Peter Hamilton’s new play Blue, a dark comedy about the quest for spiritual meaning in a modern secular and cynical age, directed by Ken McClymont, will run at London’s White Bear Theatre from 12-23 July 2022 (press night is 13 July).
Hamilton, who has had several plays produced on the London Fringe, is collaborating with McClymont for the fifth time and a first-class cast has been assembled for Blue, presented by the playwright’s Clockschool Theatre Company.
As they career towards their forties Max and Frances Davidson, a chaotic couple from Bethnal Green, have reached crisis point. Frances, a creative weaver, is convinced (wrongly) that she has MS and is also deeply troubled by a large blue square which keeps involuntarily intruding into her work.
Meanwhile her husband Max, a manic, unbalanced architect, finds respite in a panoply of prescription drugs, washed down with unhealthy amounts of vintage Armagnac. Max is also obsessed with ‘New Age’ writings such as Theosophy – a form of philosophical or religious thought based on a mystical insight.
From his academic readings he comes to realise that he is a direct descendant of the biblical King David of Israel and Judea and that he is on earth with a special mission to build the Third Temple of Jerusalem… in Glastonbury.
Into this troubled household comes Sareen, a young Armenian refugee with shamanistic powers and ambitions to become… an architect!
Meet the cast of Blue at London’s White Bear Theatre
A first-class cast has been assembled for Blue. Max Davidson is played by Tom Greaves, whose film work includes Shuttlecock and Peter Rabbit. Stephen Omer (George) has worked extensively in television (Downton Abbey, Heartbeat, The Bill) with theatre work including Howard Barker’s Wrestling School. Julia Tarnoky (Megan) has also worked with the Wrestling School, including seven roles in The Ecstatic Bible. She also portrayed Wallis-Simpson in the BBC’s Days That Shook the World.
Emma Stannard (Frances) previously played Odburga in Danelaw and various voiceover characters in Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga and Tracy in the feature film Manfish. Lara Ciulli, who plays Sareen, is a comedian and writer who hosts and performs at clown and cabaret nights in London. Her one-woman show premieres at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
The cast of Blue at London’s White Bear Theatre in rehearsal
Peter Hamilton’s other plays produced on the London Fringe include Switchboard (Latchmere), Danelaw (White Bear), Skara Brae (White Bear), Playground (Old Red Lion) and Bridlington (Rosemary Branch).
Ken McClymont was artistic director of London’s Old Red Lion Theatre for 12 years. He has designed and directed many plays including A Small House At The Edge Of The World by Chris Lee (Museum of Comedy Theatre, London); I Am Of Ireland by Seamus Finnegan (Old Red Lion) and No Picnic by Greg Freeman (Rosemary Branch Theatre).
