Manchester is OUR TOWN and the people of the city sit at the heart of the action in Sarah Frankcom’s new production of Thornton Wilder’s Pulitzer Prize winning play.
On 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 join the actors on stage, in their homes and at their kitchen tables as OUR TOWN becomes everybody’s town. This hugely significant piece of 20th century drama is performed by an ensemble cast of 15 actors with Youssef Kerkour 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 production opens on the 14 September and runs until 14 October.
Love and marriage, birth and death. Seen from a distance they’re just the rhythm of everyday life: but when you’re caught up in the middle and they’re happening to you, they’re the whole world. 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 – both the apparently trivial and the deeply profound – across the course of a decade.
The cast is completed by Patricia Allison, Kelly Hotten, Chris Jack, Luke Matthews, Tarek Merchant, Nadia Nadarajah, Michael Peace and Eamonn Riley.
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 with Maxine Peake).
Fly Davis also returns to the Royal Exchange following her striking designs for A Streetcar named Desire and How my light is spent, while sound designers Max and Ben Ringham return following their work on the critically acclaimed Persuasion and Lighting Designer Jack Knowles continues his work with Sarah Frankcom following A Streetcar named Desire, and The Skriker.
