Mercury Theatre Stages SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING, Now thru May 24

Alan Sillitoe's ground-breaking Saturday Night and Sunday Morning will be brought to life this May at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester in a fast-moving stage adaptation by the critically acclaimed writer Amanda Whittington.

Directed by Tony Casement, Amanda's adaptation is a gritty, high-energy, kitchen sink drama surrounding an angry young man determined to have a good time in 1950s Britain - whatever the cost.

Immortalised in the award-winning 1960s film starring Albert Finney, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning tells the story of hard-drinking, double-dealing Arthur Seaton who thinks he's got it made when he starts seeing two married women at the same time. However, everything could be about to change for Arthur and the women in his life following a bombshell revelation one night on the boardwalk. Mercury Theatre Associate Director, and Director of Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Tony Casement said:

"Amanda's adaptation is brilliant, hard, brutal, tender and funny. She's really got to the heart of the book and distilled it down to its essence, creating something that's fast, fluid and sexy. She's given us lots of room to do interesting things with the story and I couldn't have hoped for a clearer, stronger template to work with."

Tony added:

"We are doing some quite different things with the play. It's very specific to 1950s Nottingham but has an epic sweep to it accompanied by a modern soundtrack."

Starring in the role of Arthur is Patrick Knowles. Patrick's theatre credits include Paradise Regained at the Royal Court Theatre, Troilus and Cressida with the RSC and The Grapes of Wrath at the Mercury Theatre. Patrick will be joined by Hester Arden, Gina Isaac, Ian Kirkby, Tim Treslove, and Elizabeth Twells.

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning will run today, May 9 to Saturday, May 24. The show will feature evening performances at 7:30pm and matinees on Saturdays and Thursdays at 2:30pm. Tickets range from £10 to £25 and can be purchased at www.mercurytheatre.co.uk or by calling the Ticket Sales Desk at 01206 573948.

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