The Killing Of Sister George, a 1964 dark comedy by Frank Marcus, is revived in this new production at the Arts theatre starring Meera Syal in the title role.
Sister George is a sweet and cheerful nurse in a popular rural radio soap. Yet in the real world, far from the country lanes and kindly ways of her fictional character, she is a cruel, self-centred and manipulative alcoholic who torments and humiliates her live-in companion Childie. When it is announced that George is to be killed off on screen, this signals an end to the actress’s career, and life begins to spiral out of her control.
Syal is an award-winning actress best known for her television work, which includes comedies Goodness Gracious Me and The Kumars At Number 42 as well as Life Isn’t All Ha Ha Hee Hee and Linda Green. However in the past few years she has returned to the stage, appearing in Rafta Rafta at the National Theatre and Shirley Valentine at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Trafalgar Studios.