European Premiere of Controversial Canadian Play PROUD at Finborough Theatre

In a new production commissioned by the Finborough Theatre, the European premiere of controversial Canadian play PROUD by Michael Healey runs at the Finborough Theatre, playing Sunday and Monday evenings and Tuesday matinees from Sunday, 17 July 2016 (Press Night: Monday, 18 July 2016 at 7.30pm).

Shortly after the Conservatives win a majority government, the prime minister discovers a secret weapon in his caucus - Jisbella Lyth, a single mother with a limited understanding of her role as a MP. Using her ignorance to his advantage, the PM hatches a plan to have Jisbella front and center in a campaign of misdirection and distraction...

A stunning new play from multi-award-winning Canadian playwright Michael Healey, Proud explores the corrosive nature of the politics of division and asks what we actually want out of our politics and our politicians.

Continuing the Finborough Theatre's acclaimed discoveries of new work from Canada, Proud is the third in a trilogy of award-winning plays about contemporary values (including the play Generous which was a sell-out success at the Finborough Theatre in 2010). The cast features Nicholas Cass-Beggs, Will Firth, Emily Head and Jude Monk McGowan, directed by Jonny Kelly.

Playwright Michael Healey is one of Canada's leading theatrical voices. Generous (winner of the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best New Play) received its European premiere at the Finborough Theatre in 2009 and was revived by popular demand for a full length run in 2010. His first play, Kicked, was produced at the Fringe of Toronto Festival in 1996, toured Canada and internationally, and in 1998 it won Canada's leading theatre award - the Dora Mavor Moore Award - for Best New Play. Plays include The Road To Hell (co-authored with Kate Lynch), Plan B (which again won the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best New Play), Rune Arlidge (nominated for the Governor General's Award), The Innocent Eye Test (Manitoba Theatre Centre and Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre) and Courageous (winner of the Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best New Play).

His best known play is The Drawer Boy (Dora Mavor Moore Award, Chalmers Canadian Play Award and the Governor General's Literary Award) which had its London premiere at the Finborough Theatre in 2012 and has received international acclaim and productions all over the world, including by Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre Company. It was the fourth most-produced play in the United States during the first decade of the 21st century. Michael Healey was Playwright-in-Residence at the Tarragon Theatre from 2000-2011, until he resigned his post after controversy arose over programming Proud which satirises Canada's previous political administration. Proud received its world premiere in 2012 in Toronto.

Director Jonny Kelly trained at East 15 Acting School and previous work includes Assistant Direction for The Hard Man and Unscorched at the Finborough Theatre. Direction includes A is for Ali (Old Red Lion Theatre), Money Womb (Theatre503), The Special Relationship (Southwark Playhouse), Boys Will Be Boys (Soho Theatre), Lies (VAULT Festival), and Call Centre (New Wimbledon Theatre). Associate and Assistant Direction includes Flare Path (National Tour) and Donkey Heart (Trafalgar Studios). For two years, he was also the Assistant Director of Papatango Theatre Company.

Box Office: 0844 847 1652, www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk

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