London, 1886. Wealthy solicitor Soames Forsyte is a man of property, and his beautiful wife Irene is his most prized possession. When he commissions an architect to build him a house in which to keep her, the cracks in their marriage finally begin to show, until something happens so shocking that it tears the Forsyte family apart. Years later, Soames’ daughter Fleur is haunted by the family secret when history begins to repeat itself…
John Galsworthy’s classic story The Forsyte Saga (famously adapted for television and recently for BBC Radio 4) is newly dramatised for the stage in two parts by Shaun McKenna and Lin Coghlan, bringing the unheard female voices to the fore for the first time. Spanning 40 years from the last gasp of the Victorian age to the beginning of the roaring 1920s, this is an epic tale of sex, money and power.
Now playing at Park Theatre, the shows are produced by Ashley Cook – recipient of the Stage One Bursary Award for New Producers in 2015. We caught up with Ashley to find out more:
“Since winning the Bursary Award in 2015, I have been lucky to secure grants, investment and mentorship from Stage One over the years as I’ve grown my company Troupe, moving to larger theatres on bigger budgets. Gaining further investment for The Forsyte Saga Parts 1 and 2 at Park Theatre from the Stage One Small Scale Commercial Investment Scheme marks another turning point for Troupe, enabling us to consolidate our work in larger Off West End spaces like Park200 on bigger budgets, with more opportunity for higher revenue streams.”
Andy Rush and Fiona Hampton in The Forsyte Saga. Photo by Mitzi de Margary.
The Forsyte Saga Part 1: Irene and The Forsyte Saga Part 2: Fleur play across alternate nights and run consecutively on matinee days, featuring a cast of nine in a stylish period production. Tickets start from just £25.50, and can be booked via Official London Theatre.