First performed at the Dublin Theatre Festival in 2017, CLASS by Iseult Golden and David Horan opens at the Bush Theatre, London on 7 May (press night 9 May).
CLASS is the story of a parent-teacher meeting that flies off the rails. This award-winning show looks at the plight of teachers on the frontline and the pressures of modern masculinity. Funny and beautifully observed, the play had a sold-out run at the Abbey Theatre and won a Fringe First Award at Edinburgh. CLASS is new Irish writing at its finest.
‘God. I hate classrooms. Give me the heebie-jeebies. Even still’
Brian and Donna’s son, Jayden, is nine years old and he’s struggling. That’s what his teacher says. Mr McCafferty thinks Jayden should see a psychologist. But Brian and Donna never liked school, never liked teachers.
So, are they going to trust this one?
And should they?
CLASS is a “hugely entertaining” (Irish Times) and “emotionally explosive” (Mail on Sunday) confrontation over learning difficulties, love and entitlement.
Iseult Golden is an actor, writer and director. Writing work includes: The Roy Rap for the Little Roy Series (Jam Media / CBBC), The Importance of Being Whatever (IFTA Winner 2012) and Belonging to Laura (an adaptation of Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde) for Accomplice Television/TV3 (IFTA Nomination 2009), and Fireworks, a one-act play for Tall Tales Theatre Company (published as part of the collection TXTs). Directing highlights include: Connected by Will Irvine and Karl Quinn (Fringe/Project Arts Centre), Payback by Marion O’Dwyer and Maria McDermottroe, Mangan’s Last Gasp by Gerard Lee and Buridan’s Ass by SR Plant (Bewley’s Cafe Theatre). Iseult also teaches at the Lir Academy of Dramatic Art.
David Horan is a theatre director and writer, Artistic Director of Bewley’s Café Theatre and a core Acting Tutor at the Lir National Academy. Directing highlights include: Beowulf: the Blockbuster by Bryan Burroughs, These Halcyon Days by Deirdre Kinahan (Edinburgh Fringe First Winner), Moment by Deirdre Kinahan (Bush Theatre, London), Moll by John B Keane (Gaiety, MCD/Verdant Productions), Pineapple by Phillip McMahon (Calipo/DTF), Hue and Cry by Deirdre Kinahan (IAC New York Times Critics Pick, Bewleys), Macbeth and Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel (Second Age), In The Next Room by Sarah Ruhl and Three Winters by Tena Stivicic (Lir Academy) and the award-winning Tick my Box! (Inis Theatre) among others.
Stephen Jones is from Tallaght and is a graduate of UCD. His notable theatre credits include Ulysses (Abbey Theatre), Druid Murphy: Plays by Tom Murphy (Druid Theatre Company), Maz & Bricks (Fishamble), Dubliners (Corn Exchange) at the Dublin Theatre Festival, Alone it Stands (Verdant Productions), Stones in his Pockets (Pat Moylan/Jamie Wilson Productions), Are you there Garth? It’s me Margaret (Gaiety Theatre), the leading role of Keano in the hit comedy musical I Keano at the Olympia Theatre, This Lime Tree Bower (Eoin Kilkenny Productions), Danny and Chantelle: Still here (Red Bear), From Eden (Awake & Sing Productions) and the role of Thomas MacDonagh in Signatories (Verdant Productions/UCD) which played at Kilmainham Gaol during the 1916 centenary celebrations before moving to the Olympia Theatre, Dublin. Film credits include Dublin Oldschool (Warrior Films/Element Pictures), Between the Canals (Avalon Productions), King of the Travellers (Vico Films) and Scratch (Warrior Films). Television credits include: Love/Hate, Nowhere Fast, Amber, Pheasant Island and Damo & Ivor (all for RTÉ), Ripper Street (BBC), Into the Badlands (AMC), The Bloody Irish (PBS) and Red Rock (TV3/BBC) in the recurring leading role of gangster Francis ‘Laser’ Byrne. Stephen is also a playwright. His play From Eden was the winner of the Stewart Parker Trust/BBC Northern Ireland Radio Drama Award. It received second prize at the UK International Radio Drama Festival at Herne Bay. It has also been shortlisted for the Grand Prix Nova in Bucharest. His play A Certain Romance was a ‘Druid Debut’ with Druid Theatre Company at the Galway Arts Festival in 2008.
Sarah Morris is a recent graduate of the Lir Academy. Theatre work includes: CLASS (Dublin Theatre Festival), Tina’s Idea of Fun (Abbey Theatre), The Bells Of (Theatre Upstairs), Lady Play (Scene and Heard Festival) and King Lear (Second Age Theatre Company). Lir Academy productions include: Tarry Flynn, The Living Quarters and Pornography. Television work includes: Inspector Jury (Octagon Films for ZDF). Sarah is next to appear in The Lost O’Casey (Anú Productions/Abbey Theatre).
Will O’Connell is a graduate of the Samuel Beckett Centre, Trinity College Dublin. He is Associate Artist with The Stomach Box theatre company and has performed in all their works to date, Amnon and Tamar, A Season in Hell and No Worst There Is None (Best Production 2009 Irish Times Theatre Awards). Other recent theatre includes, Swansong (Kilkenny Arts Festival), Luck Just Kissed You Hello (HotForTheatre/GIAF/Dublin Theatre Festival), Mother You (Dublin Fringe/Louise White), Way to Heaven (Rough Magic Seeds), Peer Gynt (Rough Magic/Dublin Theatre Festival), Moment and Hue and Cry (Tall Tales), Caligula (Rough Magic Seeds/Dublin Theatre Festival), Macbeth, King Lear and Hamlet (Second Age), The Hairy Ape (Corcadorca), Life Is A Dream (Rough Magic) and Julius Caesar (Abbey Theatre). Recent work for film and television includes Little Women (BBC/Playground), Detainment (Twelve Media), Out of Innocence (Defiant Films/Telegael), Red Rock (Element/TV3), Moonfleet (Sky), Game of Thrones (HBO) and Parked (Grand Pictures). In addition to his acting, Will also works as a musician, singer and voiceover artist.
CLASS is supported by Culture Ireland.
Iseult Golden and David Horan in association with the Abbey Theatre and Bush Theatre present CLASS
Written and directed by Iseult Golden and David Horan
Set and Costume Design by Maree Kearns
Lighting Design by Kevin Smith
Sound Design by Ivan Birthistle and Vincent Doherty
Cast – Stephen Jones, Sarah Morris and Will O’Connell
Performances
7 May - 1 June 2019 at 7.30pm (9 May at 7pm)
Sat matinee 11, 18, & 25 May and 1 June at 2.30pm
Wed matinee 15, 22, 29 May at 2.30pm
Audio Described performance – Sat 18 May at 2.30pm
Captioned performance – Thu 23 May at 7.30pm
Post Show Q&A following the performance on Thu 16 May. Ask the cast and creatives about the performance of CLASS after the show. Free to ticket holders on the night.
Search & buy tickets below.
