ANDY JORDAN PRODUCTIONS |
Andy Jordan Productions (AJP) was founded in 2000 by Andy Jordan, a highly experienced director and producer in theatre, television and radio drama. It evolved from Bristol Express a renowned theatre company established by Andy Jordan.
AJP began by presenting the world premiere of Picasso’s Women by Brian McAvera, a cycle of eight one woman dramatic monologues about the women in Picasso’s life. Starring Susannah York, Toyah Willcox and Josie Lawrence, Picasso’s Women was a huge success at the Edinburgh Festival 2000. In 2002 we presented a tour of Picasso’s Women starring Jerry Hall, Frances Tomelty, Cherie Lunghi and Gwen Taylor in association with The Ambassador Theatre Group, one of the leading West End managements and theatre owners.
Past Productions
COPS by Tony Tortora
Southwark Playhouse - 15 January to 1 February 2019Chicago. 1957. Four cops, different ages, classes and races, all living a lie and mired in mutual suspicion, have to grab a gangster-turned-state-witness before the Mob can get him...
Find out more here
INSIDE YERMA
by FEDERICO GARCIA LORCA
2008 Edinburgh Festival at The Pleasance QueenDome Theatre.A ravishing and radical production of Lorca’s masterpiece, re-imagined as an intensely sensuous visual and movement experience, built around an contemporary flamenco musical soundtrack written and performed by Italian DJ and MC, Papaceccio.
Andy Jordan Productions Ltd and Teatro dei Borgia/Compagnia delle Formiche (Italy) presented Federico Garcia Lorca’s masterpiece Yerma, directed by Gianpiero Borgia, designed by Guiseppe Avallone, music by Papaceccio, produced by Andy Jordan, with a cast of Italian actors including Daniele Nuccetelli and Christian di Domenico,
The production was featured in The Scotsman newspaper’s Best of the Fest, was in Mervyn Stutter’s Pick of the Fringe,
and was shortlisted for The Edinburgh International Festival Fringe Award.EDINBURGH REVIEWS
‘TALK about a ballsy casting decision….it comes as an almighty shock to see Yerma played by a man, (and not by) just any man, either, but by a particularly manly-looking one….Gradually, however, it all starts to make sense….this performance is a real tour de force, both nuanced and heartfelt….Director Gianpiero Borgia's big gamble pays off, then, but there's more to this production than his bold choice of leading lady….’ Roger Cox, The Scotsman * * * *
‘…invigorating energy and passion, rhythmic drumming and clapping, harmonised singing and precise, evocative movement creates the heat and fervour required to make the melodrama sizzle….a compelling imagined world around Yerma’s torment….A mesmerising vision of one woman’s torment.’ Greer Ogston, The List * * * *
‘...inspired ....a bare, black set is flooded with sounds – live drumming, rhythmic foot-stomping, rousing song – while the only props are a collection of white chairs that take turns as backpacks, umbrellas, babies and, most hauntingly, the rattling tombstones of the dead awoken by Yerma’s howling pleas....a mesmerising experience... The company’s heightened acting style...suits the passionate tenor of the piece perfectly.’ Nuala Calvi, The Stage‘An innovative new production….probably the only ‘straight’ play at this year’s Fringe that gives a starring role to a DJ….It’s a bold concept, and it works. It’s also a fairly out-there experience, even for the Fringe. Inside Yerma offers an intriguing and pleasantly surreal re-interpretation of a familiar story.’ Tom Crookston, Fest * * *
‘This was one of the most riveting productions I have ever seen….a real treat, and so well done….Go and see this very special production.’ Edfringe.com * * * * *
‘Fine acting by a strong cast and a fascinating play. The play's poetry and ambiguities intended by the author were well conveyed. Superficially the dilemna of the main character (woman? man?... did it matter?..) might seem dated today, but only if you took it too literally. The play works at deeper emotional levels. This gripping production should be seen in a larger theatre, in order to reach the audience it deserves.’ Edfringe.com * * * * *
‘You can love or hate this work. No compromises. Just as theatre should always be. I loved it.’ Edfringe.com * * * * *
WORLDS END
by Paul Sellar
A ferociously satirical, beautifully sad, and painfully funny study of love and lossTRAFALGAR STUDIOS FEBRUARY 20th – MARCH 8th, 2008.
