Press Information finboroughtheatre
[ saroyan centennial season ]
Instant Classics in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre presents
SAM, THE HIGHEST JUMPER OF THEM ALL
or THE LONDON COMEDY
by William Saroyan.
Directed by David Cottis. Designed by Fiona Parker.
Cast: Martin Bishop. Richard Crawley. Richard Cunningham. Antony Jardine. Anil Kumar. Gordon Ridout. Martin Ritchie. Julia Sandiford. Jessica Sandry. Jennifer Thorne. Matt Tully. Sam Webster. Tom Yeates.
“'We shall not try to be real in that way, since total success would make it necessary for us to leave the theatre immediately, and I don't believe we want to do that”
When bank clerk Sam Hark-Harkalark is falsely accused of stealing half a million pounds in banknotes signed ‘Good God’, he loses his job. Unbowed, he determines to jump higher than anyone else ever has. The only thing is, so far he hasn’t jumped at all....
This is the play’s first revival since its first performance by Theatre Workshop at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in 1960, and the only piece Saroyan ever wrote to be premiered in Britain. After seeing Joan Littlewood’s production of Brendan Behan’sThe Hostage, Saroyan wrote asking if the theatre wanted a new play from him. They responded enthusiastically, and the result was Sam, the Highest Jumper of Them All, a typically whimsical Saroyan play, as free-form and beguiling as a John Coltrane solo. Among the many characters surrounding Sam are a rock ‘n’ roll singer, a Russian policeman who periodically stands on his head, and the Ambassador from the Audience to the Play. This productionwill incorporate some sections banned by the Lord Chamberlain, and never seen on stage before.
The Finborough Theatre celebrates the centenary of the birth of American playwright William Saroyan (1908-1981) with its [ saroyan centennial season ], running from September - December 2008, and featuring rare revivals of three of his plays –Sam the Highest Jumper of Them All, The Beautiful People and The Time of Your Life.
Director David Cottis makes his Finborough Theatre debut after a long career on the fringe including six years as the Literary Manager of the Etcetera Theatre where he ran the One-Person Play Festival, winner of a Guinness Ingenuity Award and a Time Out Critics’ Choice. His recent work includes The Menaechmi (Shakespeare’s Globe), Timon of Athens(Camden People’s Theatre), Richard III (Catford Broadway Theatre), and The Servant of Two Masters(Venezia! Festival, Northampton). His adaptation of Oliver Twistwill go on national tour later this year.
The cast includes Martin Bishop, Richard Cunningham, Antony Jardine (Sam), Julia Sandiford and Jessica Sandry. Martin Bishop’s stage credits include 1947 Live (Delhi), She Stoops To Conquer (Hampton Court) and The Confidential Clerk (Finborough Theatre). Richard Cunningham’s many stage credits include Indian Ink (West End), You Never Can Tell, Wife Begins at Forty (UK Tours) and many roles at the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch, the Mercury Theatre, Colchester, and the Library Theatre, Manchester. Antony Jardine has recently finished appearing as Philip Welch in The Deep Blue Sea (West End). Julia Sandiford’s stage credits include Crazy Love (Paines Plough), Swallow Song (Oxford Playhouse) and Myth, Propaganda and Disaster in Nazi Germany and Contemporary America (Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond). Film credits include Crocodile, written and directed by Che Walker. Jessica Sandry’s stage credits include many appearances with Hijinx Theatre, Gwent Theatre and the title role in Being Doris Day (Welsh tour).
The Press on Director David Cottis
“A sparkling production” The Stage on Richard III
“Captivates from beginning to end.”Camden New Journal on Timon of Athens
“A daunting task, but Instant Classics have done it brilliantly” Three Weeks on Don Quixote
“A joy to watch” The Stage on Oliver Twist
PRESS NIGHT: MONDAY, 8SEPTEMBER 2008 AT 7.30PM
PHOTOCALL: BY ARRANGEMENT. PLEASE EMAIL
Finborough Theatre, The Finborough, 118 Finborough Road, LondonSW10 9ED
Box Office 0844 847 1652 Book online at
Monday, 8 September; Sunday, 14 September, Monday, 15 September; Sunday, 21 September, Monday, 22 September 2008
Evenings at 7.30pm.Tickets £13, £9 concessions.
Performance Length: Approximately 2 hours.
For more information, interviews and images, please contact
Neil McPherson on e-mail or 07977 173135
Full press releases including listings information are available to download from
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118 Finborough Road, LondonSW10 9EDTelephone +44 (0)20 7244 7439 Fax +44 (0)20 7835 1853
e-mail Artistic Director Neil McPherson
The Finborough Theatre is managed by The Steam Industry. Registered in England and Wales as a company limited by guarantee, no. 3448268.
Registered Charity no. 1071304. Registered address: 118 Finborough Road, LondonSW10 9ED. A member of the Independent Theatre Council.