Reverend Theatre’s new double bill of two one act plays, Nerve and Jekyll & Hyde, both written by Charlie Howitt, are two distinct but interwoven plays set within the same apartment block. Pertinently, they both explore morality in contemporary Britain. This double bill embarks on an exciting UK tour in Autumn.
Nerve follows a disparate group of people as they work to find their own authenticity. Sam edges closer to her magnetic new housemate Danny, inspired by his bold, decisive approach to life. But, after a violent dispute with their neighbour, she is left struggling to locate her moral centre. Her best friend, Tess, is overwhelmed by anxiety as she approaches the 24th week of her pregnancy. While, local policeman Greg is too lost trying to rekindle his relationship with his ex-wife to notice that their neighbour from Flat B is missing.
Inspired by the Gothic novella by Robert Louis Stevenson, Reverend Theatre’s Jekyll & Hyde blurs the lines between good and evil, insane imaginings and real life monsters. Brilliant surgeon Ellie Jekyll is feeling the strain of caring for her terminally ill brother. Luckily, a newfound friendship with her neighbour proves to be just what the doctor ordered. But, when a young girl dies unexpectedly during surgery, Jekyll’s world begins to unravel around her.
Howitt comments, ‘my ambition was to write without any moralising agenda, so as to empower an audience to make up their own minds about the contemporary issues presented in the plays. It’s even more important to me that these stories be told from a female perspective. I am so excited to have these stories (and the complex female characters driving them) touring this autumn. These two original plays focus on everyday people pushed to their limits. Prompting questions about our ethical values in the UK, each play enhances the experience of the other, highlighting the thematic subtleties, with passion, honesty and humour.’
Reverend Productions is an official supported company of the Greenwich Theatre – find out more here.