Aneurin Bevan once said, “No society can legitimately call itself civilised if a sick person is denied medical aid because of lack of means.” To celebrate 70 years of civility in the UK, Olivier-winner Adrian Lester will direct The Greatest Wealth in celebration of the National Health Service.
The production will be comprised of specially-commissioned monologues curated by Lolita Chakrabarti (the Olivier-nominated writer of Red Velvet which Adrian, her husband, performed in during its West End run). The monologues will salute and discuss the past, present and future of our NHS. They have been written by Moira Buffini, Lolita Chakrabarti, Seiriol Davies, Matilda Ibini, Courttia Newland, Meera Syal, Jack Thorne and Paul Unwin.
Each monologue will be a response to each decade that’s passed since Aneurin first launched the NHS in 1948.
The Greatest Wealth is part of our Bicentennial One Voice season which is celebrating key and noteworthy anniversaries that fall within The Old Vic’s 200th year. The One Voice series is funded by the TS Eliot Estate and celebrates the rawest theatre form: a single voice on a stage without scenery and with nothing to rely on but words.
In the spirit of the celebration, The Old Vic is also offering 70 £5 tickets per performance/part to NHS workers.
The Greatest Wealth will be running at The Old Vic for just three days. Part one will play on Monday 25 June at 8.30pm, Part two will play on Tuesday 26 June at 8.30pm and both Parts one and two will play as a double bill on Friday 29 June from 8pm.
To get tickets and find out more information, head to The Old Vic website.