Details

A riotous journey through four waves of immigration from the 17th century to today. As the French Huguenots, the Irish, the Jews and the Bangladeshis in turn enter the chaotic world of Bethnal Green, each new influx provokes a surge of violent protest over housing, jobs, religion and culture. And the emerging pattern shows that white flight and anxiety over integration is anything but new. Fucking Frogs! My grandfather didn't die in the English Civil War so's half the population of France could come over here and live off the soup! Written with scurrilous bravura, Richard Bean's great sweep of a comedy follows a pair of star-crossed lovers amid cutters' mobs, Papists, Jewish anarchists and radical Islamists across four tempestuous centuries. Irish and Jewish, that's the worst mix. You end up with a family of pissed up burglars run by a clever accountant. Running Time 2 hours 45 mins (inclu interval)

Cast/Performers

Philip Arditti, Jamie Beamish, Paul Chequer, Olivia Colman, Rudi Dharmalingam, Sacha Dhawan, Hasina Haque, Tony Jayawardena, Trevor Laird, Elliot Levey, Siobhan McSweeney, Neet Mohan, Aaron Neil, Sophia Nomvete, Daniel Poyser, Claire Prempeh, Fred Ridgeway, Avin Shah, Sophe Stanton, Michaell Terry, David Verrey, Harvey Virdi

Creatives/Company

Author: Richard Bean
Producer: National Theatre
Director(s): Nicholas Hytner, Pete Bishop (animation)
Design: Mark Thompson
Lighting: Neil Austin
Music: Grant Oldring
Sound: John Leonard