Posh (play)

Last updated

Posh
Written by Laura Wade
Characters14
Date premieredApril 2010
Place premiered Royal Court Theatre, London
Original languageEnglish
GenreDrama
Official site

Posh is a play by the British playwright Laura Wade. It was first staged at the Royal Court Theatre in April 2010. [1] The play concerns an Oxford University dining club called "The Riot Club", a fictionalised version of the Bullingdon Club. The first production, premiering shortly before the 2010 United Kingdom general election, received favourable reviews.

Contents

Plot

Ten members of "The Riot Club", an exclusive Oxford University dining club, have rented out a country pub's dining room for their termly dinner. Their president, James, who is about to leave university, is falling out of love with the club and promises the suspicious landlord Chris and his waitress daughter Rachel that he will keep things under control. While James avoids his presidential duties, others vie for his position. Inspired by his godfather Jeremy, a former Riot Club member and now a Conservative MP, Guy tries to impress the boys with a "ten bird roast'. Others are less restrained; one has hired Charlie, a prostitute. When Charlie arrives she refuses to get under the table and perform oral sex on the boys; they are surprised at her scruples.

As the members get more drunk and rowdy their bullying of each other and of Chris and Rachel gets worse. They try to force Rachel to kiss them all; she runs out and they wreck the room. Chris bursts in, outraged, and the members assault him, knocking him out. Horrified, they panic and bar the door, despite the landlord being seriously hurt. Hugo calls an ambulance, much to everyone else's annoyance. Eventually they all agree to pin the blame on Alistair, who has consistently riled them throughout the night. They agree that, as they will all end up being successful, they will look after Alistair after university and make sure they 'see him right'. They open the door to the distraught Rachel and the ambulance approaches.

Weeks later Alistair meets with Jeremy, who has managed to weaken the charge against Alistair and effectively get him off the hook. Intrigued by Alistair's politics, Jeremy promises Alistair that he will be keeping a close eye on him in future and that he has high hopes for him.

Cast

CharacterOriginal Cast, 2010West End Cast, 2012Regional Premiere Cast, 2015All-Female Cast, 2017Vancouver Cast, 2017UK Tour Cast, 2019
DirectorLyndsey Turner [2] Lyndsey TurnerSusannah Tresilian [3] Cressida CarréAllyson FournierLucy Hughes
Jeremy (an MP) Simon Shepherd Simon Shepherd Laurence KennedySarah ThomMichael ShewchukSimon Rhodes
Chris Daniel Ryan Steffan Rhodri Neil CapleSarah ThomMichael ShewchukPeter McNeil O'Connor
Rachel Fiona Button Jessica Ransom Charlotte BrimbleToni PeachMariela ShuleyIsobel Laidler
Charlie Charlotte Lucas Charlotte Lucas Joanne EvansToni PeachCaroline DoyleEllie Nunn
Alistair Ryle Leo Bill Leo Bill Jordan Metcalfe Serena JenningsRiaan Smit Tyger Drew-Honey
Toby MaitlandJolyon CoyJolyon CoyTom CleggMolly Hanson Cole Howard Matthew Entwistle
Hugo Fraser-Tyrwhitt David Dawson Pip Carter Tom HansonLucy AardenKevin HatchOllie Appleby
Guy Bellingfield Joshua McGuire Joshua McGuire Philip LabeyAmani ZardoeJake SheardownAdam Mirsky
George Balfour Richard Goulding Richard Goulding Jamie SatterthwaiteMacy NymanThomas Van KalkenJoseph Tyler Todd
Harry Villiers Harry Hadden-Paton Max Bennett Robbie Jarvis Alice BrittainKelly McCabeJack Whittle
Ed Montgomery Kit Harington Harry Lister SmithKaffe KeatingVerity KirkDylan LeonardTaylor Mee
Dimitri Mitropoulos Henry Lloyd-Hughes Henry Lloyd-Hughes Simon Haines Cassie Bradley David Z. CohenJamie Littlewood
James Leighton-Masters Tom Mison Tom Mison Tom PalmerGabby WongTim HoweChris Born
Miles Richards James Norton Edward Killingback Dario Coates Jessica SiânTristan SmithGeorge Prentice

Premiere

The Royal Court Theatre production opened during the 2010 United Kingdom general election campaign and garnered much attention for its timely portrayal of an Oxford University dining club which might be seen as a parody of the real life Bullingdon Club. A number of prominent Conservative politicians have been members of the Bullingdon, including David Cameron, George Osborne and Boris Johnson.

