Charity Case, from the same team as 2018’s critically acclaimed Checkpoint Chana, receives its rescheduled world premiere at London’s Drayton Arms Theatre in a strictly limited season, running from 16 to 20 November 2021. Time to get booking!
The new play, which examines disability in the charity sector, had originally been due to premiere on 17 March 2020, but, after the Society of London Theatre announced the UK’s first theatre lockdown the night before, Drayton Arms announced the play’s postponed the next day: Charity Case‘s opening night became its closing night. The company reassembles for the rescheduled run.
In Charity Case, Karen and Paula have a day to raise funds to keep the charity they founded alive. The clock is ticking as they desperately fight a hostile red-top press and decide to break the law in a last-ditch attempt to survive.
“If you’re paid to show concern it’s meaningless. It wasn’t the Good Samaritan’s job to be a Good Samaritan. He wasn’t like a Judean Outreach Worker”
Drayton Arms Theatre
Charity Case examines contemporary attitudes towards disability and the voluntary sector. Author Jeff Page comments:
“Having worked in the charity sector for many years, I wanted to provoke debate on the future of charities working with disabled people and the reasons they still exist. Why should people need to be ‘donated to’ in the modern world?”
The play reunites Page with director Manuel Bau after their successful collaboration on Checkpoint Chana, which ran at the Finborough Theatre in 2018 starred BAFTA-nominated actress Geraldine Somerville.
Charity Case stars Bradley Crees, Louise Devlin, Laura Shipler Chico and Warren Palmer.
Geraldine Somerville in Checkpoint Chana at the Finborough Theatre
What the critics say
Praise for Checkpoint Productions’ previous offering of Checkpoint Chana:
★★★★★ “Checkpoint Chana is a winner. Check it out” – Close Up Culture
★★★★ “An uncomfortable night of theatre but certainly one worth seeing” – Hiive
★★★★ Remotegoat
★★★★ Actdrop
★★★★ Spy in the Stalls
Rehearsal shots
The company are preparing again for Charity Case.
