The Collective in Association with Jermyn Street Theatre Present the UK Premiere of the Twentieth Century Way

Los Angeles 1914 - a place where modern world reality meets 19th Century bigotry. A time when law enforcement agencies are on a collision course with the clandestine and illicit gay community. In this environment, the police department of Long Beach, California hire two actors as "vice specialists" - their role "to entrap social vagrants" in a sexual act by posing as homosexual men. Lurking in public restrooms and bathhouses, they entice likely suspects into exposing their genitals, then arrest them and in so doing earn $15 a shot. Thirty-one men are arrested. At least one commits suicide.

The American Way tells the true story of a dark chapter in the history of gay rights. Two actors take on a dizzying array of characters from cops to vagrants, lawyers to hacks, bait to quarry in a work that tackles the thorny themes of persecution, secret love, sex, deception and the relationship between dissemblance and performance.

The UK premiere of this hard-hitting absurdist tragi-comedy stars James Sindall and Fraser Wall. It is directed by Marylynne Anderson-Cooper, a member of the Young Vic Directors Program and the Theatre503 devising company. Her recent directing and assistant directing credits include work with Goodman Theatre, Lookingglass Theatre, Victory Gardens Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.

The Collective was founded in late 2016 by a small group of RADA/AADA grads. The maIn Focus of the company is to work collaboratively, share skill sets and co produce work with host venues. The Collective is led by actors and directors who aim to put on strong ensemble projects, where core members are either cast in the company's shows or focus on other areas of production should no suitable roles be available. There is a particular focus on either new British writing or American plays yet to premiere in the UK, making the most of our transatlantic connection.

The Twentieth Century Way is the first Jermyn Street Theatre production of 2017. Other upcoming work includes Tanya Holt's musical take on the dark heart of growing-up and the dark arts of parenting - Cautionary Tales For Daughters, the revival of Ron Hutchinson's acclaimed black comedy - Beau Brummell - An Elegant Madness and the UK Premiere of Stephen Sondheim's The Frogs. Recent work at Jermyn Street Theatre has included A. A. Milne's Dover Road, The Autumn Garden by Lillian Hellman, Strindberg's Women and Pride and Prejudice. This work builds on the theatre's other recent successes, which include Anthony Biggs' production of I Loved Lucy, Michael Brandon and Cherie Lunghi starring in Off the King's Road and the revival of J B Priestley's I Have Been Here Before.

The Collective

in association with Jermyn Street Theatre

THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WAY

by Tom Jacobson
Director - Marylynne Anderson-Cooper

Jermyn Street Theatre

January 7 2017 - January 28 2017

Press performance January 9 - 7.30pm

Preview performance January 6

Jermyn Street Theatre

16b Jermyn Street,

London

SW1Y 6ST

Time

Monday to Saturday 7.30pm

Saturday matinees 3.30pm

Tickets

£22.00, £18.00 concessions.

Box office

0207 287 2875

and online at

www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk