Down The Road set to open at Playhouse East

American Theatre of London proudly announces its inaugural production, Down the Road by award-winning playwright Lee Blessing.

The production is set to open at Playhouse East, a newly established independent theatre and creative arts hub in the heart of East London. The production will run from 4th to 29th March 2025, with press night scheduled for 6th March at 7.30pm. 

Founded in 2024, American Theatre of London is a production company dedicated to bringing the vibrant spirit of American plays to life, with a spotlight on talented American creatives. As part of the production, there will be three post-show Q&A sessions with crime experts, looking at why we are so fascinated with true crime and serial killers and personal experience regarding media perception.

Winner of the Great American Play Award, Down the Road premiered in 1989 at La Jolla Playhouse, California, and gained further acclaim in 1991 at the prestigious Actors Theatre of Louisville during the Festival of New American Plays. Playwright Lee Blessing has been widely celebrated for his work, with Time Magazine hailing him as ‘America’s most imaginative playwright on public issues’ and Variety praising his ‘penchant (and skill) for probing his chosen issues with intelligence and respect for their complexity, his dramatic style is clear and simple.’ This production marks the play’s first UK revival since 2003. 

Down the Road tells the story of a true-blue, journalist couple, hired to interview Bill Reach, a young, sadistic serial killer, for his tell-all book. With dreams of starting their own family and hopes of this being their big break, Iris and Dan are drawn closer into Reach's chilling yet alluring orbit and unwittingly take their work home with them. When grisly tales captivate and shock value sells, how will Dan and Iris navigate the fine line between journalistic integrity and glorifying the actions of Bill Reach? 

When the play first premiered, audiences were captivated by the emerging cultural fascination with serial killers. Today, in an era saturated with true crime pop culture, podcasts and television, Down the Road resonates in a different way, offering a critical exploration of our enduring fascination with violent crime.

American Theatre of London’s modern revival of Down the Road, directed by Tracy Matthewson, sets the compelling morality play from the 90s firmly within a 21st century context, to see how far our enchantment with true crime goes. This gripping psychological thriller explores the complex intersection of true crime, ethics, and the allure of killers in our culture.

American Theatre of London has partnered with CrimeCon UK for this inaugural production.

TICKETS: www.americantheatreoflondon Down the Road.co.uk/whatson
PLAYHOUSE EAST - 258 Kingsland Road, London E8 4DG - www.playhouseeast.com

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