by Samuel D.Hunter
26 April – 2 June 2018
Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath
In a small town on the outskirts of Mormon Country, Idaho, Charlie, a reclusive online writing instructor, lives marooned on a couch. Weighing in at six hundred pounds, he is slowly eating himself to death.
But redemption may be within reach as he tries to reconnect with his sharp-tongued daughter, estranged from him for 15 years. A conveyor belt of visitors – welcome and otherwise – move through his living room, from his friend and nurse Liz, the sister of his deceased boyfriend, to Elder Thomas, a hopeful young missionary and Mary, his ex-wife. Can any of them help him to see a future?
The Whale, an Off Broadway smash hit, is the huge-hearted and fiercely funny story of a father’s final chance at salvation, and of finding hope and beauty in the most unexpected places.
Cast
Shuler Hensley – Charlie
Ruth Gemmell – Liz
Oscar Batterham – Elder Thomas
Rosie Sheehy – Ellie
Teresa Banham – Mary
Creatives
Laurence Boswell - Director
Tim Shortall - Designer
Ben Ormerod - Lighting Designer
Jon Nicholls - Composer & Sound Designer
Ginny Schiller - Casting
★★★★★
"Shuler Hensley is SUPERB … In an exceptionally strong cast, Rosie Sheehy is a knockout … Sheehy is one of the finds of the year"
The Observer
★★★★
"A little beauty of a drama…Laurence Boswell’s sharp, sympathetic production. Shuler Hensley is OUTSTANDING"
The Times
★★★★
"A SUPERB performance by Shuler Hensley … utterly plausible"
The Sunday Times
★★★★★
"It’s the depths of passion in the text and masterclass in performance that holds you spellbound … it knocked the stuffing out of me. UNMISSABLE"
WhatsOnStage