Finborough Theatre Presents THE MAN Through June 19

Award-winning Playwright-in-Residence James Graham reunites with former Finborough Theatre Associate Director Kate Wasserberg to present a blackly comic and uniquely interactive storytelling event - a different actor, telling a story in a different order, selected at random, every single night - opening on Tuesday, 25 May 2010 (Press Night: Thursday, 27 May 2010).

Tax is really, really taxing for Ben Edwards. Self Employed. And afraid...

And now he must face his dreaded self assessment form, with every receipt evoking the good times and the bad - memories of things gone wrong, gone right, the journeys he's been on, the relationships that have begun and ended and the people he has lost...

With each receipt drawn out at random, Ben begins to stitch together the patchwork quilt that was the Tax Year 2009/2010 - a year that was both hilarious and tragic, all mixed up in one shoe box of receipts.

"They're a record of what we buy? Aren't they? And what we buy says, you know, a lot about, you know, a lot about ... who we are. What we...erm. Value. What we need."

The Man is performed by a changing team of actors. Full casting for The Man will be announced shortly, but some of the actors will include Samuel Barnett (The History Boys, Desperate Romantics, The Whisky Taster, winner of a Drama Desk Award on Broadway and a WhatsOnStage Theatregoers Choice Awards, and a nominee for an Olivier Award, a Tony Award and an Evening Standard Award); Leander Deeny (The Representative, Shakespeare's Globe, Atonement) and the playwright himself. Please see our website, Facebook and Twitter for the latest casting information.

First tried out as a reading in last year's Vibrant! A Festival of Finborough Playwrights when it was performed by the playwright himself, The Man is part of Vibrant 2010 - An Anniversary Festival of Finborough Playwrights, a 30th anniversary celebration of the Finborough Theatre with thirty new works for the stage by thirty UK and international playwrights, discovered, developed or championed by the Finborough Theatre, featuring many premieres of brand new plays by some of the well-known playwrights who began their careers at the Finborough Theatre.

Playwright James Graham is a Playwright-in-Residence at the Finborough Theatre. In 2003, James sent an unsolicited script to the Finborough Theatre and since then they have produced his Pearson Award-winning Albert's Boy (2005), Eden's Empire (2006), winner of the Pearson Award's Catherine Johnson Best Play Award 2007; Little Madam (2007) on the life of Margaret Thatcher, and Sons of York (2008), named Time Out Critics' Choice. He was also the Finborough Theatre's nominee for the BBC's and Royal Court's ‘The 50' programme (of the 50 most exciting new writers in the UK) in 2006. Since being discovered by the Finborough Theatre, he has gone on to write for the Soho Theatre (Tory Boyz), Clywd Theatr Cymru ( A History of Falling Things ), BBC Radio 4, ITV1 (Caught in a Trap starring Connie Fisher), and the Bush Theatre - Sudden Loss of Dignity and The Whisky Taster which opened at the Bush Theatre in January 2010 and won great critical acclaim - ***** Five Stars, The Independent and The Telegraph - as well as the forthcoming Huck (National Tour and Southwark Playhouse).

Director Kate Wasserberg is New Plays Director at Clwyd Theatr Cymru where she has directed The Glass Menagerie (Clwyd Theatr Cymru and National Tour) and James Graham's A History of Falling Things (Clwyd Theatr Cymru and Sherman Cymru). Forthcoming directing includes Pieces by Hywel John at Clwyd Theatr Cymru in Spring 2010. Kate was previously Associate Director at the Finborough Theatre where she directed Sons of York and Little Madam, both by James Graham, and The Representative, I Wish to Die Singing and The New Morality.

The Press on James Graham and Kate Wasserberg's previous collaborations
"One of the best new plays of the year...a real triumph for the Finborough". British Theatre Guide on Sons of York
"A must-see event." The Telegraph on Little Madam
"While perfect is an ominous word, this production comes as close to it as I have seen this year - an absolute must-see production." The Western Mail on A History of Falling Things.
"Directed with verve and sensitivity by Kate Wasserberg." Sam Marlowe, The Times, on Sons of York

Finborough Theatre, The Finborough, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED
Box Office 0844 847 1652 Book online at www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk
Tuesday, 25 May - Saturday, 19 June 2010
Tuesday to Saturday evenings at 7.30pm. Saturday Matinees at 3.00pm (from 5 June 2010). Sunday Matinees at 3.00pm.
Prices for Weeks 1 and 2 (25 May-6 June) - Tickets £13, £9 concessions, except Tuesday Evenings £9 all seats, and Saturday evenings £13 all seats. Previews (25 and 26 May) £9 all seats.
£5 tickets for Under 30's for performances from Tuesday to Sunday of the first week when booked online only. £10 tickets for residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on Saturday, 29 May 2010 when booked online.
Prices for Weeks 3 and 4 (8-19 June) - Tickets £15, £11 concessions, except Tuesday Evenings £11 all seats, and Saturday evenings £15 all seats.
Performance Length: 65 minutes with no interval.

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