Leading television and stage actress Michelle Collins is to be joined by newly announced cast member Joe Coen (Bad Jews) for the World Premiere of A Dark Night in Dalston. Penned by award-winning writer Stewart Permutt, this funny and touching play follows a fateful evening when an assault brings two Londoners together from different communities.
A Dark Night in Dalston sees director Tim Stark return to Park Theatre, following 2014’s highly acclaimed Jonah and Otto by Robert Holman: “Robert Holman’s luminously beautiful and uplifting two-hander receives its London premiere in Tim Stark’s cumulatively mesmeric production.” **** – Paul Taylor, The Independent
It’s Friday evening on a council estate in Dalston. Gideon, a young, observant Jewish man from the other side of town is attacked. The warm-hearted and quirky Gina insists on protecting him in her flat. As Gideon recovers, dusk falls and Sabbath begins, meaning no strictly observant Jew can travel by any form of transport. Gideon is intrigued and beguiled by Gina and, as the night draws in, temptation and passions rise while Gina’s husband Billy lies bedbound next door. One night, one secret. What will these two lonely Londoners have to face in the morning?
Michelle Collins says: “I love theatre, but upon returning to it after a long time in TV I found that there were a real lack of roles for working class women of a certain age. I therefore took the decision to be proactive and work with a great playwright to create an interesting and textured part. The play’s principal themes focus on loneliness and loss of community, which I believe increasingly affects a lot of people in this country. I’m especially excited about performing this play at Park Theatre, as I grew up in Islington and this is where my roots are.”
A Dark Night in Dalston will also feature PARK90’s first ever captioned performance on Wednesday 29th March at 7.45pm. For the first time ever, Park Theatre is offering an access performance programmed for every production in its current season.
Michelle Collins is an accomplished actress on stage and screen. She has appeared in both EastEnders and Coronation Street, 2000 Acres of Sky, The Illustrated Mum and Miss Marple to name a few. Her theatre credits include Rattle of a Simple Man (Comedy Theatre), The Glass Supper (Hampstead Theatre) and more recently Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (UK Tour), Kindertransport (Chickenshed, London) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (UK Tour).
Joe Coen’s theatre credits include: Bad Jews (Arts Theatre, West End, St James Theatre and Ustinov Studio Bath); The Mighty Walzer (Royal Exchange Manchester); The Rubenstein Kiss (Nottingham Playhouse); Edward II (Royal Exchange Manchester); The Black Diamond (Punchdrunk) and Birdsong (West End original cast). His screen credits include Son Of God (20th Century Fox/Hearst Entertainment); City Rats (Facefilms); The Lost Honour Of Christopher Jefferies (ITV/NBC) and Da Vinci’s Demons (Starz/BBC Worldwide).
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