2008

Faces in the Crowd

Written by Leo Butler

Play Details

Context

Artistic Director
Dominic Cooke

Dates Performed

Saturday 18th October 2008
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

Form

1-4 cast Available at the Royal Court Library Beyond-linear narrative Short play (original English) Starting Point Two hander

Play Details

Synopsis

Dave, a man struggling with his past and present, meets with Joanne, a woman he shares a complicated history, in his London flat. The play unfolds through their conversation, revealing layers of their relationship and the tensions that still exist. As they navigate through small talk and deeper revelations, the dialogue exposes their unresolved conflicts and the personal failures that haunt them. The setting, a minimally furnished flat, reflects their lives’ emptiness and unresolved nature.

The play explores alienation, urban isolation, nostalgia, and emotional disconnect. The play captures the struggle of individuals trying to connect in a modern, fragmented world. Through sharp, realistic dialogue, Butler explores the impact of past choices on present lives and the difficulty of escaping one’s history. The narrative structure, which moves fluidly between mundane interactions and significant revelations, highlights contemporary urban life’s underlying loneliness and disconnection.