Playwright Peter Thomson (Sc. 1966-71) is bringing a new production of his acclaimed play The Nose to the Friends Meeting House on 10 October.
Drawing inspiration from Nikolai Gogol's celebrated short story of the same name, The Nose transports audiences to modern-day Russia, where a seemingly ordinary literary society meeting takes an unexpected turn. Featuring a Deputy Minister of Culture and a famous actor among its guests, what begins as a comedy gradually develops into something much darker, exploring power, memory and the consequences of the past.
This latest production revisits a work that first achieved critical success in the late 1980s. The original production was staged at London's King's Head Theatre in Islington and won Production of the Year at the Charrington London Fringe Awards. Thomson's reworking reflects the profound political and social changes that have taken place in Russia since that original staging, giving fresh resonance to the story for contemporary audiences.
The original play attracted considerable praise from critics. Reviewers described it as an ingenious adaptation of Gogol's story, commended its sharp satire and wit, and highlighted its ability to answer questions left unresolved in the original tale.
Decades later, The Nose returns with a renewed sense of relevance. Blending humour, tension and unsettling revelation, it culminates in an ending that audiences are unlikely to forget.
The production is recommended for those aged 17 and over. Tickets are £10 and available online at https://linktr.ee/the_nose