1950s London. In the kitchen of an enormous West End restaurant, the orders are piling up: a post-war feast of soup, fish, cutlets, omelettes and fruit flans.
Fifteen hundred customers an' half of them eating fish. I had to start work on a Friday.
Thrown together by their work, chefs, waitresses and porters from across Europe – English, Irish, German, Jewish – argue and flirt as they race to keep up. Peter, a high-spirited young cook, seems to thrive on the pressure. In between preparing dishes, he manages to strike up an affair with married waitress Monique, the whole time dreaming of a better life. But in the all-consuming clamour of the kitchen, nothing is far from the brink of collapse.
We all said we wouldn’t last the day, but tell me - what is there a man can’t get used to?
Arnold Wesker’s extraordinary play premiered at the Royal Court in 1959 and has since been performed in over 30 countries. The Kitchen puts the workplace centre stage in a blackly funny and furious examination of life lived at breakneck speed, when work threatens to define who we are.
Kristin Scott Thomas is done with films. After starring in 65 features over the course of 30 years, the actress told the Guardian that she reached her breaking point at some point last September. Nor will she be appearing on television. Off-screen and onstage seems to be the way Thomas is headed. She played the title role in BERENICE in France in 2001 and loved it.
On February 6 & 7, The Kitchen will present multi-Grammy award-winning contemporary chamber ensemble eighth blackbird, performing their evening-length program Still in Motion. eighth blackbird combines the virtuosity of a string quartet with the energy of a storefront theater company. In Still in Motion, the three-time Grammy-winning 'super-ensemble' (Los Angeles Times) brings a very special program to The Kitchen, full to the brim with New York premieres:
On February 6 & 7, The Kitchen will present multi-Grammy award-winning contemporary chamber ensemble eighth blackbird, performing their evening-length program Still in Motion. eighth blackbird combines the virtuosity of a string quartet with the energy of a storefront theater company. In Still in Motion, the three-time Grammy-winning 'super-ensemble' (Los Angeles Times) brings a very special program to The Kitchen, full to the brim with New York premieres:
Berkeley Repertory Theatre announces the world premiere of The House that will not Stand, a historical comedic drama commissioned from award-winning poet-playwright and Oakland native Marcus Gardley. Sensuous, witty, heartbreaking, and uplifting - The House that will not Stand unearths a story about free women of color in 1836 New Orleans, where black Creole women entered into common-law marriages with affluent white men. When her wealthy lover mysteriously dies, Beartrice Albans' foundation of security hangs precariously by a thread. She is left to fend for her three unwed daughters in a world where freedom must be carefully negotiated. Told in a rich and lyrical river of words, this new play was developed through The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work. It's helmed by Patricia McGregor, whose many credits include the celebrated production of Spunk at California Shakespeare Theater. The House that will not Stand begins previews on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage today, January 31, opens on Wednesday, February 5 and runs through Sunday, March 16, 2014.
New York Live Arts presents the U.S. premiere of Kimberly Bartosik/daela's You are my heat and glare, February 26 - March 1 at 7:30pm in the third floor studios at New York Live Arts. Hailed by Dance Magazine as "one of the most intriguing descendants of Merce Cunningham," New York Dance and Performance "Bessie" Award-winning Bartosik, along with six other award-winning performers, take to the stage in this multi-disciplinary production created especially for the New York Live Arts studios.
HOMECOMING PLAYERS TO LAUNCH their 2014 season with a staged reading of David Lindsay-Abaire's Good People, for two performances only, Mon Feb 3 and Tue Feb 4, at 7:30pm, as part of the Kitchen Theatre Company's Kitchen Sink Series (which has support from CFCU), at the Kitchen Theatre, 417 W. State St/MLK Jr. St.
Roulette Presents: The Connie Crothers Quartet Deep Friendship, A CD Release Celebration February 4, 8pm "The music of the Connie Crothers Quartet manages to balance traditional patterns and free improvisation in a way that is mysterious, magical and brilliant" -Music Boom
The Brick Theater Inc. presents THE SKYPE SHOW or SEE YOU IN AUGUST, running January 11th- February 9th, 2014. Skype calls from New York to Amsterdam have never been so rock and roll.
3-Legged Dog Executive Artistic Director Kevin Cunningham announced today that performance pioneer Michael Counts has joined 3-Legged Dog as the Creative Director for 3LD Special Projects Group.
Berkeley Repertory Theatre announces the world premiere of The House that will not Stand, a historical comedic drama commissioned from award-winning poet-playwright and Oakland native Marcus Gardley. Sensuous, witty, heartbreaking, and uplifting - The House that will not Stand unearths a story about free women of color in 1836 New Orleans, where black Creole women entered into common-law marriages with affluent white men. When her wealthy lover mysteriously dies, Beartrice Albans' foundation of security hangs precariously by a thread. She is left to fend for her three unwed daughters in a world where freedom must be carefully negotiated. Told in a rich and lyrical river of words, this new play was developed through The Ground Floor: Berkeley Rep's Center for the Creation and Development of New Work. It's helmed by Patricia McGregor, whose many credits include the celebrated production of Spunk at California Shakespeare Theater. The House that will not Stand begins previews on Berkeley Rep's intimate Thrust Stage on Friday, January 31, opens on Wednesday, February 5 and runs through Sunday, March 16, 2014.
BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there to chat with the cast on opening night and you can check out what they had to say below!
The Kitchen has announced programming for its winter 2014 season, which begins January 8 with performances from both Jay Scheib and Heather Kravas.
The Brick Theater Inc. presents THE SKYPE SHOW or SEE YOU IN AUGUST, January 11th- February 9th 2014. Skype calls from New York to Amsterdam have never been so rock and roll.
As promised, we finish getting to know each and every cast member of 'The Most Happy Fella' before we close up shop on December 1st.
New York Live Arts will present The Barnard Project, now in its ninth year, today, November 21 - 23 at 7:30pm and November 23 at 2:00pm. This year's performance will showcase works by 2013-14 Barnard Project artists Boyzie Cekwana, Lance Gries, Annie-B Parson and Donna Uchizono.
The holiday season is quickly approaching, and new data from Liberty Mutual Insurance reminds us that those family holiday meals can be a potential recipe for danger. According to claims data from Liberty Mutual Insurance, the nation's fourth-largest home insurer, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day are the largest days for reported kitchen fires, with three times more than any other day of the year. The dangers are also magnified by a recent Liberty Mutual Insurance survey revealing that more than half of Americans plan to cook for family and friends during the holidays- with 42 percent of those cooking for groups of 11 or more - yet the large majority (83 percent) admit to engaging in dangerous cooking behaviors which increase the likelihood of kitchen fires.
After the Timeout Critics choice successes of Doig - The Musical, Beak Street and No Picnic at the Tabard Theatre we are proud to present Greg Freeman's latest play DOGSTAR, an outlandish comedy, which delves into mankind's obsession with ownership. The show will run tonight, 12 Nov - 30 Nov 2013.
New York Live Arts will present The Barnard Project, now in its ninth year, November 21 - 23 at 7:30pm and November 23 at 2:00pm. This year's performance will showcase works by 2013-14 Barnard Project artists Boyzie Cekwana, Lance Gries, Annie-B Parson and Donna Uchizono.
After the Timeout Critics choice successes of Doig - The Musical, Beak Street and No Picnic at the Tabard Theatre we are proud to present Greg Freeman's latest play DOGSTAR, an outlandish comedy, which delves into mankind's obsession with ownership. The show will run 12 Nov - 30 Nov 2013.
AOP (American Opera Projects) and The Phoenix Concerts will co-produce 'AOP25: Celebrating Composers & the Voice,' a concert featuring the work of composers and librettists from AOP's C&V (Composers & the Voice) program, an annual fellowship that trains composers to write for the operatic voice. The concert will take place tonight, October 11 at 8PM at the Church of Saint Matthew and Saint Timothy: 26 West 84th Street, New York City.
TO MASTER THE ART, by William Brown and Doug Frew, enters its final two weeks at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut). The six week engagement will end Oct. 20, 2013. The Chicago Commercial Collective produced this staging of the 2010 TimeLine Theatre world premiere hit.
Broadway In Chicago has announced that TO MASTER THE ART, by William Brown and Doug Frew, will host post-show Q&A discussions with Chicago's own award-winning chefs and renowned restaurant professionals at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut). Created to celebrate the continuing influence of Julia Child as well as Chicago's own thriving restaurants, special guests will share stories from their own experiences and how Julia Child inspired them in the food industry.
Raging Squid Ink and Eric Schmalenberger have announced the
Raging Squid Ink and Eric Schmalenberger have announced the
world premiere production of Jake Thomas' THE DEAD DREAM MACHINE, video art directed by Sean Gill and directed and choreographed by Rachel Klein. THE DEAD DREAM MACHINE will play a limited engagement at La Luz (135 Thames Street, Brooklyn, NY). Performances begin tonight, September 18 and continue through Saturday, October 13. Opening Night is Friday, September 20 (8 p.m.). Press are invited tonight, September 18 at 8 p.m., Thursday, September 19 at 8 p.m. and Friday, September 20 at 8 p.m. (and any subsequent performance).
AOP (American Opera Projects) and The Phoenix Concerts will co-produce 'AOP25: Celebrating Composers & the Voice,' a concert featuring the work of composers and librettists from AOP's C&V (Composers & the Voice) program, an annual fellowship that trains composers to write for the operatic voice. The concert will take place Friday, October 11 at 8PM at the Church of Saint Matthew and Saint Timothy: 26 West 84th Street, New York City.
Broadway In Chicago has announced that TO MASTER THE ART, by William Brown and Doug Frew, will host post-show Q&A discussions with Chicago's own award-winning chefs and renowned restaurant professionals at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut). Created to celebrate the continuing influence of Julia Child as well as Chicago's own thriving restaurants, special guests will share stories from their own experiences and how Julia Child inspired them in the food industry.
| 1966 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2011 | West End |
Royal National Theatre Production West End |
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