Directed by Guy Retallack
Designed by Rachael Canning
Music/Sound by Richard Hammarton,
Lighting by Mark Dymock
Cast: Charlotte Lucas, Merryn Owen, Monica Bertei, Jamie Belman.WHAT THE PRESS SAID ABOUT WORLDS END in London
Jeremy Kingston in The Times found it "an intriguing new play with cracking dialogue and cunningly revealed character" concluding that the play, which he liked, "confirmed it's author’s growing reputation for chronicling the feel of 21st Century life". It wasn't for Robert Shore at Time Out who doesn't like "plays about writers. Especially not self pitying, prickly ones who don't actually write but rather sit about all day.. ", etc., etc.. Dominic Cavendish in The Telegraph liked the play and it was again Critics Choice and praised for it's very "Contemporary feel and relevance". The British Theatre Guide’s Philip Fisher had called it "One of the best new plays of the year" and Rivka Jacobson of the same publication also liked the play and in particular Merryn Owen’s "superb central performance" as Ben. The Stage also felt that Merryn Owen gave as "raw and powerful a performance as you're likely to see" and urged audiences to go both for the "powerful cathartic effect and the artistry with which it's achieved." Fiona Mountford in The Evening Standard was unequivocal when she "strongly advised anyone to take out 70 minutes to see this biting play about love" adding that "it's a delight to see so much that's right packed into such a short playing time". She felt that the play captured a "very 21st century relationship" and though she felt that "the couple may not last, the play certainly should!" And Lloyd Evans in The Spectator had this to say: “A bust up drama that won high praise in Edinburgh. The lead character is a clever, articulate loser with an anger problem. More succinctly, he's a failed writer. Girlfriend Kat, after five years shacked up with the skint doodler, has decided to move on and has bagged herself a smooth city type. But when Kat arrives to pick up her stuff from Ben's flat he decides to stick around. This simple set up unleashes a thrilling hour of drama. It's tender and vicious, realistic and poetic, very funny and horribly, horribly true….A harrowing treat, this show, for anyone who has been dumped or has done any dumping, and wants to revisit the slow motion agonies of a dying relationship. Or is it dying? The play ends with two unexpected, and quite brilliant twists that had me gasping in admiration. Guy Retallack's direction is exquisitely judged and Paul Sellar is a writer we can cherish." (Lloyd Evans Pick of The West End Worlds End - Trafalgar Studios).
AJP presented the world premiere of Worlds End at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival at The Pleasance Theatre (Queen Dome) with following cast and creative team:
Directed by Paul Robinson
Designed by Rachael Canning
Music/Sound by Richard Hammarton,
Lighting by Ben Pacey
Cast: Fiona Button, Merryn Owen, Monica Bertei, Jamie Belman.Worlds End - Edinburgh Festival 2007, Reviews and Recognition
One of Dominic Cavendish’s TOP TEN SHOWS in THE DAILY TELEGRAPH at the EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2007.
MERRYN OWEN - BEST ACTOR nominee for Worlds End, The STAGE AWARD FOR ACTING EXCELLENCE, Edinburgh Festival 2007 (“Merryn Owen gives as raw and powerful a performance as you are likely to see in Edinburgh this year.” Gerard Berkowitz, The Stage).
