THE BROWNING VERSION to Open at Jericho Arts Centre

Following in their tradition of presenting the classics - Priestley's An Inspector Calls, Pinter's No Man's Land, and Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard and 'Troika' - The Smoking Gun Collective will present The Browning Version, a Masterpiece by Terence Rattigan, directed by William B. Davis. Performances will run October 31 to November 15 at Jericho Arts Centre.

SYNOPSIS

The play is set in an English boarding school shortly after the second world war. In this, his second last day at the school, a brilliant scholar and unsuccessful teacher is forced to confront the failures of both his personal and professional lives. Something totally unexpected happens to give him a new sense of purpose and meaning. A tightly focused drama that is surprising in its apparent simplicity.

THE CAST

This production brings together well-known actors of The Smoking Gun Collective: Jack Rigg, Chris Walters, John Prowse. And new to the team, Lucia Frangione, Kamil Whaley-Kalaora, Carter Dallman, and Zoe Salvin.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR

William B. Davis' directing career spans decades, from directing Donald Sutherland in Two for the Seesaw at the Chesterfield Rep in England, Brian Cox in A Man for All Seasons at the Dundee Rep in Scotland in the early sixties to assistant directing Albert Finney and Maggie Smith at The National Theatre of Great Britain. He has directed well over 150 plays in various theatres across Canada, the UK, and the US. His most recent plays include An Inspector Calls (2017), The Cherry Orchard (2018) at Jericho Arts Centre, Homeward Bound (2017) and No Man's Land (2022) at PAL Theatre; and the most recent 'Troika': 3 short comedies by Chekhov (2023) at Jericho Arts Centre. Of course, he has done a little acting on the way as well.

THE CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION TEAM

Directed by William B. Davis. Executive Producer, Sound & Graphic Designer: Emmanuelle Davis.

Producer, Set & Props Designer: Linda Begg. Costumes Designer: Julie White. Stage Manager: Jessica Kwon. Assistant Stage Manager: Hailey Gil. Technical Director and Light Designer: Phil Miguel.

DEEPER INTO THE PLAY

Set in the constrained landscape of Britain, just after the second world war, Terence Rattigan's masterpiece, The Browning Version, reveals a deeply buried humanity within the rigid embrace of an English boys' school.

Andrew Crocker-Harris, a classically brilliant scholar but unsuccessful teacher is forced by ill health to leave his secure position for a low paying reform school. Caught in a loveless marriage with his younger, vibrant wife, he faces a bleak future. The seemingly mild-mannered Crocker-Harris is mocked by his colleagues and nicknamed by his pupils, "the Crock', for being strict, stern and humourless. And yet, on his second last day of term, his life is turned upside down.

While Aeschylus' tragedy Agamemnon lurks in the background, Crocker-Harris' life will change forever. A series of shocks, both good and bad, assault him through the course of this short play. How he reacts is a surprise to all, perhaps most notably his wife.

Rattigan's The Browning Version is a shining example of the well-made British plays of the mid-20th century that are only recently being given the attention they deserve, after having been overshadowed by the cultural revolution of the sixties, the Osbornes, the Pinters and others.