Sunday, October 13

Tag: Jitney

Jitney – Oldham Coliseum
North West

Jitney – Oldham Coliseum

Until recently I was only vaguely aware of August Wilson and his 'Pittsburgh Century Cycle' of plays, chronicling the experience of African-Americans in the USA over a hundred year period. Whether this was my fault, or the fact that his work has not been staged as often as his better known contemporaries is moot, but it allowed me to come to this Old Vic/Leeds Playhouse/Headlong production of 'Jitney', with a fresh perspective on the stunning opening night for this short tour. Set in 1977 against the backdrop of declining industrial Pittsburgh, 'Jitney' portrays an unlicensed taxi cab company and its drivers, struggling to make a living on the periphery of society. This is a play of subtlety and nuance which rewards the attention of the audience and subverts their expectations of the ch...
Casualty legend Tony Marshall talks about a revival of Jitney at Leeds Playhouse
Interviews

Casualty legend Tony Marshall talks about a revival of Jitney at Leeds Playhouse

August Wilson is now seen as one of the great voices of 20th century drama, but his poetic works reflecting on the experiences of black Americans aren’t performed that often in this country. Now Jitney about the trials and tribulations of eight drivers offering low-cost rides in their jitney cabs to a poor community in 1970s Pittsburgh gets a welcome revival as a part of Leeds Playhouse’s new season. Tinuke Craig directs a strong cast including Casualty legend Tony Marshall who spoke to our Yorkshire Editor Paul Clarke. So, what’s Jitney about? It’s based in Pittsburgh in 1977 and the word jitney derives from the cabs being five cents a ride. It’s for the local community instead of using the other cabs, so it’s people taking other local people shopping and so on. It’s just anot...
Casualty star Tony Marshall joins Jitney cast at Leeds Playhouse
NEWS

Casualty star Tony Marshall joins Jitney cast at Leeds Playhouse

Tony Marshall who played Noel in Casualty joins a strong cast in a new production of American classic Jitney at Leeds Playhouse. Written by August Wilson, this poetic work is now seen as one of the great American contemporary classics filled with conflict, love, jealousy and deceit. It is set in 1970s Pittsburgh exploring the volatile bond between eight unlicensed cab drivers as they live, love, fight and work in racially segregated, post-war America. The co-production with Headlong will be directed by Tinuke Craig who worked on The Color Purple, at Leicester Curve. Tony Marshall plays Fielding, and recently finished a 12-year run as Noel Garcia as his beloved character left the show in a BAFTA award-winning episode about the strains on the NHS during the pandemic. Play...