“Paul Sellar has written a wrenchingly honest, searing drama about a young couple going through an acrimonious break-up; it sounds pedestrian but the characterisation – which, Look Back in Anger-style, pits a biliously witty failing writer against a tender-hearted but thoroughly fed-up female – is bracingly detailed and has a clear, contemporary pulse of its own. Most of us have been there, at some time or other in our lives.” Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph, TOP TEN SHOWS AT THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL 2007
“One of the best new plays in Edinburgh this year….Paul Robinson's well-judged production is built around a fantastic performance from Merryn Owen….” Philip Fisher, British Theatre Guide * * * *“A masterfully executed production….compelling characters….a truly wonderful cast….you should go, both for its powerful cathartic effect and the artistry with which it is achieved.” Duska Radosavljevic, The Stage (Critics Choice)
“Is there no end to human beings being fascinated by themselves and their own relationships? Apparently not, and this is a particularly well-written example of the genre. I was gripped from start to finish. It’s a special piece of writing….especially well played by a strong cast, Ben (Merryn Owen)…and Kat (Fiona Button), a beautifully detailed and extraordinarily focused performance. Owen’s performance too is a real tour de force!....Paul Sellar’s play is as skilfully spoken and delivered as it has been written. Sad, humorous and totally believable.” Fringereview.co.uk * * * *
“Stoppardian in its verbosity but more caustic, Worlds End is about break-ups and breakdowns….The cast are strong; Merryn Owen and Fiona Button particularly compelling. Beautifully written and sometimes painful to watch, it's a study of worlds ending, a flat stripped bare, a man at the edge and a woman who won't pick up his pieces.” Susannah Radford, Three Weeks * * * *
“A heart-rending portrait of a relationship’s final moments…..Paul Sellar’s script is imbued with painful veracity….A decidedly uncomfortable dissection of trust and loss….” Nadine McBay, Metro (Critics Choice)
“Paul Sellar’s Worlds End at Pleasance Dome follows the breakdown of a relationship and is entirely convincing. It features an outstanding performance from Merryn Owen as the devastated Ben, a blocked writer whose world has collapsed following the loss of beautiful Kat.” Philip Fisher, Western Mail * * * *
2GRAVES
by Paul SellarWorld Premiere at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival (Pleasance Theatre) and in London’s West End at the Arts Theatre, November 1st – December 7th, 2006
Starring Jonathan Moore
Directed by Yvonne McDevitt (ex-Royal Court and National Theatre director)
Original music composed by Michael Nyman (Oscar-nominated for The Piano)
Designed by Kimie Nakano and Matthew Deeley (best known for their work with Peter Greenaway)
Sound Design by Kay Basson (from Complicite)Jonathan Moore gave a fierce and uncompromising portrayal of modern gansterism in Yvonne McDevitt’s stark and vivid production. Featuring original music from Oscar-nominated composer Michael Nyman
Jack Tops sets out to avenge those whom he believes are responsible for his father’s death, and in so doing life turns him from adoring son to hard bitten criminal condemned to forever re-live his own terrible violence.Critics Choice in Time Out, The Daily Mail, The Times, What’s On in London, Evening Standard, The Scotsman, Metro, SkinnyFest, Three Weeks, The List
2GRAVES @ Arts Theatre, 2006
LONDON (and EDINBURGH) REVIEWS
FIVE STARS & Critics Choice
"Genious... riveting drama... this stunning monologue is brilliantly, sensationally performed by Jonathan Moore"
WHAT’S ON IN LONDON - Patrick MarmionFOUR STARS & Critics Choice
"This surprising underworld shocker is always going to turn a few heads.
Engaging and rewarding"
TIME OUT - Jonathan GibbsFOUR STARS & Critics Choice
"Gripping... there's an almost Orestia-like magnificence to this revenge cycle which contains the year’s most bleakly beautiful lines"
EVENING STANDARD - Fiona Mountford
FOUR STARS & Critics Choice
"This is raw, blunt stuff. And it's absorbing too"
THE TIMES - Benedict NightingaleFOUR STARS
" A joy.. a blistering script.. a virtuoso performance. A bulls eye!"
THE DAILY EXPRESS - Sarah HemmingFOUR STARS
"Powerful... beautiful... This brave, bold drama holds us spellbound"
THE SUNDAY EXPRESS - Mark ShentonFOUR STARS
"A work of rare skill and intense artistry"
DAILY MAIL - Quentin Letts"Gives rise to humour and dramatic excitement. And it all proves unexpectedly compelling and distinctly Euripidean"
THE TELEGRAPH - Charles Spencer (Paper does not carry stars)"The Arts opens with a theatrical cracker... A rarity... a modern verse drama that works... Jonathan Moore is astonishing."
THE INDEPENDENT - Paul Taylor (Paper does not carry stars)"truly a rare piece of theatre. Intense, challenging and moving, everyone should see this play….Jack is played passionately by Jonathan Moore…he does so brilliantly and is mesmerising for every second of the eighty minute play….With skilful use of rhyme and repetition Paul Sellar has created a piece of modern day prose that is as beautiful and touching as it is honest and uncompromising. …2Graves should be held up as an example of what a play should be…one of the best pieces of theatre this year.” CANVAS – Samantha Beattie (Paper does not carry stars)
Edinburgh 2006 Reviews
FOUR STARS
The Scotsman - Critics ChoiceFOUR STARS
The List - Hit List
"This really is top flight stuff."FOUR STARS
Three Weeks – Critic’s Choice
“….clever, subtle, modern …An impressive, captivating performance by Jonathan Moore….Paul Sellar's tremendously adaptive verse… A cautionary tale on the dangers of revenge: more relevant today than ever.”FOUR STARS
Metro – Critic’s Choice
"Bristling with wordsmithian flair and poise... A gem of a piece."FOUR STARS
The Daily Mail – Critic’s Choice
"An ingenious offering... intense artistry... a work of rare skill.
