The End of Longing

The End of Longing
Written by Matthew Perry
Date premiered 11 February 2016 (2016-02-11)
Place premiered Playhouse Theatre, London
Original language English
Genre Comedy
Setting Los Angeles

The End of Longing is a dark comedy play written by Matthew Perry. The play which marked Perry's playwriting debut made its West End and world premiere at the Playhouse Theatre, in February 2016.

Production history

The End of Longing is written by former Friends actor Matthew Perry, in his playwriting debut.[1] Perry wrote the first draft of the play over a period of ten days,[2] with rewrites taking a further year.[3] A reading of the play was held in New York City[4] in December 2015.[5] Set in a bar in downtown Los Angeles,[6] the play centres around four people in their forties who are searching for the meaning of life.[7] The characters are described by Perry as a "a drunk, a prostitute, a woman who's extremely neurotic and addicted to antidepressants, and a simpleton".[8] Perry plays the drunk Jack and stated the role was "sort of an exaggerated form of myself" but added it was not an autobiographical part.[9]

On 4 December 2015, it was announced that the play would receive its world premiere at the West End's Playhouse Theatre on 11 February 2016,[10] following previews from 2 February,[11] for a limited run until 14 May.[12] The play reunites Perry with director Lindsay Posner,[13] who he previously worked with on the play Sexual Perversity in Chicago in 2003.[14] Casting for the production includes Perry as Jack, Lloyd Owen as Joseph, Jennifer Mudge as Stephanie and Christina Cole as Stevie.[15] The play is directed by Lindsay Posner,[16] with choreography by Darren Carnall,[17] fight direction by Terry King,[17] design by Anna Fleischle,[18] lighting design by Lucy Carter[18] and composition and sound design by Isobel Waller-Bridge.[18]

Rehearsals for the play began in January,[19] meaning Perry could not appear in person at the Friends reunion, which was put together as a tribute to the show's creator James Burrows.[20] Speaking about the transition from actor to writer Perry said that "Being on stage makes you feel naked. Being on stage in a play that I have written will make me feel doubly naked.[21]

Principal roles and original cast

Character West End performer[22]
Jack Matthew Perry
Joseph Lloyd Owen
Stephanie Jennifer Mudge
Stevie Christina Cole

References

  1. ↑ "Matthew Perry: the one where Chandler writes a West End play". theguardian.com. The Guardian. 1 February 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  2. ↑ "Matthew Perry to star in new West End play The End of Longing". standard.co.uk. London Evening Standard. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  3. ↑ "Matthew Perry: Stage struck Friend". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 3 February 2016. Retrieved 3 February 2016.
  4. ↑ "FRIENDS Star Matthew Perry to Bring Play THE END OF LONGING to the West End". broadwayworld.com. Browadway World. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Jennifer Mudge on Being Friends with Matthew Perry and Making Her West End Debut in The End of Longing". broadway.com. Broadway.Com. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  6. ↑ "Matthew Perry to Star in Playwriting Debut 'The End of Longing'". variety.com. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  7. ↑ "Looking suave for the stage! Matthew Perry jets out of LA preparing for London debut of his play The End Of Longing". dailymail.co.uk. Daily Mail. 27 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  8. ↑ "Join Friends star Matthew Perry for a funny, boozy night". dailymail.co.uk. Daily Mail. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  9. ↑ "Matthew Perry brings new play to West End". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  10. ↑ "Matthew Perry to Star in London World Premiere of His Playwriting Debut, The End of Longing". playbill.com. Playbill. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  11. ↑ "'Apocalypse's Lloyd Owen Joins Matthew Perry in UK Bow Of 'End Of Longing'". deadline.com. Deadline.com. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  12. ↑ "Matthew Perry To Star In His Debut Play 'The End Of Longing' On West End". deadline.com. Deadline.com. 3 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  13. ↑ "Matthew Perry's London West End play sounds like a perfect excuse for a Friends reunion". radiotimes.com. Radio Times. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  14. ↑ "Friends star to return to West End stage". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  15. ↑ "Perry Play Sets U.K. Cast". playbill.com. Playbill. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  16. ↑ "Matthew Perry to write and star in West End play". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  17. 1 2 "Cast & Creative". endoflonging.co.uk. The End of Longing. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  18. 1 2 3 "Lloyd Owen cast in The End of Longing alongside Matthew Perry". thestage.co.uk. The Stage. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  19. ↑ "Matthew Perry steps out in London ahead of the premiere of new play The End of Longing". mirror.co.uk. Daily Mirror. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  20. ↑ "Matthew Perry 'will not' attend Friends reunion". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  21. ↑ "Friends star Matthew Perry to write and star in West End's The End of Longing". thestage.co.uk. The Stage. 4 December 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
  22. ↑ "Casting announced for Matthew Perry's The End of Longing". whatsonstage.com. Whats On Stage. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 2 February 2016.

External links

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