He quickly learns that everyone else involved in the enterprise has a vested intere. A riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed by olivier awardwinning playwright alan ayckbourn bedroom farce, a chorus of disapproval. He left school at seventeen with two a levels and went straight into the theatre. Apr 11, 2014 jack mccracken, played by nigel lindsay, is on his way home to a surprise celebratory gathering to mark his new role in the family furniture business. He attended northwest missouri state teachers college now northwest missouri state university in maryville, missouri and played. The opportunity is offered him by his own fatherinlaw but the unbusinesslike way and worse endemic to the family firm proved harder to eliminate than good management practice would require. Olivier awardwinning playwright alan ayckbourn bedroom farce, a chorus of disapproval presents a riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed in his play, a small family business. And in jack mccracken, the great michael gambon role now played in much lighter, almost cheekier, vein by nigel lindsay, he created a. Jack mccracken has all the qualifications required to turn around almost any ailing business enterprise. Apr 04, 2014 alan ayckbourns a small family business, a riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed, returns to the national theatre next week where it premiered in 1987 directed by adam penford, the cast is led by nigel lindsay as jack mccracken.
Nigel bellairs desmond ayres, stephen moore jack mccracken, jim b. A small family business returns to the national theatre for the first time since its celebrated premiere in 1987, when it won the evening standard award for best play jack mccracken. They have also lived in huntington, wv and charlotte, nc plus 3 other locations. Jacks integrity fades away as he discovers his extended family to be thieves and adulterers. Moments after taking over his fatherinlaws business hes approached by a private.
To businessman jack mccracken a powerful nigel lindsay, who is about to run his fatherinlaws furniture firm, even filching paper clips from the office. Jumping jack mccracken june 15, 1912 january 5, 1958 was an american basketball player in the 1930s and 1940s a native of chickasha, oklahoma, mccracken went to classen high school in oklahoma city, oklahoma. The boss is his fatherinlaw ken ayres, played by gawn grainger, a widower who is competing with random snatches of alzheimers, whilst determined to be the man in control of what and whom he. Blithe spirit mar 31, 1987 jun 28, 1987 directed by brian. A small family business literally, as well as metaphorically, has its. Jack mccracken a terrific nigel lindsay has left his office job of many years to take over from his fatherinlaw in the familys struggling furniture business. Alan ayckbourn was born in london in 1939 to a violinist father and a mother who was a writer. A small family business does not require a set so much as a chunk of real estate, and employs a huge cast to inhabit it. Alan ayckbourns official website a small family business. A small family businesswinner of the evening standard award for best new playis a riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed by olivier awardwinning playwright alan ayckbourn bedroom farce, a chorus of disapproval. Jack mccracken, played by nigel lindsay, is on his way home to a surprise celebratory gathering to mark his new role in the family furniture business. Alan ayckbourns protagonist jack mccracken, and on this plays evidence. Nigel lindsay and debra gillett in a small family business. Two years in regional theatre as an actor and stage manager led in 1959 to the writing of his first play, the square cat.
The play charts the implosion of the mccracken family, initially. A small family business is an enjoyable eightiesset romp with a critical focus on the selfish capitalist ethos of thatcherite britain. A small family business is available for both professional and amateur production. Jack makes an inspirational speech about the need for total honesty and incorruptibility in the business. A small family business is a comedy about an honest man corrupted by his familys dishonest ways.
A small family business apr 27, 1992 jun 07, 1992 starring. Moments after taking over his fatherinlaws business hes approached by a private detective armed. Select this result to view jack t mccrackens phone number, address, and more. A small family business at the national theatre victoria. Alan ayckbourns a small family business at national. His hero, jack mccracken, is a decent man appalled to discover, on inheriting the. In fact the play is again relevant given the more recent. Jack mccracken phone, address, background info whitepages. Poppy, his wife serena evans ken ayres, his fatherinlaw john nettleton tina, his elder daughter claire carrie roy ruston, tinas husband damien matthews samantha, his younger daughter lindsey fawcett cliff, his brother daniel flynn anita, cliffs wife issy.
Surprises was first presented at the stephen joseph theatre, scarborough, and subsequently at the the minerva theatre, chichester in 2012. Jack mccracken, played by nigel lindsay, is on his way home to a surprise celebratory gathering to mark his new role in the family furniture. Moments after taking over his fatherinlaws business hes approached by a private detective armed with. Jun 04, 2014 its a question that was first asked by alan ayckbourns a small family business back in 1987 when the prolific playwrights tale of a family more crooked than the nursery rhyme man who walked a mile and found a sixpence on a stile was first seen at the national theatre. Moments after taking over his fatherinlaws business hes approached by a private detective armed with some. A small family business by alan ayckbourn goodreads. Sep 26, 2018 jack mccracken conner devlin has left his office job of many years to take over from his fatherinlaw in the family s struggling furniture business. He quickly learns that everyone else involved in the enterprise has a vested interest in maintaining business as usual, rife with dishonesty and deceit. To businessman jack mccracken a powerful nigel lindsay, who is about to run his fatherinlaws.
