A SLICE OF THE SEVENTIES WITH RICHARD BEAN’S TOAST AT TRUCK!

Step back 30 years to life in a Hull bread factory in the mid-seventies with Richard Bean’s classic play Toast, directed by Gareth Tudor Price. The Sunday shift gets more than it bargained for when it has to bake an extra 3,000 loaves - so naturally dough flies as the ovens are cranked up! Tempers flare among the regular shift workers and the character of ‘new boy,’ mature student Lance is stirred into the mix, proving that lives, like loaves, are in danger of crumbling as easily as a piece of toast. This is a robust account of men at work, heavily dosed with gritty humour and very strong language.

Toast, which opens Hull Truck’s exciting new spring /summer season, boasts a cast of seven actors including familiar faces Martin Barrass (Ladies Day Hull Truck); and Paul Popplewell (Under The Whaleback Hull Truck). Andy Fox (feature film Cheeky, directed by David Thewlis), Edward Peel (The Bill), Patrick Connolly (Heartbeat) Andrew Whitehead (Coronation Street) and Jonathan Hansler (My Family); make their Hull Truck debuts in Bean’s acclaimed play which premiered at London’s avant-garde Royal Court Theatre in 1999.

Gareth Tudor Price’s fresh interpretation of Toast sees its first production on home ground, whilst designer Richard Foxton’s set, brings to life the shabby canteen of a 1970s’ bread factory. Richard Bean’s close observation of factory life 30 years ago stamps his authority on this genre which the Spectactor describes as: ‘ As funny touching and brilliant an account of men at work as any we have seen.’

Editor’s Notes:

This production of Toast has been sponsored by the legendary Hull bakery, William Jackson & Son
Richard Bean’s TMA Award nominated Up On Roof premiered at Hull Truck in March 2006
Under The Whaleback – the winner of the 2002 George Devine Award was at Hull Truck in 2004
This production contains very strong language and is recommended for over-16s only