Canary by Jonathan Harvey

"We're the litmus test of whether a society respects human rights. We are the canaries in the mine."

Jonathan Harvey, author of Beautiful Thing and Beautiful People, and writer on Coronation Street comes back with an ambitious new play that explores the experience of the LGBT community over the past fifty year; from clandestine love with the risk of prison or aversion therapy to the liberation movement, the AIDS crisis and the current relative acceptance.

In 1960’s Liverpool Tom and Billy hide in the closet, then go their separate ways. As pits close and the dole queues grow, Mickey and Russell escape to find Heaven in 1980’s London. But today the paparazzi turn judge and jury over a love story that could tear this family apart. And then Ellie gets lost up a mountain with a vicar...

The play includes appearances by Mary Whitehouse and Margaret Thatcher.

Reviews:
- Canary at the Hampstead Theatre, review - The Telegraph
- Canary, Liverpool Playhouse - The Observer
- Canary, Liverpool Playhouse - The Guardian
- Canary is camp, brash, brave and bombastic - The Evening Standard
- Canary - WhatsOnStage

Canary
by Jonathan Harvey,
directed by Hettie Macdonald,
Designed by Liz Ascroft
On tour: 24 April - 3 July 2010

HAMPSTEAD THEATRE 19 May - 12 June
CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE 15 - 19 June
MALVERN THEATRES 22 - 26 June
BRIGHTON THEATRE ROYAL 29 June - 3 July