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Deserted in childhood by their father and the death of their mother, two orphaned brothers find themselves neglected and forgotten living in a decrepit house in North Philadelphia. Surviving as a pickpocket, the ruthless and violent Treat provides for his naïve and feral younger brother Philip; keeping him sealed off from the world, encased in an eternal childhood filled with Errol Flynn movies and Hellman’s mayonnaise.
Upping his game, one night Treat kidnaps wealthy Chicagoan Harold. With motives of his own, this charming and mysterious man adopts the boys, becoming the father they never had. Harold soon stirs tensions between the two brothers, changing forever the delicate power balance of their relationship.
Visceral and violent, hilarious and heart breaking; Orphans is a beautifully moving story about the void left by abandonment.
An international theatrical triumph, this is a story that will stay with you long after the curtain falls.
Reviews on Sus:
★★★★★ One Stop Arts – ‘It resonates on every level.’
★★★★ WhatsOnStage – ‘A powerful piece: tersely directed… brutally acted’
★★★★ Fourth Wall – ‘Unbearably moving…’
★★★★ Eveything Theatre – ‘Physically shaken by the experience’
★★★★ Jonathan Baz – ‘Demonstrates the excellence to be found on London’s fringe…’Reviews on My Girl 2:
★★★★★ Irish World – ‘A revelation’
★★★★ Michael Coveney, WhatsOnStage – ‘Takes you by surprise in sudden jolts of violence’
★★★★ Jonathan Baz – ‘Brilliant, harrowing and often unbearable to watch…’ -
“…the funniest tragedy in town.” The Reviews Hub
“twisty and funny” The Stage
“…makes for some bleakly comic moments…” WhatsOnStage.com
“…both brutal and heartbreaking, full of intense emotion from beginning to end…” Bargain Theatreland
“Sensitively directed by Paul Tomlinson, this production takes us through a rollercoaster of emotions and benefits from Lyle Kessler’s witty and intelligent text.” UK Theatre Network
“This production is another fascinating revival at a venue that is unafraid to challenge its public with shows that might not leap off the page in preview descriptions but which work beautifully on stage. This is classy stuff, as fresh now as it was 33 years ago in Los Angeles – and pretty much what fringe theatre is for.” Broadway World
“Orphans has had top class productions on Broadway, in the West End and across the World, but it seems a fair bet that this small revival on the London fringe could stand proudly alongside any of them.” The Reviews Hub
“The stark setting forces you to focus on the material itself, which is both brutal and heartbreaking, full of intense emotion from beginning to end, but not without comedic moments. The small cast delivers Kessler’s dialogue with commitment and conviction, making for an engaging experience…” Bargain Theatreland
“This production is worth seeing for Mitchell Mullen’s performance alone.” UK Theatre Network
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Creative Team
Director
Paul TomlinsonProducer
Kirsty FoxAssociate Producer
Evelyn CampbellDesigner
Gina Rose LeeLighting Designer
Amy MaeSound Designer
Philip MatejtschukProduction Manager
Bonnie PooleStage Manager
Michaela CervenakovaCast
Treat
Alexander NealPhilip
Chris PybusHarold
Mitchell Mullen -
Rehearsal Photos
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