The production's scene changes were marked by the Riot Club's a cappella renditions of contemporary popular music such as "Wearing My Rolex" by Wiley; the music was arranged by James Fortune.

West End production

In 2012 the Royal Court production of the show was revived in the West End at the Duke of York's Theatre with several cast changes. The script was updated, including references to the coalition government which had since come to power and a slight recharacterisation of James Leighton-Masters in line with contemporary events. The a cappella renditions of songs were also updated, this time including LMFAO's "Sexy and I Know It".

Female-led productions

In March 2016, female-led theatre company Anonymous Is A Woman Theatre Company staged a rehearsed reading of the play, directed by Lucy Jane Atkinson, in which the genders were cast in reverse: women played the 12 male roles; men played the 2 female roles. [4] The following week, at AIAWTC's Women in the West End festival at the Arts Theatre, a gender-reversed scene from the play was performed, complemented by a non-gender reversed performance of the same scene. [5] [6]

The following year, an all-female production of the play was staged at Pleasance Islington, directed by Cressida Carré and starring Cassie Bradley. [7] All 14 roles, male and female, were played by women. The play was performed as it was initially written by Wade, using the male names and the “he” pronoun. The playwright, Laura Wade, said: “It’s always interesting to see a new cast take on Posh, but it’ll be fascinating to see what light an all-female company can throw on the play’s world of power and privilege. I’m often asked what Posh would have been like if there were women in the Riot Club instead of men. Perhaps now I get to find out.”

Subsequent productions

In February 2015 the regional premiere was co-produced by Nottingham Playhouse and Salisbury Playhouse, directed by Susannah Tresilian. [8]

Film adaptation

The Riot Club , a film adaptation of the play, directed by Lone Scherfig, [9] was released in 2014. [10]

Reception

Both London productions received generally favourable reviews; the ensemble was well praised with some reviewers comparing the young male cast to the original cast of The History Boys by Alan Bennett. Some reviews criticised what they saw as an unbelievable ending, but the play received four stars from nearly all the major publications and five from Time Out . Posh was nominated as Best New Play at both the Evening Standard Theatre Awards and Theatregoers' Choice Awards in 2011.

A new student edition of the play was published by Methuen Drama in February 2024. This contained a new interview with Laura Wade about the play, an 8,000 word introduction and notes by Henry Bell. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Louise Jameson</span> English actress

Louise Marion Jameson is an English actress with a variety of television and theatre credits. Her roles on television have included playing Leela in Doctor Who, Anne Reynolds in The Omega Factor (1979), Blanche Simmons in Tenko (1981–1982), Susan Young in Bergerac (1985–1990), Rosa di Marco in EastEnders (1998–2000) and Mary Goskirk in Emmerdale (2022–present).

<i>The Maids</i> 1947 play by Jean Genet

The Maids is a 1947 play by the French dramatist Jean Genet. It was first performed at the Théâtre de l'Athénée in Paris in a production that opened on 17 April 1947, which Louis Jouvet directed.

<i>Top Girls</i> 1982 play written by Caryl Churchill

Top Girls is a 1982 play by Caryl Churchill. It centres on Marlene, a career-driven woman who is heavily invested in women's success in business. The play examines the roles available to women in old society, and what it means or takes for a woman to succeed. It also dwells heavily on the cost of ambition and the influence of Thatcherite politics on feminism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bullingdon Club</span> Exclusive society at Oxford University

The Bullingdon Club is a private all-male dining club for Oxford University students. It is known for its wealthy members, grand banquets, and bad behaviour, including vandalism of restaurants and students' rooms. The club selects its members not only on the grounds of wealth and willingness to participate but also by means of education.

Stephen Lowe is an English playwright and director.

Reece Dinsdale is an English actor and director of stage, film and television. He is a Huddersfield Town fan. In 2017 he became a patron of the Square Chapel, an arts centre in Halifax. He is also an honorary patron of The Old Courts multi-arts centre in Wigan

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jez Butterworth</span> English playwright, screenwriter and film director

Jeremy "Jez" Butterworth is an English playwright, screenwriter, and film director. He has written screenplays in collaboration with his brothers, John-Henry and Tom.

<i>Bad Girls: The Musical</i>

Bad Girls: The Musical is a stage musical based on the ITV prison drama series Bad Girls, with a book by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus, and music and lyrics by Kath Gotts.

Laura Wade is an English playwright.

