City Sugar
City Sugaris a stage play byStephen Poliakoff.It was originally staged at theBush Theatrein 1975 and directed byHugh Thomas.City Sugar’s cast was led byJohn Shrapnelas Leonard Brazil and supported byLeon VitaliandLynne Miller.[1]In 1976 the play then transferred to theComedy TheatrewithAdam Faith[2]taking over as Leonard Brazil and James Aubrey as Rex.City Sugar,along with its companion pieceHitting Town,won Poliakoff theEvening Standard's Most Promising Playwright Award in 1976.[3]
The play was widely performed in regional cities all over Britain, and was presented at thePhoenix TheatreinNew York CitywithJeff Goldblumin the lead role and was made into a successfulITVtelevision play withTim Curryplaying the lead.[4][5]
City Sugarfollowed the story of the young waitress, Nicola, whom the audience first encountered in Poliakoff’sHitting Town.
Storyline
[edit]The story charts a week in the life of a DJ, Leonard Brazil, as he launches what he calls the competition of the century aimed directly at a youth audience. It is a promotional campaign designed to whip up excitement amongst the station's audience in preparation for a super-group's visit to the city. As Leonard runs the competition, he is tormented by self-loathing and takes out his anger on those around him. He singles out Nicola Davies, one of his listeners and engineers, and she came into the studio where he purposefully humiliated her.[6]
Further Information
[edit]The TV production was made withScottish TVand Film Enterprises forITV.In the television version Nicola Davies was played by Veronica Quilligan andTim Curryplays the DJ Leonard Brazil. It was shot on film on location inGlasgow.[6]
City Sugarhas been included as a suggested text in UKGCSEcurriculum in drama.[7]Hereford Plays published an edition of City Sugar in 1989 with scene-by-scene analysis, structured questions and assignment suggestions forGCSE.[8]
The play’s text is published byBloomsbury[9]andSamuel French.[10]
References
[edit]- ^Robin Nelson."Stephen Poliakoff on Stage and Screen".Bloomsbury Publishing.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^Laing, Dave (2003-03-10)."Adam Faith".The Guardian.ISSN0261-3077.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^"Emilia joins our awards gala".Evening Standard.2003-11-19.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^"City Sugar (1978)".Stephen Poliakoff Official Website.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^Eder, Richard (1978-06-06)."Stage: Poliakoff 'City Sugar'".The New York Times.ISSN0362-4331.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^ab"Theatre Plays".Stephen Poliakoff Official Website.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^"BBC - GCSE Bitesize: Suggested reading".Archived fromthe originalon 2016-05-28.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^"9780435225810: City Sugar (Hereford Plays) - AbeBooks - Stephen Poliakoff: 0435225812".abebooks.co.uk.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^Stephen Poliakoff."Poliakoff Plays: 1".Bloomsbury Publishing.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- ^Stephen Poliakoff."City Sugar".samuelfrench.co.uk.Retrieved2017-01-13.
- Hurren, Kenneth (13 March 1976)."Young Idea".The Spectator