Finborough Theatre | Tuesday 28 July – Saturday 22 August
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Sheffield Blitz,
and the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War
Folie à deux Productions and From Ground Up Theatre Company present
the world premiere of
OPERATION CRUCIBLE
by Kieran Knowles
Directed by Bryony Shanahan
“You could hear the planes at night sometimes, overhead. Couldn’t always see ‘em but you could hear ‘em.
A hollow sound. Like you’re whizzing something around above your head. Went through me.”
Commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Sheffield Blitz, and the 70th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, Operation Crucible, the debut play by Kieran Knowles, opens for a four week limited season at the Finborough Theatre from Tuesday 28 July – Saturday 22 August.
A story of four ordinary men in extraordinary times… On the 12 December 1940, more than 600 people lost their lives in over seven hours of continuous bombing by Germany’s Luftwaffe. Their objective? Wiping Sheffield’s world famous steel works – the heartland of Britain’s munitions manufacturing – clean off the map. The ruthless attack left Sheffield in ruins – destroying families, shattering a way of life, and changing the city forever.
At 11.44pm on the night of the raid, a single bomb reduced the Marples Hotel, which stood proudly in Fitzalan Square, from seven storeys to just 15 feet of rubble. Only one of the 10 compartments in the hotel’s cellars withstood the blast. Within it, trapped, were four men. This is their story, from beginning to end…
Previously seen as a sold out Sunday/Monday/Tuesday run at the Finborough Theatre in December 2013, Operation Crucible returns to London following an acclaimed National Tour.
Playwright Kieran Knowles makes his professional playwriting debut with Operation Crucible. He is a graduate of Loughborough University, LAMDA, and the Royal Court Young Writers Programme.
Cast
Salvatore D’Aquilla
Kieran Knowles
Paul Tinto
James Wallwork
Folie à deux Productions follows their critically acclaimed and Off West End Award nominated productions of Summer and Smoke (Southwark Playhouse), I Am A Camera (Southwark Playhouse) and Still Life and Red Peppers (Old Red Lion Theatre) with their first production of new writing, together with new company From Ground Up Theatre Company www.from-ground-up.co.uk
Booking Information | OPERATION CRUCIBLE
Finborough Theatre,
118 Finborough Road, London, SW10 9ED
Performance Length: Approximately two hours with one interval of 15 minutes.
Performances
Tuesday 28 July – Saturday 22 August
Tuesday to Saturday Evenings at 7.30pm | Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 3.00pm
Ticket prices:
Prices until 9 August 2015
Previews (28 and 29 July) £12 all seats.
Tickets £16, £14 concessions, except Tuesday evenings £14 all seats, and Friday and Saturday evenings £16 all seats. (until 9th Aug)
Prices from 11 August 2015
Tickets £18, £16 concessions, except Tuesday evenings £16 all seats, and Friday and
Saturday evenings £18 all seats. (From 11th Aug)
Other discounts available:
Box Office:
0844 847 1652