I'd be amazed if this wasn't snapped up fast"SkinnyFest – Critic’s Choice
“Paul Sellar’s forceful script, exquisitely structured….Jonathan Moore’s remarkable performance… transfixing,ferocious, arresting theatre….”
ESCAPING HAMLET
Edinburgh Festival 2007 Underbelly Cow BarnAn international co-production between Andy Jordan Productions and Teatro dei Borgia (Italy), with a cast of Italian and British actors
By Natalia Capra
Directed by Gianpiero Borgia,
Produced by Andy Jordan
And in Italy at the Castel Dei Mondi Festival.The production starred the internationally acclaimed Italian prima ballerina Viviana Durante playing Gertrude, in her first dramatic role in a theatre play.
The rest of the company included Robert Reynolds as Claudius, Leandro D’Andrea, Annalisa Canfora, Alessandro Sciuoso, Antonello Taurino, Jessica Sedler, Charlie Palmer, Jonny Collis-Scurll, Maria Filograss and Elena Cotugno.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet as you have never seen it before…..
Shakespeare’s story and characters are placed in an imaginative and highly evocative world of dreams and comic fairytale. Like Pinnochio, who longs to become a human boy, Hamlet dreams of escaping his destiny as Prince of Denmark to become an actor. The post-modernist experience is played out to gorgeous theatrical effect in this beautiful, funny and thought-provoking meditation on destiny and duty.
A ravishing production of pure theatrical magic from the rising stars of Italian theatre, acclaimed director Gianpiero Borgia
and award-winning writer, Natalia Capra…..EDINBURGH 2007 REVIEWS AND RECOGNITION
TOTAL THEATRE AWARD NOMINATION
“Teatro Dei Borgia's riff on Shakespeare's most celebrated tragedy is a thing of heady, fearsome enchantment. Natalia Capra's script sets the action in a Denmark blighted by alcoholism and insanity, not so much rotten as putrid. Gianpiero Borgia’s direction is awash with magnificently haunting flourishes….a whimsical, tragic postmodern fairytale that thrusts Shakespeare's characters through the looking glass and into a terrifying, beautiful wonderland.” Andrzej Lukowski, Metro * * * *
“…a splendidly surreal script thrust right into Denmark’s rotten heart… brings new layers of meaning to the text….gloriously kitsch, packed with camp, this is surreal pantomime in the Italian tradition.” Tom Dibdin, The Stage – MUST SEE recommendation.
“This new play by Natalia Capra is a real treat for anyone who has ever been touched by the meditations on performance, acting and madness in Shakespeare’s great tragedy…The corruption and degradation at the heart of Denmark, which Hamlet is so unwilling to heal, is realised perfectly through its beautiful language and bold, colourful direction….a visually stunning production, convincingly portraying the world of Hamlet while simultaneously re-imagining it with great style and purpose…. moments of extraordinary power….funny, heartbreaking, wise, elegant, and complete.” Pete Cant, UKTheatre.net (Critics Choice)“A brave and imaginative exploration of one of Shakespeare's most complex plays.” Jo Caird, Edinburgh Evening News * * * *
“There is much to admire about this lavish production….has originality and breadth of vision…set in the heady netherland between the surreal world of dreams and a darkly macabre fairytale where debauchery and games play centre stage.” * * * Anna Millar, The Scotsman
TAMEKA EMPSON
The star of the hit comedy TV series 3 Non Blondes as
MARCIA BROWN – The Unsung Diva!
Edinburgh Festival 2007 Pleasance Dome
supported at the piano by WARREN WILLS and, subsequently, TOM SCOTT.TAMEKA EMPSON from the hit TV series 3 Non Blondes, the star of the film Beautiful Thing, and Olivier-nominated for the hit West End musicalThe Big Life, brought her hilarious Marcia Brown character to the stage. Always the backing singer, never the star – “Due to Diana Ross and that big wig!” - Marcia Brown is a diva desperately seeking an audience, and she wants you! NOW! Marcia Brown – The Unsung Diva! is a show bursting at its sequinned seams with outrageous comedy and chartbusting Motown hits.
EDINBURGH REVIEWS“The success of this daft karaoke-comedy show is all down to Empson's force of personality: this is a woman who could entertain an empty room….done with irresistible affection, Empson powers the whole show with multi-million-watt charisma.” Brian Logan, The Guardian (Critics Choice) * * * *
“There's no other way to describe this show than ‘fabulous’….Empson puts on a wonderful, highly amusing show…This 'Unsung Diva' is definitely worth singing about.” Three Weeks, * * * *“Brassiest act of the bunch this year is Tameka Empson - who's in character as "Marcia Brown", a hurricane-strength black American diva plugging her album "Always and Forever in Love, Vol 1"….She instantly has the whole audience wrapped around her beckoning finger.” Dominic Cavendish, The Telegraph (Critics Choice)
“Tameka Empson's parody of a fictional Motown singing star works a treat….very funny. Tameka Empson's portrayal of a larger than life personality is highly successful.” One4Review.com * * * *
LIES HAVE BEEN TOLD An Evening with Robert Maxwell
by Rod Beacham based on an idea by Philip York
Andy Jordan Productions and The Dale Djerassi Production Company
New End Theatre, London October – December 2005
Transferred to the Trafalgar Studios, London 10th January – 28th January 2006.
The production returned for a second West End season: June 20th – July 15th 2006
It then played an exceptionally successful season at the 2006 Edinburgh Festival, at the Pleasance QueenDome Theatre, August 4th – 28th.Starring PHILIP YORK
Directed by ALAN DOSSOR
Designed by MICHAEL TAYLOR
Lighting by TIM MASCALL.Was Robert Maxwell the monster he’s been painted or the victim of racism and snobbery? Let him try to persuade you of his point of view... If you can believe a word he says…!
On November 5th, 1991, Robert Maxwell disappeared overboard from his yacht in the Canary Islands. His body was later found floating in the ocean. The official verdict was accidental drowning, but commentators have suggested he committed suicide or was murdered. Soon after this investigators discovered he had misappropriated hundreds of millions of pounds from his companies and their pension plans to prop up his ailing empire. Ignoring the controversy surrounding his death, Maxwell was given a funeral in Israel that would have befitted a Head of State, and buried on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem.
STOP PRESS!!
The legendary Hollywood Film Producer Ed Pressman, Producer of Terrence Malick’s Badlands, Oliver Stone’sWall Street and American Psycho (amongst many others) has announced he will produce an American feature film based on Lies Have been Told, to be shot largely in the UK…….
REVIEWS for LIES HAVE BEEN TOLD
CRITICS CHOICE in Time Out, The Independent on Sunday, The Independent, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph, The Mail on Sunday, The Metro, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Guide, Three Weeks, etc.,
“…a bravura performance ….very funny script….a tremendous play!”
Andrew Burnet, The Scotsman * * * * * (5 stars) Critics Choice” ….a simply delightful piece of theatre….York totally captivates his audience for seventy-five magnificent minutes. ….Go see this show!”
Nathan Witts, Edinburgh Guide * * * * * (5 stars) Critics Choice
"Philip York’s performance is astonishingly brave….Rod Beacham's clever script….if you don't go, you'll miss the treat of the Festival.” Broadway Baby* * * * * (5 stars)”Philip York gives an outstanding performance …A masterpiece that keeps the audience engrossed to the last minute.” Three Weeks * * * * * (5 stars) Critics Choice
”…. a spellbinding performance…. a master class ….Highly recommended.”
The Metro * * * * (4 stars)
”…a truly astonishing performance from York will remain a memory for many years to come. ..” Steve Cramer, The List * * * * (4 stars)”… blackly comic and immensely enjoyable…..” Paul Taylor, The Independent
“Best show…an astonishing portrait of Robert Maxwell.”
