Road

'Road' explores the lives of a small, close-knit community living in the eponymous  'road'  in a working class, Lancashire town during the era of the 1980's Thatcher government - a time of high unemployment, civil unrest and deprivation.

The action takes place over the course of one evening as the residents of the road prepare to go out to the pub and then on home afterwards. Despite its explicit nature, it was considered extremely effective in portraying the desperation of people's lives at this time, as well as containing a great deal of gritty, Northern humour.

A passionate, poetic and positive portrayal of working class life wherein in the audience is invited to follow the narrator, Scullery, as he travels along the road, visiting the different homes of the characters and getting messy in the local pub.

'Road' is the first play written by Jim Cartwright, and was first produced in 1986. The play was initially performed at the Royal Court Theatre "Upstairs", with Edward Tudor-Pole as Scullery, moving "Downstairs" in 1987 with Ian Drury as the narrator. It was later made for television by renowned director Alan Clarke and starred many young actors who later became well-known including Jane Horrocks, David Thewlis, Moya Brady and Lesley Sharp. The play has won numerous awards including the George Devine Award, Plays and Players Award and the Samuel Beckett Award.