World Premiere of Joe Orton's FRED & MADGE Plays The Hope Theatre, Beginning Tonight

Rough Haired Pointer and Adam Spreadbury-Maher present the professional world premiere of JOE ORTON'S FRED & MADGE at The Hope Theatre, Islington, this month.

Fred & Madge (1959) is the first play by Joe Orton, one of the most pivotal playwrights of the 20th century. Until now this full length play has been unseen. Now for the first time it will be staged at The Hope Theatre, a stone's throw from Orton's former bedsit flat on Noel Road where he lived, wrote and was murdered.

Webber: Do you want to ruin society and civilization with your laughter? Madge: Yes, oh yes!

Featuring: Andrew Jake, Loz Jordan, Jodyanne Brock, Curran Keystone, Mallory-Skinner Richardson and Geordie Wright.

Directed by Mary Franklin with designer Christopher Hone and lighting designer Seth Rook-Williams.

Fred and Madge are a normal unhappily married couple. Or so we think... until we discover that they are inhabiting a play about themselves. To this meta-theatrical framework, the young Orton adds his trademark biting satire and social insight, along with the truly strange.

Full of sardonic wit and sexual innuendo Joe Orton's Fred & Madge is a fascinating and hilarious insight into the development of one of the most original minds of 20th century theatre.

Joe Orton came from a working-class family in Leicester. He won a scholarship to RADA where he met his lover and lifelong companion Kenneth Halliwell with whom he lived until 1967 when Halliwell murdered him and then killed himself. His work includes Entertaining Mr Sloane, Loot and What The Butler Saw.

Rough Haired Pointer's past work includes The Diary Of A Nobody (White Bear and King's Head Theatres), The Boy Who Cried (The Hope & Tabard Theatres) and The Young Visiters (The Hen and Chickens). Their work combines visual originality, precisely crafted staging and headlong action. Mary Franklin, 24, is a graduate of the King's Head Theatre Trainee Director Scheme, Artistic Director of Rough Haired Pointer and Resident Director of The Hope Theatre.

Fred & Madge is the final production at The Hope Theatre under founding Artistic Director Adam Spreadbury-Maher ahead of Matthew Parker taking over the venue in October.

FRED & MADGE By Joe Orton

The Hope Theatre 207 Upper Street London N1 1RL

Press night: Friday 19 September at 7.30pm

15th September - 18 October

Monday - Saturday 7.30pm Matinee 18 October 2.30

Previews: 15, 16, 17 September all seats £10

Tickets £13 - £16 Box Office | 020 7226 4443

www.thehopetheatre.com