Brimstone & Treacle

by Dennis Potter

directed by Matt Gray

From the writer of The Singing Detective and Pennies from Heaven, comes the first Studio play in our new season.

The story concerns a middle-aged couple, Mr & Mrs Bates,  whose world fell apart two years earlier, when their adult daughter Pattie was involved in a devastating road accident. From nowhere, Martin, walks into their lives, claiming to be Pattie’s fiancé. Mr Bates is highly cynical, while Mrs Bates is so desperate that she’s prepared to believe that Martin has been sent from heaven to help.

The language in this play is very dated and reflects the views and attitudes of the time, which some may find disturbing. Although written in the 1970s all of the themes explored within the play remain relevant: Religion, immigration, class, power, trust, retribution, despair and belief in miracles. All that appears to have changed is the words we choose to express our hopes and fears.