Performance

Venue	Pleasance
	Other spaces: Stage Space
Town	Inner London
County	Greater London
From	12th April 2000
To	21st May 2000
When	20:00, Sun Mats 17:30. No performance on 21/23 April.
What is currently on at Pleasance (V276)

The John Wayne Principle

T01070120431
"Shoot first - ask questions later" - the "John Wayne" principle on which Robbie's father ran his multi-million dollar corporation in Sydney until a botched suicide attempt leaves him alive but comatose. Robbie, the son who turned his back on the family business to become a house-husband in the remotest part of Queensland is given an ultimatum: if Robbie can prove he can run the corporation for a year, he gets half his father's fortune. Can idealist Robbie run a multi-national business with his morality and integrity intact? Or will he become as corrupt and heartless as the snake-like guys in suits that are all desperate to get their hands on his inheritance?

Author

Tony McNamara

Archive :: production:T01070120431, play:S2057055242, venue:V276

Production details

Reviews

Overall: 4.00

Time Out (11Jan01): In McNamara s absorbing exploration of the incompatibility of big business and principles, Robbie inherits his father s company in the ruthless entrepreneur s suicide note. Robbie and sister Serena are beefily written: she has the metaphorical balls and yet he gets the company because he has them physically. Stafford Ellson is an exquisite character: smarmy, arrogant and oblivious to his own ridiculousness. [Alan Westaway], [Sally Bourne] and [Nicholas Rowe] gnaw fascinatingly at the roles. Director [Patrick Sandford] s light touch keeps the play s seriousness on simmer until the unexpected ending brings it to the boil. 4

The Times (11Jan01): A slight but enjoyable romp through the carnivorous world of corporate executives. The engaging cast of [Patrick Sandford] s neatly staged production clearly relish their spiky dialogue. There are some nice turns from [Sally Bourne] as the career-minded Serena, [Nicholas Rowe] as the scheming Stafford, [Lucinda Cowden] as both Stafford s simpering wife and a slutty secretary, and [Priyanga Elan] as the cool but questioning Jenny. [Alan Westaway] turns Robbie into an immensely likeable central figure, so Robbie s embrace of the ruthless values he once rejected, in a brutal face-off with Stafford, is quite shocking. 4

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Company

Company	Nuffield Theatre Company
Director	Patrick Sandford
Design	Ti Green
Performer	Sally Bourne
Performer	Lucinda Cowden
Performer	Priyanga Elan
Performer	David Henry
Performer	Roger Leach
Performer	Alan Westaway

CORONAVIRUS: All UK venues closed on 16th March 2020, restrictions were lifted on 19th July 2021. Please note that iUKTDb archive listings between March 2020 and July 2021 may not be accurate as we did not receive details of all rescheduled and cancelled shows.