Mark Aitken, The Daily Express“Performed brilliantly by Philip York…a classic example of the one man show genre.” The Guardian
“A spellbinding act of theatrical impersonation. A tour-de-force, Maxwell’s personality fills the auditorium. York conjures the very essence of the man in Alan Dossor’s spellbinding production” Charles Spencer, The Daily Telegraph * * * *
“Philip York plays him quite brilliantly. Puffed-up, arrogant, cunning, ambitious, hungry for everything, always in huge cartoonish proportions and proud of it, this is Maxwell from his own point of view. Highly recommended.” Georgina Brown, The Mail on Sunday * * * *
“The monster returns from the deep. Some 14 years after he died mysteriously at sea, Robert Maxwell or a spookily convincing version of him is back in London, roaring at minions, slamming telephones, boasting, burping and airily shrugging at his misdeeds.. a success… most striking.. near perfect” Quentin Letts, The Daily Mail * * * *
“Such treats are rare: see it if you get the chance!” What’s On
“Portrait of a megalomaniac…a study in hubris… strong stuff, powerfully performed.” Benedict Nightingale, The Times * * * *
“ Hugely enjoyable…. Riveting…..” Carol Woddis, The Herald * * * *
“Remarkably absorbing, compelling, hypnotic performance, exceptionally funny lines… a remarkable piece of theatre, not to be missed...” Peter Brown, London Theatre * * * *
“The beauty of this monologue is the extent to which it shows Maxwell as one who perpetuated his own mythology...” Claire Allfree, The Metro * * * *
“An evocative monologue alternately sinister and insinuating...” Mark Shenton, Sunday Express * * * *
“…one of the legendary villains of our time a cross between Richard III and a clown this fine night’s entertainment funny and truthful...” Andy McSmith, The Independent on Sunday
“Humorous as well as compelling, Rod Beacham’s script is delivered by a man whose impersonation of Maxwell is so accurate it is spooky. On stage, York is Robert Maxwell. It is a brilliant performance in a hugely entertaining show” Jeremy Austin, The Stage
“Philip York's superb solo performance as Robert Maxwell…an enlightening and entertaining evening with Robert Maxwell.” Rivka Jacobson, The British Theatreguide
“York is flawless as Maxwell…Beacham’s writing is excellent.” Michael Portillo, The New Statesman
ROSEBUD: The Lives of Orson Welles
Kings Head Theatre, 2005/6
By Mark Jenkins
Starring Christian McKay
Directed by Josh Richards
Co-produced with Steven Berkoff.“…a brilliant, stellar production." The Daily Telegraph
" ….at the end there wasn't a dry eye in the house." The Daily Mail
“Christian McKay is pitch perfect…” The Scotsman
" As the legend ran on the Citizen Kane poster: 'It's terrific!'" The List, (Critics' Choice)
”Mark Jenkins has done it all again….virtuoso writing delivered with virtuoso acting." Theatre Wales
” It is a thrilling Ferris wheel ride of an evening, hilarious and moving, beautifully written and acted with elegance and affection. Catch it if you can." Western Mail
"A grand tragedy." The Daily Mail
"This is a superlative production...a tour de force... and Christian McKay the solo performer in the piece is remarkable….. " The Edinburgh Guide
"Christian McKay produces a master-class performance, commanding a hypnotic presence as Orson Welles. " Three Weeks
TABOOS
New End Theatre, London, February 23rd – April 1st 2006
By Carl Djerassi
Directed by Andy Jordan
Starring Nicola Bryant and Jeremy Lindsay Taylor.“This is a MUST see play, by far one of the best performances I’ve seen, and another major triumph for everyone involved...” Marcela Olivares, IndieLONDON
”TABOOS is an excellent piece of work, multi-layered and intelligently written…a highly recommended night at the theatre.” Charlotte Cooper, Rainbow Network
”Entertaining and thought-provoking play.” Jennifer Rohn, LabLit
“Rugby ball theatre... there are exciting complications at every turn.”
Kieron Quirke, Time Out
”This thought provoking, hugely enjoyable play should not be missed.”
Judith M Steiner, Theatreworld Internet Magazine
PHALLACY
New End Theatre, London April 2005, transferring to Kings Head Theatre, May 2005
By Carl Djerassi
Directed by Andy Jordan
Starring Hamish Clark (Duncan in TV’s Monarch of the Glen), Chris Brazier (from TV’s Dream Team), Karen Archer, Lynette Edwards, Lucy Liemann, Josh Cohen, Jo Bending and Jack Klaff.“….clever….playful as well. …..Michael Taylor's beautiful set …..Andy Jordan’s fluid production in which characters move around each other, perhaps centuries apart, without causing confusion…..a mixture of farce and thriller…...” Heather Neill, WhatsonStage.com
“Andy Jordan’s lively, slick production brings out the best in the play….the cast’s energy and timing maximise the humour…..A tautly directed, well-acted, entertaining production of a thought-provoking play.” Melanie Branton, Theatreworld Magazine
“….an elegantly crafted drama about the conflicts of art and science…..bracingly acted by Karen Archer and Jack Klaff respectively.” Mark Shenton, Sunday Express
“The fascinating main issue is whether a work of art that is aesthetically pleasing, becomes more so the more ancient that we believe it is….this is intriguing and thought-provoking stuff, and very well acted.”
