On September 22nd David Mercatali’s production of Caryl Churchill’s BLUE HEART opens at the Bristol Tobacco Factory, before transferring to the Orange Tree next month. You can David’s thoughts about the plays here.
Visionary playwright Caryl Churchill brings together two exhilarating one act plays in Blue Heart, in a co-production with the Orange Tree Theatre and directed by David Mercatali (Dark Vanilla Jungle, Radiant Vermin).
Heart’s Desire sees a family awaiting their daughter’s return from Australia, though in a series of alternative scenarios, the play collapses as it keeps veering off in unexpected and ridiculous directions.
Blue Kettle tells the story of conman Derek and the five women he misleads into believing he is their biological son. Try as he might, Derek’s plans are scuppered as the play is invaded by a virus.
In Churchill’s ever-inventive style, the plays pull apart language and structure in a way that is theatrically remarkable and fast-paced, in a stirring yet truthful exploration of family and relationships.
Blue Heart is a huge international success by one of the country’s foremost contemporary playwrights (Cloud Nine, Top Girls and Royal Court’s recent Escaped Alone). Despite this success, the play is rarely performed and this will be the first major revival since its premiere in 1997.