Following a hit season at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre in autumn 2019, Andy Walker’s tale of a soldier trying to cope with his past as he prepares for the future, Delivery, returns to London at the Chiswick Playhouse. Book your tickets now!
The comic play, directed by Lesley Manning, runs at the west London venue from 10 March to 4 April 2020.
The future should look bright for Joe. He loves his wife Angela, and they’re expecting their first baby. However, as he awaits the delivery, Joe’s deeply troubled character emerges. He’s haunted by events he experienced, and participated in, during a brutal war. Can anything save his soul? Can a former paratrooper shake off the horrific consequences of war and become a loving dad?
Delivery is a journey to the edge of oblivion, which travels a road lined with humour, humanity and hope. It is a life-affirming comedy-drama featuring depressed fruit flies and existential sheep.
Walker and Manning first began researching the Falklands conflict because it was labelled “a politicians’ war” – but those most deeply affected by the brutal, hand-to-hand conflict were those on the front line. When Walker talked to My Theatre Mates about the play in the autumn of 2019, he explained about the comedy:
“If I treated this subject in any other way it would be too dark to watch. I tried to weave humour and humanity into the story, not just to make it palatable and entertaining, but to give those that participated in the conflict respect and hope.”
Playwright Walker is best known for his work as an animator. He created the animations for hugely popular children’s series Tracy Beaker, Show Me Show Me and Jackanory Junior. His latest animation, Behind The Couch, has been sold to 25 countries. Delivery sees the playwright return to the Chiswick Playhouse, where he previously staged Border, also directed by Manning.
Manning is an award-winning director for stage and screen whose work includes the groundbreaking and iconic British horror film Ghostwatch, which fooled the nation when it was screened as a supposed documentary in 1992. Other directorial credits include TV serial Bloodrights and short films Curtain Call and The Vest. For stage, she has directed As She Likes It at the Cockpit Theatre and St Valentine’s Day Sperm Massacre at the Bread & Roses Theatre.
Alex Walton
Alex Walton returns to Delivery to lead the cast as paratrooper Joe. There are returns also for Lizzie Aaryn-Stanton as Angela and Gordon Peaston as the sergeant major, the padré, and a licentious slug. Emilio Iannucci joins the company to play a posh officer, a depressed fruit fly and a philosophising sheep.
Prior to starring in Delivery, Walton’s credits included From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads (tour), Loot (Colab Theatre) and After the Blue (Jermyn Street Theatre). Aaryn-Stanton has previously play Nora in A Doll’s House and Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, while Peaston reunites with Manning having been directed by her in The Valentine’s Day Sperm Massacre, Border, The Pitch, Bertie and more. Iannuci, son of The Day Today, The Thick Of It, Veep and Avenue 5 creator Armando Iannucci, boasts credits including Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, Macbeth (all Rose Theatre, York), The Book of Dragons (York Theatre Royal) and Miss-Able (Arcola Theatre).
Behind the scenes at Delivery
