CHARLIE & STRIPTEASE Double Bill To Play Golden Goose Theatre This Spring

A double bill of political satire, CHARLIE & STRIPTEASE, will run at the Golden Goose Theatre in Camberwell from April 21 through May 9. The production features two plays by Polish playwright Sławomir Mrożek and is presented by DRH Arts and Orsolya Nagy.

Written in the 1960s and 1970s while Poland was part of the Soviet Union, the plays combine absurdist humor with political commentary. Through surreal and unsettling scenarios, Mrożek examines the culture of suspicion and fear that can develop under authoritarian systems.

In CHARLIE, an optician encounters an elderly man and his grandson who are searching for someone named Charlie and intend to kill him. The encounter raises questions about identity, surveillance, and accusation. STRIPTEASE follows two strangers trapped in a mysterious room who are ordered by a disembodied “hand” to remove items of clothing, creating a darkly comic exploration of power and control.

The production was inspired by director Orsolya Nagy’s doctoral research on Eastern European absurdist theatre. Early versions of STRIPTEASE were presented as pilot performances at the Birmingham Theatre Festival in 2025.

“These plays, written in the 1960's, are so relevant today as they explore state authorised oppression and victimisation of the individual – but they are tear-jerkingly funny! Even in translation, Mrozek's wit and humour remain peerless, giving us riotous comedy that is also thought provoking in a time when authoritarianism is on the rise across the western world and innocent citizens can be shot on the streets of America by legalized state militia,” said producer and actor Rowland D. Hill.

Director Orsolya Nagy added, “The Theatre of the Absurd in East-Central Europe carried a critical political statement and reflected on the absurdity of life in the communist era. Living in London but originally coming from an ex-communist country, I am very interested to see what happens when these plays are out of context, staged in the 21st century in the UK. Can these plays deliver the experience of the absurd that is relatable today? I believe so and my aim as a director is to take the audience on this emotional, strange journey where they recognise the absurdity of our current times and can laugh at it.”

Cast

The cast includes Rowland D. Hill (Occulist / Man 1), Simon Brandon (Grandson / Man 2), Kenneth Michaels (Grandfather / Hand 1), and Orsolya Nagy (Hand 2).

Creative Team

The creative team includes director Orsolya Nagy, producer Rowland D. Hill, lighting designer Matthew Biss, and filmmaker Ghost Chan.

Tickets