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1959

The Kitchen

Written by Arnold Wesker

Play Details

Context

Artistic Director 
George Devine

Part Of
Sunday Night Productions Without Décor

Dates Performed

Sunday 6th September 1959
Main House (Downstairs)

Play Details

Synopsis

A bustling restaurant kitchen becomes a microcosm of society’s pressures and human relationships.

Wesker’s groundbreaking play thrusts audiences into the frenetic world of a large commercial kitchen, where the relentless pace of food service mirrors the broader societal rat race. At the heart of the story is Peter, a young cook whose artistic aspirations clash with the grinding realities of his work.

As orders fly and tensions rise, Wesker masterfully orchestrates a symphony of characters, each grappling with their own dreams, frustrations, and interpersonal dynamics. The playwright uses the kitchen setting to explore themes of class struggle, immigrant experiences, and the dehumanising effects of industrialised labour.

Through its innovative structure and visceral portrayal of workplace stress, The Kitchen offers a searing critique of modern capitalism while celebrating the resilience of the human spirit. Wesker’s play continues to resonate with audiences, highlighting how the pressures of work can both unite and divide us.

Director(s)

John Dexter

Cast & Creative

Cast

Tommy Eytle

Cast

Martin Boddey

Cast

Jessie Robins

Cast

Jane Merrow

Cast

Ida Goldapple

Cast

Marcos Markou

Cast

Harry Landis

Cast

Andre Bolton

Cast

Rita Tushingham

Cast

Alison Bayley

What our readers say

 

What is it like reading this play now?

This play is still relevant in the way that it vividly captures the emotional toll of balancing demanding jobs with personal aspirations, mirroring the struggles many face in managing work-life balance and safeguarding mental health. Anyone that has felt the strain of underpaid and undervalued work would be able to relate, unfortunately, it is a tale as old as time

If you like this, you might also like…

The film “Boiling Point” and television series “The Bear” are both work kitchen dramas that have obviously taken inspiration from this play.

Want to read the script?

 

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