
Where and when is Our Town performed in Manchester?
Our Town enjoys a one-month run at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre from 14 September until 14 October 2017.
Performances times are 7.30pm Monday to Saturday with some matinee performances at 2.30pm (Saturdays and Thursdays). Tickets are priced from £17.
Royal Exchange Theatre image credit University of Salford Press Office/flickr under creative commons licence.
