Date: 25 January 2012
Fresh Glory Productions presents
in association with the Guild of Lillians and the Customs House South Shields
The Awkward Squad
A new comedy starring Emmerdale’s Charlie Hardwick
Arts Theatre, London WC2H
Tuesday 6 March - Saturday 7 April 2012
Fresh Glory Productions presents a sparky new state-of-the-nation comedy, The Awkward Squad by BAFTA winning Emmerdale writer Karin Young at London’s Arts Theatre from 6 March to 7 April 2012. Taking a sideways look at the unexpected challenges faced by
modern women of all ages, The Awkward Squad crackles with the kind of humour you don’t often hear on stage but know only too well from your own life. Starring
Charlie Hardwick (Val in ITV’s Emmerdale), Barbara Marten (Casualty, Coronation Street, Brookside),
Libby Davison (The Bill, Hollyoaks) and Lisa McGrillis (Shakespeare’s Globe & Pitmen Painters). Prior to its London run, the production opens at The Customs House South Shields on 28 February 2012.
What chance does Lorna have of a quiet weekend when both daughters and her granddaughter descend on her with their own problems? She’s spent three decades working for everyone else through the miners’ strikes, local milk schemes and library closures
and tomorrow she’s having a community centre named after her, but her granddaughter thinks a boob job is more important…
On top of that a BAFTA, impending divorce, redundancy and a very upmarket caravanette force Lorna to reconsider both the past and the future – for everyone. What’s a woman to do? Accept everything that’s thrown at her, or become a fully paid-up member
of the ‘awkward squad'?
BAFTA-winning Emmerdale writer Karin Young is also the recipient of the RTS Award for best Soap Opera and the Soap Award for Best Episode.
Barbara Marten will play Lorna, with Charlie Hardwick and Libby Davison as her daughters Sandy and Pam. Barbara is best known as Eve Montgomery in BBC’s Casualty, as well as for other TV work such as Fat Friends and Bob & Rose. Her recent theatre work includes
Mistress Quickly in Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (Shakespeare’s Globe), War and Peace (Shared Experience and National Theatre), and A Winters Tale, A Conversation, Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Royal Exchange, Manchester). Since 2004, Charlie Hardwick has been
audience favourite Val Lambert in Emmerdale. Her film roles have included Billy Elliot, Purely Belter and The Scar, for which she won the best actress award at the Monte Carlo International Television Festival. Libby Davison played DC Liz Rawton for six years
in ITV’s The Bill, and has appeared in a host of television dramas including Our Friends in the North, Holby City and Hollyoaks. Lorna’s granddaughter Sarah is played by Lisa McGrillis whose previous theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing and The Globe
Mysteries (Shakespeare’s Globe), and Pitmen Painters (National Theatre and Broadway).
LISTINGS INFORMATION:
Fresh Glory presents
The Awkward Squad by Karin Young
Dates: Tuesday 6 March - Saturday 7 April 2012
Press Night: Thursday 8 March 2012 at 7.30pm
Venue: Arts Theatre, London WC2H 7JB
Tickets: £15 to £29.50
Box Office: 020 7907 7092
Website: www.theawkwardsquadplay.com