by Bernard Pomerance

ICA Theatre, The Mall, London

Directed by Roland Rees                                           Designed by Iona McLeish
Lighting Design by Gerry Jenkinson

QUANTRILLL IN LAWRENCE is the story of a mercenary band led by Quantrill with the James Brothers, centering on their sack of Lawrence, a border town during the American Civil War. “On August 21st 1863, in revenge for certain raids made on Missouri by men of Lawrence, and especially for the death of certain girls who were — as the called them — friends, Quantrill put Lawrence to the torch, the knife, the gun.”

Cast in Order of Appearance:

  General Ewing/
  Judge Jennison                    DON FELLOWS
  Major Blood                          HAROLD SAKS
  Mr. Anderson                        DAN MEADEN
  Deputy/Lawyer                     PATRICK MOORE
  Sara Cane                            MARY ELLEN RAY
  John Cane                            RICHARD MOORE
  Mrs. Jennison                       JOI STATRON
  Sheriff                                   JOE PRAML
  Gillie Cane                            ROBIN PAPPAS
  William Clarke Quantrill        DAVID SCHOFIELD
  Cole Younger                        EUGENE LIPINSKI
  Jesse James                         RON COOK
  Jim Younger/
  Lieutenant Terrel                    DIKRAN TULAINE

QUANTRILLL IN LAWRENCE will be the sixth collaboration between Bernard Pomerance and Roland Rees. Roland Rees first produced Pomerance’s HOT DAMN, HIGH IN VIETNAM for Inter-Action’s Ambiance. In 1972 Pomerance, Rees and David Aukin formed a Company to produced FOCO NOVO. FOCO NOVO concerned US involvement in Brazil’s junta, focusing on the kidnapping and death of a torturer and the subsequent deaths of the urban guerrilla.

The Company took the tile of the play for its own. Bernard wrote SOMEONE ELSE IS STILL SOMEONE which was presented at the Bush Theatre, and a re-working of Brecht’s MAN IS MAN which was then presented on tour and at Hampstead. In 1977 Foco Novo and Hampstead Theatre co-produced THE ELEPHANT MAN with David Schofield who will play Quantrill in the title role. It was a great critical success here and has subsequently been presented on Broadway where it is still running. THE ELEPHANT MAN received all the best play awards including three Tonys, three Obies, the Drama Desk Award and the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. The play will be presented at the National Theatre in the summer.

Foco Novo:  2 Nugent Terrace, London NW8. Tel: 01-289 3226. Press contact: Sue Hyman, 434 3871.

Foco Novo receives financial assistance from the Arts Council of Great Britain.