The Roses of Whitechapel Opens Next Week at Greenwich Playhouse 11/2

The Roses of Whitechapel by Jonathan Kaufman and Martin Stiff

Finally, the five victims of Jack the Ripper get to tell their story....

After the huge success of its last show, The Three Musketeers, Spontaneous Productions return with a tenth anniversary production of The Roses of Whitechapel, a thrilling and fascinating ‘post-mortem' of the Jack the Ripper myth.

Originally staged in May 2000 as ‘Proper Red Stuff: Deconstructing Jack the Ripper', the play explores the series of murders that terrorised the East End of London during the autumn months of 1888. Told from the point of view of the five prostitute victims, it celebrates the lives of the women who met their end at the hands of ‘the world's first serial killer.'

Writers Jonathan Kaufman and Martin Stiff spent many months researching the facts of the case, soon discovering that far more is known about the women victims than the as yet unidentified killer himself. Deciding to make the victims' story central to the play, the writers have created a piece that enables to the characters to narrate their own tale, stepping out of character to portray other figures: the police, bystanders and journalists. Only Jack remains an elusive figure, haunting the stage like a malevolent ghostly presence.

Spontaneous is delighted to be bringing this production to two fantastic venues: Greenwich Playhouse, home of Galleon Theatre and The Lion & Unicorn in Kentish Town, home of Giant Olive Theatre Company. Running throughout November, audiences will have the opportunity to see the show in these two great locations.

The team:

Director Juliette Grassby has been directing professionally for twenty years. Trained originally as an actor at LAMDA Juliette has been seen at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, The Globe Theatre, Manchester Royal Exchange, Bristol Old Vic and Greenwich Theatre. She recently assisted producer Jonathan Kaufman on The Three Musketeers.

Producer & co-writer Jonathan Kaufman is a prolific playwright and director/producer with fifteen years' experience on the London fringe scene. Previously artistic director at the Colour House Theatre and Associate Director at the Brockley Jack Theatre his plays include: Groovy Times (Tabard Theatre), Welcome to Luketia (King's Head Islington), School Ties (Greenwich Playhouse & Edinburgh Fringe), Dinosaurs (Brockley Jack), Sherlock Holmes and the Curse of the Mummy, Sherlock Holmes and the Curse of the Werewolf, as well as original adaptations of A Christmas Carol, Dracula and Frankenstein.

Co-writer Martin Stiff is a graphic designer and illustrator whose self-penned graphic novel The Absence has recently been published by Marwood Publications.

Cast includes: Laoisha O'Callaghan. Irish-born Laoisha played Mary Jane Kelly in the original production of Proper Red Stuff, and went on to play Lady Macbeth in Jonathan Kaufman's production of the Scottish play. She is currently appearing in RTE's continuing drama Fair City.

Venue 1:
Greenwich Playhouse, 189 Greenwich High Road SE10 8JA
Tues 2nd Nov - Sat 6th Nov, 8pm, Sun 7th Nov, 4pm (6 perfs)
Venue website address: http://www.galleontheatre.co.uk
Box office details: boxoffice@galleontheatre.co.uk Tel: 020 8858 9256

Venue 2:
The Lion and Unicorn Theatre, 42-44 Gaisford Street, Kentish Town, NW5 2ED
Tues 9th Nov - Sat 13th Nov, 7.30pm, Sun 14th Nov, 3.30pm
& Tues 16th Nov - Sat 20th Nov, 7.30pm, Sun 21st Nov, Sun 27th & Sun 28th Nov, 3.30pm (14 perfs)
Venue website address: http://www.giantolive.com
Box office details: www.ticketweb.co.uk, Tel: 08444 771 000

Tickets: £12 £10 (concs)
Duration: approx 1hr 30mins (+15 min interval)