Working Stiffs

We have a change to the published programme on November 3rd. Instead of A Very Private Man by Helena Thompson, we have a piece which promises to be just as exciting by Cait Davies and Lynne Pinto entitled Working Stiffs.

"A group of lively, mature, financially challenged individuals from widely different backgrounds share a flat and face the challenges that life in the 21^stcentury throws at them. The world has changed around them. Can they keep their minds supple as their bodies stiffen? Can they stay solvent and still live within the M25?"

7.30 at the North London Tavern.

AGM

It's that time of year again, folks. No script being read, alas, but the upside is that you don't have to pay to get in. Instead, you can come along at the usual time and listen and even contribute to the debate. Anything you want to get off your chest, now's the time.

7.30, at the North London Tavern.

Double Espresso & A Christmas Eve

Monday 29th October brings us a double bill from P-P veteran, Peter McKelvey. Let the great man explain:

DOUBLE ESPRESSO:

Alex is 'the man', a top guy but nemesis is at hand. A femme fatale lurks in the station cafe.

A CHRISTMAS EVE:

The last train has left. A disparate group of unfortunates and a mysterious stranger now inhabit Marylebone station. Edward and Rocca are down on their luck. They are despairing and cynical about Christmas but Christmas may yet work its miracle.

Sounds tantalising. Be at the North London Tavern at 7.30

WW1 Postcard Humour

Some of the more attentive members of P-P may have noticed that it is a hundred years since the outbreak of the First World War. As our part of the commemorations, we have invited one of our most prolific writers, Roger Mayhew, to come along to the North Tavern on Monday October 13th at 7.30 to explain his collection of WW1 Comic Postcards.

With the onset of the Centenary Commemoration of the start of the war Roger has been actively engaged in sharing his collection –partly in an Exhibition at the Cartoon Museum and also by delivering presentations about comic cards to various groups.

In the first part of this session Roger will deliver a short presentation showing the range of humour employed by the cartoon artists. In the second part he will divide the audience into groups; give each group a copy of a WW1 postcard (not used in the presentation ) and ask them to devise and deliver a short improvisation based on the card.

Injuries of Class

Monday October 6th brings us a play by new writer Paul McMahon.

"Two well educated but unemployed cousins [one m, one f] are dossing in a miserable squat in a criminal neighbourhood, desperate to return to the comforts of middle-class living. They put together their unique skills, one in criminology and the other in film making, to turn their squat into a pop-up brothel with hi-tech covert CCTV and blackmail potential. Nothing turns out as planned but at least it moves them on and out. A dark comedy with just a hint of redemption."

7.30 at the North London Tavern.

The Kaluki Girls

"On Monday September 29th, we move to our new home at The North London Tavern, 375 Kilburn High Road, Kilburn, London NW6 7QB, and kick off with two episodes of a brand new Jewish sitcom entitled "The Kaluki Girls" by Debbie Nagioff.

"Bella and Zandra were arch rivals at school, through their youth, switching and swapping boyfriends, humiliating each other whenever possible, before finally going their separate ways. Thirty-five years down the line, one widowed, one divorced and four children later, they find their lives inextricably linked. But can they put the past behind them?"

Free bottles of wine and nibbles will be available to christen the new venue.

7.30, at the North London Tavern.

"When Were You Happiest? is set in the Freezone where friendship, love, sex, childhood…in fact absolutely everything, is monetised. All human relations take place through interactive advertising holograms, known as Ad-Vatars as there can be “no relations before the market”. To reach the cusp of the Freezone elite – The Unique - Diana Fray been forced to ruthlessly mould her naturally shy, contrary personality into a flamboyant celebrity sex symbol and business leader. But to finally become Unique she must destroy all traces of her former self – which forces the shy teenager to return an angry psychotic projection hell bent on destroying Diana and her world".

Daniel Davies last came to P-P with Is Anything Broken? is hit radio four play turned stage success. Now he's back with another question in the title, in the form of When Were You Happiest? which asks "how much power we should give technology that is fast becoming omnipotent, and uses dark satire to gaze into the future for all human capital".

 I do love a big theme. To whet your appetite still further, the stellar cast includes Cyd Casados, Lexy Howe, Simon Desborough and Jonathan Hansler.

Monday 22nd 7.30 at the Crown and Anchor.