'BURNT OAK' Returns to Leicester Square Tonight

Group Film Theatre and Leicester Square Theatre present "BURNT OAK: Life and Death in London Town", playing the Leicester Square Theatre, WC2H 7BX from tonight 21 April to 17 May 2015 (Press Nights: 23/24/25 April, 7pm).

After a sell-out run at Leicester Square Theatre in 2011 and back by popular demand, BURNT OAK has been revived to mark the first in a series of contemporary writing to come out of Soho.

Starring: Nobby: Billy Lydon; George: Jason Wing; Susan: Mikaela Newton; Terry: Dan Maclane; and Margaret: Brede McDermot.

Plumber to Playwright

Laurence Lynch's 25 years as a Soho plumber by day and Soho drinker by night inform this tight thriller, tracking his working class upbringing in Burnt Oak to the questionable bars and late night dives of Dean Street and its environs.

Keepers of Soho

Soho has a long history of inspiring writers. You only have to walk its streets, Lynch's home for 25 years, to feel the presence of history in this intensively creative central London village. At a time when Soho is under threat from developers, BURNT OAK continues Soho's creative tradition as part of producer Martin Witts' new series 'The Keepers of Soho', celebrating the work of Soho writers.

Plumber, close friend and later pall bearer to Soho Dandy Sebastian Horsely, Lynch has maintained the waterworks of Soho's famous and notorious, from Norman Balon to the clientele of Rupert Street brothels. He even taught Colin Firth & Mark Strong basic football knowledge at the Coach & Horses in preparation for Fever Pitch!

Trainee hairdresser Susan is trapped between her gambling ex-con father George and boyfriend Nobby, who has a drink problem...

In this slice of documentary realism, Lynch's unnervingly honest and piercingly humorous observations chronicle the devastating consequences when lives unravel and dreams and reality collide.

The autobiographical nature of BURNT OAK allows Lynch to form characters that are surprisingly convincing, with a rawness rarely found in more orthodox dramas. He has been complimented for his 'excellent ear for naturalist dialogue' (UK Theatre Network), with his play superbly capturing the colloquialisms of North West London.

Working Class Community

This working class story comes at a time when there is growing concern about the lack of working class productions for working class actors, and drama schools teach working class students to speak 'RP' in order to get work. Group Film Theatre and the Leicester Square Theatre's support has enabled this play to bring together a working class production team of writer, director and actors.

Nathan Osgood is part of Group Theatre & Film (GTF). He was born in England and was adopted by a Native American (Mohawk) and east end mother. Nathan has directed many premieres in London, including BURNT OAK's first run, his own play 'Ditch Digger' and Sam Shepard's 'States of Shock' at the Arcola Theatre. His play '7 Assillon Place' was nominated in Edinburgh. He directed 'Red Cross', David Mamet's 'All Men Are Whores' at The Kings Head and the political satire 'The ballad of Bony Lairt' (critics' choice Battersea Arts Centre). He directed 'Blithe Spirit' for the Stella Adler theatre in Hollywood and 'Lady Macbeth' for the Henry St. Theatre in New York, as well as three seasons of Tennessee Williams plays in London and Edinburgh. He has his own acting studio in Covent Garden.

As an actor Nathan has done seasons at the Royal Court, National, and Chichester Festival theatres. In the West End: 'Cool Hand Luke', 'Joan Rivers' (Leicester Square Theatre) and 'Great Balls of Fire'. In Film: 'An Honorable Woman', 'Red Lights', 'Shadow Line', 'Me and Orson Welles', 'Sahara', 'Piccadilly Jim', 'Velvet Goldmine', 'Mission Impossible'. He is a regular contributor to BBC radio and won 'Best Actor' at the British Advertising Awards.

Group Theatre and Film productions 'I Chose You' and 'Skinwalker' are in pre-production.

Leicester Square Theatre is located at 6 Leicester Place, London, WC2H 7BX. Booking Line: 020 7734 2222 or online at www.leicestersquaretheatre.com. Show Dates: 21 April - 17 May 2015, playing Tuesday - Saturday 7pm; Saturday matinees 4pm; Sunday matinees 3pm. (Plus Wednesday 22 April at 3pm). Price: £17.50, Concessions 15.00. Transport: Leicester Square Tube.

For more about the play, follow on Twitter: @burntoakplay and Facebook: facebook.com/burntoakplay or go to www.burntoakplay.com.

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