Julia Hickman, Theatreworld Internet Magazine“….a satirical black comedy…..a happily satisfying mix of broad humour and thought-provoking comment…..Director Andy Jordan keeps things bouncing along, and the cast…. are all first-rate.” Gerald Berkowitz, TheatreguideLondon
"Science and arts in stylish conflict….. strongly played characters in an entertaining and jocular relationship….witty and light-hearted.….Like Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia, Phallacy is cleverly staged…..”
Rachel Calton, Camden New Journal“Part detective story, part satire of academic infighting, the play rolls along enjoyably under Andy Jordan’s fluid direction, comfortably mixing broad comedy with thought-provoking debate.” Gerald Berkowitz, The Stage
“….Andy Jordan’s slick and expensive-looking production…..”
John Nathan, Jewish Chronicle“…..Michael Taylor's set would do a West End production proud….Karen Archer and Lucy Liemann both give strong performances, but the evening belongs to the two men - Jack Klaff and Hamish Clark….This is an unusual, light and enjoyable play…….recommended.”Paul Webb, Lastminute.com
“The latest of eminent chemist Carl Djerassi’s ‘science-in-theatre’ plays is an arts-versus-sciences detective yarn…..packed with fascinating scientific and art-historical facts….Andy Jordan’s production has some nice performances.” Robert Shore, Time Out
TALK ABOUT THE PASSION
by Graham Farrow.
New End Theatre, London September – October, 2004
Co-Production with New End Theatre and Arc Theatre, Stockton.
Directed by Darren Tunstall,
Designed by Michael Taylor.
Produced by Andy Jordan.
Starring Daniel Ainsleigh and Phillipa Peak.
CALCULUS by Carl Djerassi.
New End Theatre, London, July – August, 2004.
Directed by Andy Jordan
Designed by Michael Taylor
Starring David Gant, Lynette Edwards, Nick Wilton, Michael Fenner, Susan Sheridan, Roger May and John Kane"Calculus is brilliantly theatrical…...a well-structured plot…there's more than enough sparkling originality to keep an audience entertained…..this is daring stuff…a bold and stimulating drama whose style...is utterly unique." Helena Thompson, Ham & High
"Presented with fruity relish in Andy Jordan's engaging production, Calculus has an elaborate theatrical frame...." Paul Taylor, The Independent
"....amusing unravelling...a Restoration style comedy that brings on the stage the largest cast ever assembled at the New End Theatre....sumptously designed by Michael Taylor...the evening is carried off in triumphant style by the actors..." John Thaxter, What's On in London
"Calculus is entertaining and light-hearted, and gives an insight into scientists battling for recognition and reward….David Gant's portrayal of Newton is memorable, charismatic and formidable….Nick Wilton, who plays Abraham de Moivre, is hilarious...the play is energetic, fresh and amusing….." Nadia Abrahams, Camden New Journal
"Andy Jordan's production has much to recommend it, not least the playfully theatrical set design by Michael Taylor. There are imaginative flourishes throughout, in particular when Michael Fenner's Cibber and David Gant's Vanbrugh transform themselves into Leibniz and Newton…." Robert Shore, Time Out
"The entire cast was fantastic….David Gant is absolutely stunning as Sir John Vanbrugh….(and) Nick Wilton, as the loveable Abraham de Moivre, was just brilliant, he played the underprivelaged mathematician impeccably. The costuming was also superb….And the set, too, was very well done, as was the sound and lighting design…..All together, it made for a fantastic period piece……great entertainment!" Emma Whitelaw, indielondon.co.uk
"Carl Djerassi completes his Science in Theatre trilogy with this witty unravelling of the motives behind (the question): which came first - differential or integral calculus?….The setting is actor-manager Colly Cibber's dressing room at Drury Lane…..Cibber, played with bouncing bonhomie by Michael Fenner…David Gant's imposing Vanbrugh suddenly morphs into the very image of Newton, a terrifying figure with a shock of white hair…the performance passes most agreeably on a sumptuously detailed set, designed by Michael Taylor." John Thaxter, The Stage
THREE ON A COUCH
Kings Head Theatre, London, 2004
By Carl Djerassi.