Jack mccraken arrives home to discover a surprise party, thrown by his wife poppy, to celebrate him taking over the running of the family furniture business, ayres and graces, founded by his fatherinlaw, ken. The farcical complications of a small family business spiral once the. Alan ayckbourn and nigel lindsay interview as the national theatre production of his 1987 play a small family business is shown in cinemas, alan ayckbourn talks about the. A small family business jack mccracken is a man of principle in a corrupt world but not for long. A riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed by olivier awardwinning playwright alan ayckbourn bedroom farce, a chorus of disapproval, a small family business returns to the national theatre for the first time since its celebrated premiere in 1987, when it won the evening standard award for best play. This years senior play, a small family business, will be. But when favourite daughter samantha is caught shoplifting, things start to spiral out of control. A small family business in this play, honest and principled man jack mccracken takes over the family business from his equally honest fatherinlaw and is determined to make it an ethical company.
Jack mccracken conner devlin has left his office job of many years to take over from his fatherinlaw in the familys struggling furniture business. Alan ayckbourn a small family business the national. Jack quickly establishes himself in our minds as a bloke who wants to be honest, whiter than white. Jack mccracken is a man of principle in a corrupt world. The second best result is jack t mccracken age 60s in vancouver, wa. Jun 12, 2014 with nigel lindsay, neal barry, stephen beckett, abby cassidy. Apr 09, 2014 nigel lindsay and debra gillett in a small family business. A small family business, national theatre a younger.
Alan ayckbourns comic morality play, a small family business, will be produced by the linfield theatre program may 79 and 1416 at 7. A small family business is the story of jack mccracken, who just received. Written by alan ayckbourn, a small family business at the national theatre is a comedy about an honest man corrupted by his family s dishonest ways. Character notes by alan ayckbourn alan ayckbourn rarely write background character notes for his plays, but within his archive there is some correspondence relating to the character of anita and the families in general in a small family business. The boss is his fatherinlaw ken ayres, played by gawn grainger, a widower who is competing with random snatches of alzheimers, whilst determined to be the man in control of what and whom he knows. Alan ayckbourns 1987 classic morality farce was written specifically for the olivier stage, and adam penfords somewhat laborious revival restores the same splitlevel giant suburban dolls house design this time by tim hatley to show the mccracken family in flux and on the fiddle at the height of the thatcher era, ayckbourn redefined a nation of shopkeepers as a nation of. Jacks integrity fades away as he discovers his extended family to be thieves and adulterers, looting the business from their suburban homes. But jack s public probity is undermined by his decision to save his daughter from a petty shoplifting charge by hiring the private eye who has detected her. Select this result to view jack t mccracken s phone number, address, and more.
Alan ayckbourns a small family business, a riotous exposure of entrepreneurial greed, returns to the national where it premiered in 1987. A small family business jack mccracken 2014 the date frank 20 the tunnel jonno 20. Alan ayckbourns 1987 classic morality farce was written specifically for the olivier stage, and adam penfords somewhat laborious revival restores the same splitlevel giant suburban dolls house design this time by tim hatley to show the mccracken family in flux and on the fiddle. It comprises of a truetoscale detached, and very sizeable house, neighboured by similar, smaller structures, only in 2d, behind. The circle nov 20, 1989 may 20, 1990 directed by brian murray. Moments after taking over his fatherinlaws business hes approached by a private detective armed with some compromising. The evenings finest performance comes from brian murray, in the role of jack mccracken created by michael gambon in london. A small family business at the national theatre victoria sadler. Nigel lindsay is superb as jack in a small family business photo. Apr 09, 2014 nigel lindsay is splendid as the initially honest jack mccracken who kicks off his regime as head of the family furniture business with a pious pep talk about the evils of pilfering paper clips. A small family business original, play, broadway opened in new york city apr 27, 1992 and played through jun 7, 1992.
Written by alan ayckbourn, a small family business at the national theatre is a comedy about an honest man corrupted by his familys dishonest ways. The norman conquests, a small family business, henceforward. A small family business broadway play original ibdb. Anita like jack, we know anita only to discover we dont her at all. With nigel lindsay, neal barry, stephen beckett, abby cassidy. Nigel lindsay was born on 17th january 1969 and entered into the world of acting comparatively late. Nigel lindsay is splendid as the initially honest jack mccracken who kicks off his regime as head of the family furniture business with a. A small family business synopsis national theatre live. Its a question that was first asked by alan ayckbourns a small family business back in 1987 when the prolific playwrights tale of a family more crooked than the nursery rhyme man who walked a mile and found a sixpence on a stile was first seen at the national theatre.
Cast list, a small family business 2000 pass it on. A small family business, national theatre aleks sierz. Jack mccracken conner devlin has left his office job of many years to take over from his fatherinlaw in the familys struggling furniture. A small family business by alan ayckbourn set design. About a small family business jack mccracken is a man of principle in a corrupt world but not for long. Originally premiering 17 years ago at the national, alan ayckbourns a small family business makes its return to the olivier theatre.
A small family business returns to the national theatre for the first time since its celebrated premiere in 1987, when it won the evening standard award for best play. A small family business tickets theatre box office. It starts with jack mccracken taking over the family furniture business, which was founded by his fatherinlaw ken, now a bit senile. This national theatre revival of alan ayckbourns 1987 play is funny and farcical, but leaves a bitter aftertaste, says charles spencer. His hero, jack mccracken, is a decent man appalled to discover, on inheriting the family furniture firm, that it is a network of illegal racketeering. Moments after taking over his fatherinlaws business hes approached by a private detective armed with some compromising information. Jack mccracken conner devlin has left his office job of many years to take over from his.
187 1506 159 585 378 944 810 1210 1394 1288 156 1223 1508 779 739 1121 319 956 1051 77 1311 1406 381 340 868 83 516 169 357 179 105 1205 1018 735 383 1029 75 858 687 130 883 178 1363 1225