<i>Bonnie & Clyde</i> (musical) 2009 musical

Bonnie & Clyde is a musical with music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Don Black and a book by Ivan Menchell. The world premiere took place in San Diego, CA in November 2009. The musical centers on Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, the ill-fated lovers and outlaws whose story has been infamous since they achieved folk hero status during the Great Depression. Wildhorn described the music as a "non-traditional score, combining rockabilly, blues and gospel music". The San Diego run was followed by a Sarasota, Florida, engagement in 2010.

Leo Martin Bill is an English actor, best known for his role as James Brocklebank in the 2006 film The Living and the Dead, as well as The Fall, Alice in Wonderland, and the FX/BBC One drama series Taboo. He is son of actors Sheila Kelley and Stephen Bill.

Fiona Button is an English actress. She is best known for playing Rose Defoe in The Split.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Freddie Fox (actor)</span> British actor (born 1989)

Frederick Samson Robert Morice Fox is an English film and stage actor. His prominent screen performances include roles as singer Marilyn in the BBC's Boy George biopic Worried About the Boy (2010), Freddie Baxter in series Cucumber (2015) and Banana (2015), and Jeremy Bamber in White House Farm (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua McGuire</span> British television, film and stage actor (born 1987)

Joshua McGuire is a British television, film and stage actor. He is perhaps best known for his role as Angus in the Channel 4/Netflix comedy series Lovesick. He starred opposite Daniel Radcliffe in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead at The Old Vic. He portrayed Briar Cudgeon in the film Artemis Fowl.

Girls Like That is a stage play written by Evan Placey co-commissioned by Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Theatre Royal Plymouth and West Yorkshire Playhouse. The play was first performed by The Young REP as part of the Young Rep Festival at The Old Rep Theatre, Birmingham, on 12 July 2013; the West Yorkshire Playhouse Youth Theatre at the Courtyard Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, on 18 July 2013: and by the Theatre Royal Plymouth Young Company at the Theatre Royal Plymouth, on 14 August 2013.

<i>The Riot Club</i> 2014 film by Lone Scherfig

The Riot Club is a 2014 British thriller drama film directed by Lone Scherfig and written by Laura Wade, based on Wade's 2010 play Posh. The film stars Sam Claflin, Max Irons and Douglas Booth. It is set among the Riot Club, a fictional all-male, exclusive dining club at the University of Oxford. When the play Posh premiered, the Riot Club was often described as a thinly veiled version of the real-life Bullingdon Club, although according to Wade it is entirely fictitious.

<i>Tipping the Velvet</i> (play)

Tipping the Velvet is a play based on the 1998 novel of the same name by Sarah Waters, adapted for the stage by Laura Wade. It received its world premiere at the Lyric Hammersmith, in September 2015, before transferring to the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh the following month with whom it is a co-production.

Choir Boy is a coming-of-age play by American playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney. The play premiered in September 2012 at the Royal Court Theatre, London, before going on to play productions at New York City Center, Alliance Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, and many more regional theaters across the United States. The show opened on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre on January 8, 2019, after entering previews on December 12, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pop-up Globe</span> Theatre production company in New Zealand

Pop-up Globe was a New Zealand theatre production company, based in Auckland, New Zealand. It produced Jacobean theatre, particularly the works of Shakespeare, in specially-built temporary replicas of the second Globe, the theatre Shakespeare and his company built and used. The company’s theatre was the world's first full-scale reconstruction of the Second Globe Theatre (1614–44).

The Children is a play written by Lucy Kirkwood which premiered in London in 2016 and then on Broadway in 2017.

References

  1. ↑ Posh at The Royal Court
  2. ↑ Cast Announcement, Royal Court
  3. ↑ NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE THEATRE COMPANY AND SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE PRESENT POSH
  4. ↑ "POSH rehearsed reading". TicketSource. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  5. ↑ "Women in the West End". aiawtheatreco 2020. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  6. ↑ Anonymous is a Woman [@AIAWTheatreCo] (30 March 2016). "Final scene don't #POSH coming up #genderreversed" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 July 2020– via Twitter.
  7. ↑ "Posh by Laura Wade". Posh by Laura Wade. Retrieved 21 February 2017.
  8. ↑ Snow, Georgia (31 October 2014). "Posh leads Nottingham Playhouse's spring 2015 season". The Stage . Nottingham. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "The Riot Club". IMDb .
  10. ↑ de Semlyen, Phil (13 May 2014). "New Trailer For The Riot Club". Empire. Bauer Consumer Media. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
  11. ↑ Wade, Laura (31 January 2024). "Posh: Student Edition". Methuen Drama. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.