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Look Back in Anger

Performance Dates - 29/01/09 - 31/01/09

John Osborne's Modern Classic

After great success performing Jim Cartwright's Two, young theatre producer Alex Farrell is back with an excellent new cast of young actors to perform Look Back in Anger by celebrated playwright John Osborne in January. The talented cast range in ages from 14 to 18, and are ready to prove themselves as serious actors, undertaking a monumental challenge in performing this revolutionary play on the fantastic Old Joint Stock stage.

Look Back in Anger is a landmark play in British literature. It presents post-war youth as it really was, and follows the original angry young man, Jimmy Porter, in his quest for an escape route from normality. When first performed in the West End in 1956, Kenneth Tynan famously wrote, "I could not love anyone who did not wish to see Look Back in Anger," and ever since, the blackly comedic and often touching slice-of-life drama has been recognised and performed all over the world.

Don't let the youth and apparent inexperience of the cast fool you into thinking this will be a stage-school-type production. Most of the cast have been trained at Birmingham Stage School Showbiz, run by local performer and producer Ian Sandy, taught by tutors who have graduated from the Birmingham School of Acting. They have all been in large-scale productions, including playing on stages such as the Alexandra Theatre, and Birmingham Hippodrome Patrick Centre to name just a couple, and four of the cast have actually appeared on the OJST stage before!

Alex Farrell is the producer and director, as well as taking on the role of Cliff in this production. Last year he sought about setting up his own theatre company at the age of just 17, and successfully produced and starred in Jim Cartwright's Two. This time, he has taken on an even bigger challenge, but is confident he will exceed expectations. "The cast I have assembled are some of the finest young actors I have ever seen, not alone had the pleasure of working with. They are hard-working and dedicated, and are keen to show the acting world what they are made of, despite being in such an early stage in their careers.

"I am hoping to attract a lot of younger people to watch Look Back in Anger, as I myself am studying it in Upper Sixth at Twycross House School. I find it extremely beneficial to go out and watch the plays I am studying, to try and visualise it being performed in many different ways, and I hope that our interpretation of this ground-breaking 'kitchen sink drama' can help in some way, as well as providing some entertainment!"

Alex has previously performed at the OJST as Joey in Road, as well as most recently being Edna in Hairspray at the Alexandra Theatre. He is also rehearsing for his role as Idle Jack in Dick Whittington at the Tamworth Assembly Rooms over the Christmas period.

Joining Alex in this young cast, 18 year old Luke Beard will assume the extremely demanding and challenging role of Jimmy Porter. Currently studying A Level Drama and Theatre Studies at Stratford College, Luke is an experienced actor and member of the National Youth Theatre, and is relishing the opportunity to play such a coveted role: “Jimmy’s a difficult one to play, but it’s so rewarding when you get it right, and hopefully the rest of the cast and I will do just that.” Luke is also working on a production of “Grease” with the BSS Showbiz group, in which he will play the character of Kenickie, proving just how versatile and promising a young actor he is. The oldest of the five cast members, Luke soon hopes to attend the Guildhall School of Performing Arts and become a professional actor.

Alison Porter will be played the youngest member of the cast, Lauren O'Neill, but what this bright and enthusiastic actress lacks in age, she makes up for in talent, passion and intelligence. Lauren has been performing since the age of six, but has recently matured and come into her own. Her latest role was the lead in Wicked at the Alexandra Theatre, where she played Elphaba. Previously at the OJST, alongside Alex in Road, she played both Helen and Molly, and is currently working on the role of Jan in Grease, to be staged at the Birmingham Hippodrome in November. Among many other things, Lauren is also an active public speaker and has been involved in a nationwide competition for young orators run by the BBC. She is looking forward to being involved in such an exciting production and performing on the Old Joint Stock stage again and hopes to do justice to such an iconic role.