Directed by Andy Jordan
Designed by Nicky Shaw.
Starring Leigh Zimmerman, Rolf Saxon and Michael Praed“Djerassi betrays a genuine gift for comedy …..Michael Praed shines…. Leigh Zimmerman oozes sex appeal and brain power…. a hilarious seduction scene….A fruity, fun evening worth taking a pew for.” Dominic Cavendish, The Daily Telegraph
“Djerassi’s screwball comedy…. funny lines and gags… director Andy Jordan plays most of the action on and off the couch to great effect……Michael Praed in a pitch-perfect performance…...” Ray Bennett, Hollywood Reporter
“…an excellent evening….vastly entertained by the play….. some fine one-liners…. great fun and splendidly acted.” WhatsOnStage.com
“…a light and witty sex romp…….Praed and Saxon are a class act.. the magnificent, ultra-leggy and completely gorgeous Leigh Zimmerman is dazzling as the randy blonde wife…. director Andy Jordan gets the best from his starry cast.” Roger Foss, What’s On
Oxygen
by Carl Djerassi and Roald Hoffman
Riverside Studios, London November 2001
Starring Catherine Cusack and Jack Klaff
A West End transfer into the Duchess Theatre (with Green & Lenagan Ltd and The Really Useful Group) was slated.Murder in Paris
by Howard Ginsberg
Co-production with the Basingstoke Haymarket Theatre. January 2002
Starring Louise Jameson, Michael Siberry and Hannah YellandMy Matisse
by Howard Ginsberg
Edinburgh Festival 2002
A co-production with Komedia Theatre. It starred Karen Archer, Candida Benson, Helen Grace and Daisy Bates.We also developed a One Woman Version of the play, and presented a rehearsed reading of this text at the Jermyn Street Theatre, London, starring Lynda Bellingham.
An Immaculate Misconception
by Carl Djerassi
Bridewell Theatre, London November 2002
Starring Denise Stephenson and Paul MoriartyKings of the Road
by Brian McAvera,
Edinburgh Festival 2003
Starring Ed Byrne, Michael Smiley and James Ellis,
Kings of the Road played on tour at Winchester Theatre Royal, Greenwich Theatre and Ambassador Theatre in Dublin, for a three week season, in October 2003Last Song of the Nightingale
by Peter Quilter
Edinburgh Festival 2003
Starring Tracie Bennett, Dan Rymer and Stefan Bednarzcyk,
Last Song of the Nightingale played Greenwich Theatre in October 2003.
Last Song of the Nightingale – now re-titled Over The Rainbow, and extensively re-written - ran at the 2007 Edinburgh Festival.Ego (re-titled Three on a Couch)
by Carl Djerassi,
Edinburgh Festival 2003
Starring Tara Hugo and Jeff HardingPlaying For Reward
by Chris Pitt and Joe Evans
Edinburgh Festival 2003
Starring Emma Williams and Paul Tonkinson,Foreplay
By Carl Djerassi
Kings Head Theatre April/May 2014Strindberg’s Women
Jermyn Street Theatre October 2016
Bristol Express
AJP evolved from Bristol Express Theatre Company, founded by Andy Jordan. Bristol Express was well-known for its work with new writers and new writing, for its diverse programme of national touring and commercial co-productions. Bristol Express over 100 new plays, including Doolaly Days by Paul Unwin (London 1982); Gulls by Robert Hewett (Glasgow Mayfest, 1984); Prophets in the Black Sky by John Matshikiza (Edinburgh Festival, 1985); Winter Darkness by Allan Cubitt (London, 1988; ‘Time Out’ Best New Play/Production Award); Heaven by Sarah Aicher (London 1991; the writer was a victim of the Lockerbie Air Disaster) and A Meeting in Rome by Michael Meyer (Edinburgh Festival, 1994).Full Synopses, Treatments or Scripts are available for all the plays listed above.
Contacts:
Producer Andy Jordan andy@andyjordanproductions.co.uk
General Manager Chris Corner chris@andyjordanproductions.co.uk