Testing The Echo

“You can tell a German because he knows his Bach & Beethoven. You can tell a Canadian because he separates his rubbish. And you can tell a Brit because he knows how to sue his neighbours…”

Where did Father Christmas originate? How do you feel about men holding hands? What should you do if you spill someone’s drink?

Written with charm, wit and passion, David Edgar’s new play is a fascinating tapestry about the twisting road to becoming British. Secretly, Tetyana wants to escape her marriage. Mahmood gets kidnapped for his own good. And the motley crew in Emma’s English class are all looking for something, whether it’s a passport – or a fight. As the day of their ceremony approaches, Emma’s students begin to challenge some of her dearest-held beliefs.

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REVIEWS

“This is a brilliant piece of entertainment: crisp, funny, sceptical and generous. Behind the entertainment, however, are wisdom and a warning… Matthew Dunster directs with a sense of nimble clarity, and the eight actors play twice as many roles with acrobatic skill.”
-Sunday Times

“It was while watching Matthew Dunster’s excellent, pacy ensemble staging for Out Of Joint that I realised why I so like David Edgar’s writing… he actually wants to find answers”
-Financial Times

“A fast-paced, zesty production… it is oddly moving to think that across multicultural Brent there could well be people taking similar classes to the one portrayed on stage even as we watch the play.”
-Time Out

“An hour and three quarters of provocative, witty, virtuoso theatre -Teresa Banham gives a passionate portrayal of Emma the tutor who clashes with one of her students. Sirine Saba is excellent as Nasim, who refuses to play the game and causes Emma to question her beliefs. Kirsty Bushell, in the tender scenes between Tetyana and her stepdaughter, produces moments of real pathos”
-The Stage

CAST & CREATIVES

Cast: Teresa Banham, Kirsty Bushell, Sushi Chudasama, Farzana Dua Elahe, Ian Dunn, Robert Gwilym, Syrus Lowe, Sirine Saba.

Director: Matthew Dunster
Designer: Paul Wills
Sound designer: Ian Dickinson

PERFORMANCES

17 – 25 January 2008
Salisbury Playhouse

29 January – 2 February 2008
De Koninklijke Schouwburg(Royal Theatre of The Hague)

5 – 9 February 2008
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

12 – 16 February 2008
Liverpool Playhouse

19– 23 February 2008
Warwick Arts Centre

26 February – 1 March 2008
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

11 – 15 March 2008
Library Theatre, Manchester

18 – 22 March 2008
Oxford Playhouse

25 – 29 March 2008
Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds

2 April – 3 May 2008
Tricycle Theatre, London

7 – 10 May 2008
Birmingham Repertory Theatre