THE ROOM Comes to Alexander Upstairs

An unsettling yet darkly funny love story between a sassy sex worker and her smooth-talking client. Mike is a classic car dealer, successful and somewhat sleazy. He has the gift of the gab but he's lonely. He desperately wants to woo Lillian and whisk her off to an exotic Greek island. Lillian, allergic to any form of rescuing or emotional connection, makes it clear to Mike that she will not go. Mike hears Lillian; but being a man who thrives on closing deals will not accept 'no' without a good fight.

The Room deals with themes of love, family and isolation. It is about two lonely people trying to get by, attempting to forge a connection, both with hugely tumultuous histories behind them. While the play is emotionally weighty and carries a clear sense of pathos and tragedy, there is also a thread of comedic yet sobering banter that permeates the whole piece. My intention as writer was to flesh out the vulnerability and humanity of the characters in a context that is complex; it's at once carnal and liberating but also highly restrictive. I was moved and intrigued by the taboo world of the sex worker's domain. I wondered 'what if' a client wanted to disrupt that contract. What would happen? What would happen if real chemistry existed? What would she do? Many stories such as this exist in our popular culture but I wanted to walk this well trodden path and tell this kind of story through my own lens.

Book securely online with a credit card for any show at Alexander Upstairs by visiting shows.alexanderbar.co.za or reserve your ticket without paying (but miss out on the discount). The direct booking page for this particular show is alexanderbar.co.za/show/The_Room_2019. You can also purchase tickets in person at the bar anytime during our regular opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays 5pm to late, closed Sundays and some public holidays.

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