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1959

Roots

Written by Arnold Wesker

Play Details

Context

Place Premiered
Belgrade Coventry (1957)

Artistic Director
George Devine

Dates Performed

Tuesday 30th June 1959
Main House (Downstairs)

Thursday 30th July 1959
Duke of York’s Theatre

Play Details

Synopsis

A ramshackle house in Norfolk, where a family gathers to meet a long-awaited visitor.

Beatie Bryant, a young woman returning from London, eagerly anticipates introducing her socialist boyfriend Ronnie to her working-class family. As she attempts to prepare her relatives for his arrival, Beatie finds herself caught between two worlds – the intellectual stimulation of her life in the city and the deeply rooted traditions of her rural upbringing.

This poignant drama explores themes of class, education, and the struggle for self-improvement in post-war Britain. Wesker’s keen ear for dialogue brings to life the tensions between generations and the clash of urban and rural values. Through Beatie’s journey of self-discovery, the play examines the concept of “roots” – not just familial ties, but the cultural and intellectual foundations that shape our identities. With humour, warmth, and unflinching honesty, Roots captures a pivotal moment of social change, questioning whether true personal growth is possible without severing one’s connections to the past.

Director(s)

John Dexter

Photo credit

All images credited to David Sim

Other productions

Cast & Creative

Cast

Joan Plowright

Cast

Alan Howard

Cast

Patsy Byrne

Cast

Charles Kay

Cast

Jack Rodney

Cast

Richard Martin

Cast

Gwen Nelson

Cast

Brenda Peters

Cast

Patrick O’Connell

Designer

Jocelyn Herbert

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