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Preview by Jack Foley
PERFECT Mayhem and The Windchill Factor are currently presenting
the UK premier production of Risk Everything, by George
F Walker, at the Old Red Lion, in Islington.
This is the final instalment of the highly successful series,
called Suburban Motel; a collection of six plays which all take
place in the same seedy motel room, in urban Canada.
The first play of the series was successfully produced at the
New End Theatre, in November 2003, where it received critical
acclaim.
Risk Everything continues the plight of Denise and RJ,
a recovering junkie and reality TV addict, as they try, unsuccessfully,
to live life on the straight and narrow.
Carol, Denise's mother, a hardened gambling addict, pulls them
back into the seedy world of loan-sharks, murder and mayhem, while
along for the ride is Michael, an 'innocent' bystander, and wanna-be
porn-king.
In 1997, Suburban Motel premiered, in Canada, under Walker's
direction, at Factory Theatre, Toronto, and in New York, at Rattlestick
Productions.
Selected plays from the series are in production in the US and
the UK and all six plays will have productions at the Schaubühne,
in Germany, starting October 2004.
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This is the UK first production of the show.
George F Walker is one of Canada's most prolific and widely-produced
playwrights.
He has received nine Chalmers Awards, five Dora Awards, and two
Governor General's Awards. Productions of his work have met with
critical success in hundreds of productions worldwide; many of
his plays have been translated into German, French, Hebrew, Turkish,
Polish, Portugese and Czech.
Risk Everything runs at the Old Red Lion, in Islington, until
May 8, from Tuesday to Sunday.
Tickets are £9, and £6.50 for concessions. On Sunday,
May 2 a 'pay-what-you-can' performance is taking place.
About Perfect Mayhem
Perfect Mayhem is a collective of North American and European
writers, directors, designers, actors and supporters committed
to presenting plays with high production values and low budgets.
Drawing on its international interests and insights, Perfect
Mayhem is a platform for those not content with bemoaning the
state of British theatre, or their own unemployment, but who have
the nerve to step up to the plate, risk everything and make their
own work - whatever the mayhem that ensues.
About The Windchill Factor
Founded in July 2003, by two ex-pat Canadians, Colin Williams
and Chris MacNeil, The Windchill Factor is quickly establishing
itself as the central point for all Canadian related performing
arts initiatives in the UK.
A pan-Atlantic organisation, The Windchill Factor is developing
a series of programs to enable artists in Canada and the UK to
explore and learn about the cultural differences of their respective
countries.
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