Henfield Theatre Company: Brighton Beach Memoirs
Brighton Beach is a suburb of New York where a modest house in a lower middle class neighbourhood is the setting for a beautiful semi-autobiographical play by Neil Simon (perhaps better known for The Odd Couple, Barefoot in the Park and The Last of the Red Hot Lovers)The play, the October production by the Henfield Theatre Company, is set in 1937 and centres around 15 year-old Eugene. He finds himself growing up as a member of a Jewish family struggling with the knock-on effects of fascism in Europe but his main preoccupation is with his lovely 16 year old cousin, Nora, and how much credence to give to the advice on the opposite sex dispensed by his older brother, Stanley. The play offers a touching insight into the joys and problems of sexual awakening in a family where the adults have higher level concerns about their very way of life. It is both funny and poignant in equal measure, and represents a masterful piece of writing.
The, play directed by Sheila Nye, a highly accomplished actress and director, is well known on the Henfield stage. She first saw Brighton Beach Memoirs soon after its debut in the 1980s and is now realising her long-held ambition to bring it to Henfield. The setting for the play will be an interesting one, with the acting area on the main floor and the audience around three sides; allowing for a more intimate atmosphere and ensuring that everyone is close to the action. Don’t miss this wonderful production by an award winning theatre company.
The production, kindly sponsored by Accountancy & Business Matters, runs from Thursday 18th to Saturday 20th October, at 7:45 pm, at The Henfield Hall.
Tickets, priced £10, are available online from
www.henfieldtheatrecompany.com or, from 1st October, at the box office: Stevens Estate Agents, Henfield High Street (01273 492141)
Photo Credits: Neville-de-Moraes.