PIRANHA HEIGHTS
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Old Red Lion
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It’s Mother’s Day and mother is dead. Now her two sons gather in her home to argue about the truth of their childhood. But a storm is approaching…with a violent and new truth all of it’s own.
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Piranha Heights is non-stop, filthily poetic and a searing insight into the disenchantment of young people today. Now DEM Productions presents a reworking of Philip Ridley’s acclaimed play.
Piranha heights is the third and final play in Philip Ridley’s seminal Brothers Trilogy, which also includes the smash hit Mercury Fur, the most recent production of which transferred from the Old Red Lion into the West End.
It is a play that displays his particular brand of dark modern fantasy at its most frenetic and provocative, hurtling towards a ‘hopeful nihilism’ that captures and exhilarates this generation.
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Terrifying and hilarious, the play is part ghost story, part acid-fuelled farce. Piranha Heights explores global politics with razor sharp wit and rhapsodic poetry, all from within a little London flat.
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Produced by: Lead Producer Chris Foxon, Co-Producer Ramin Sabi, Co-Producer Oliver King
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Writer: Philip Ridley
Director: Max Barton
Designer: Cécile Trémolières
Assistant Director: Hannah Jones
Assistant Producers: Oliver King & Leyla McLennan
Producer: Ramin Sabi
Production and Stage Manager: Harriet May
Assistant Director: Esmé Hicks
Production Manager: James Ashby
Publicity: Sheridan Humphreys
Marketing: Tom Powell
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Cast: Alex Lowe, Jassa Ahluwalia, Phil Cheadle, Rebecca Boey, Ryan Gerald
★★★★
“thrillingly revived... Max Barton’s terrific production positively glows with a febrile intensity which, at the show’s climax, had me quaking in my seat... an unforgettably thrilling experience.” - Aleks Sierz, The Arts Desk
★★★★
“shocking and intense... It’s a strong, uncomfortable night of drama and another excellent revival of a stark work by a distinct, unsettling voice.”
- Daisy Bowie-Sell, Time Out
★★★★ “A gripping and accomplished revival of the play” - Natasha Tripney, The Stage
★★★★★ “this is a must-see piece of theatre. Strong, lucid writing at its best. See it while you still can!” - Liam Fleming, The Metropolist
★★★★ “Piranha Heights has everything a theatre fan would want... it has a wonderful charm of energy and brutality that makes it work to such great success... this intense piece of theatre intends to shock; and really does.” - William Connolly, Gay Times
“Max Barton’s technically ambitious production takes off like a rocket in the second half, with compelling and frankly creepy performances.” - David Ralf, Exeunt
“a high energy, emotionally draining, tour-de-force” - Shyama Perera, Monkey Matters Theatre
“a fantastical yet gripping theatrical experience under Max Barton’s direction.” - There Ought to be Clowns
“a star example of physical and in-yer-face theatre. Whether one is already a fan or new to this genre, this is the play to watch.” - Vera Mikusch, St John Street News
