by John Freeman
Under the Eagle, a satirical play by comics writer and Torchwood script writer Andrew Cartmel, is to have another run in London.
LS1 Productions will be staging the much-praised show at the White Bear on Kennington Road from Tuesday 26th August — Sunday 31st August.Under the Eagle is a darkly humorous satirical drama exploring the nature of Britain’s ‘special relationship’ with the United States. When stand-up comic Vi Hooper becomes the reluctant guest of the Prime Minister’s wife, she encounters the US President and gains an unexpected insight into the corridors of power.
Time Out described the play as “Bitingly funny” while Tanith Lindon of Extra! Extra!, said the drama was “Insightful and entertaining, a must-see.”As well as a playwright, Andrew Cartmel is a screenwriter, television script editor and novelist. He has worked on Dark Knight, Casualty, Torchwood and, most famously, Doctor Who. His novels include Warhead, The Wise and Miss Freedom. His previous play, End of the Night was hailed by What’s On in London as an ‘entertaining, stylish intrigue’.
Claire Amias, Francesca Anderson, Angela Dixon, David Morley Hale, Jonathan Rigby and Eben Young form the cast of the play directed by Conrad Blakemore, who has worked in the fields of theatre, film and photography. His recent productions include The Lodger (Time Out Critics’ Choice), his own adaptation of Strindberg’s Miss Julie, both at Pentameters Theatre, Roulette at the Finborough and Happy Christmas at the New End.
Under the Eagle by Andrew Cartmel
@ The White Bear Theatre
138 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4DJ — Box office: 020 7793 9193. Only six performances
Tuesday August 26 — Sunday August 31 Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm. Sunday matinee at 5pm. No performance Mondays. Tickets £12 — £10 concessions.
“Andrew Cartmel must be reading the right runes. On the day David Miliband apologises to parliament for extraordinary rendition, Cartmel’s timely new play opens with anti-establishment stand-up Vi (Francesca Anderson) riffing on the mysterious role Britain played in the transportation of Uncle Sam’s dirty little secrets… Unfussily staged and soundly directed by Conrad Blakemore, allowing skilled actors to do a good job… Bitingly funny.” Robert Crowe, Time Out, 26 February 2008
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
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