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New play co-produced by Theatre Royal Plymouth opens this week
24th February 2022
Sorry, You’re Not a Winner, a new co-production by Theatre Royal Plymouth and Paines Plough, will open in Plymouth this week.
The coming-of-age tale navigating class, male friendship and new surroundings, will debut in The Drum at Theatre Royal Plymouth for two weeks, from 24 February to 12 March 2022, before touring around the UK.
The new play is written by Samuel Bailey and directed by Jesse Jones. The cast will see Eddie-Joe Robinson (Coriolanus at Sheffield Crucible) as Liam and co-founder of JAM (Just Add Milk), Kyle Rowe (Beast Of Blue Yonder) as best friend Fletch, with West End star Alice Stokoe (American Idiot, Mamma Mia!) as Shannon and Peter O’Toole Prizewinner Katja Quist (C-O-N-T-A-C-T) as Georgia.
Tickets are available to book now on the Theatre Royal website.
About the play
Liam and Fletch grew up together. Born on the same street. Best mates since primary. Inseparable. The only difference was while Fletch was getting suspended from school, Liam was studying. And now he’s going to Oxford. But with Liam gone, who’s going to keep Fletch out of trouble?
Sorry, You’re Not a Winner is a play about aspiration, social mobility and getting caught between classes. It asks; if ‘making it’ means leaving everything you know and everyone you love behind – what’s the point?
Writer Samuel Bailey said:“The inspiration for the play came from quite a personal place. The last play I wrote, Shook, was personal because the characters were loosely based on people I knew. This time, it's a little more personal because it's a journey I have experienced.
“Hopefully, there is a universality to the play. A lot of people know what it's like to leave home and potentially feel a bit lost and conflicted about whether you want to go back or carry on living away. That sense of 'what does home really mean?' and 'what does it represent?'
“I didn't go to Oxford or anything like that, but it definitely has some personal resonance. The central relationship in the play is quite closely drawn with a mate of mine.”