The Menier Chocolate Factory in South London has announced its Autumn 2022 and Winter 2023, including a new Terry Johnson play, the New York transfer of Alex Edelman’s show, and Jordan Harrison’s Pulitzer Prize finalist.
The popular venue, which has seen a number of shows transfer into the West End and on to Broadway, has been closed for maintenance.
Highlights of the new season include a new play from Terry Johnson (Dead Funny, Mrs Henderson Presents) called The Sex Party, playing from 4 November 2022 to 7 January 2023. The play sees four couples gather in a suburban London home for an evening of wine, cheese, and more intimate pleasures. Some are curious, some are more familiar, and one is rather unexpected! Directed by Johnson, the comedy has design by Tim Shortall, lighting by Ben Ormerod and sound by John Leonard.
In 2023, the year will kick off with US writer and comedian Alex Edelman’s Alex Edelman: Just For Us, recounting hilarious tales from his life, including the frightening story of his covert attendance at a gathering of White Nationalists in New York, after receiving a string of anti-Semitic abuse.
The production reunites Edelman with director Adam Brace, and was originally presented in New York, where it received 2022 Drama Desk, Off-Broadway Alliance and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations. The show runs from 11 January to 26 February 2023.
The season ends with the UK premiere of Marjorie Prime by Jordan Harrison, his 2015 play that was a Pulitzer Prize finalist.
The play is set in the age of artificial intelligence, and 85-year-old Marjorie — a jumble of disparate, fading memories — has a handsome new companion who’s programmed to feed the story of her life back to her. What would we remember, and what would we forget, if given the chance?
Marjorie Prime is directed by Dominic Dromgoole, and runs at the Menier from 9 March to 6 May 2023.
David Babani, Artistic director of the Menier Chocolate Factory, said in statement: “After our first dark period in 18 years of production whilst the venue underwent necessary maintenance work, we are thrilled to announce our new season of work with the world première of a new play by Terry Johnson, Alex Edelman’s smash hit comedy show Just For Us, and completing the season at our home base is the UK première of Jordan Harrison’s Marjorie Prime, directed by Dominic Dromgoole. In addition, the Menier will be co-producing work in New York and Japan, continuing the company’s long association with the works of Stephen Sondheim with productions of Merrily We Roll Along and Pacific Overtures. It’s a busy season for the company, and we look forward to sharing further plans for 2023 with you shortly.”
The Menier is also co-producing two shows away from their London base: Stephen Sondheim’s Merrily We Roll Along starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, and directed by Maria Friedman, will play at New York Theatre from 21 November 2022 to 21 January 2023.
Also, Stephen Sondheim’s Pacific Overtures, directed by Matthew White, will be a co-production with Umeda Arts Theater in Japan, and play in Tokyo and Osaka before heading to London in 2023.
More about Alex Edelman: Just for Us
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">
">