Upstairs at the Gatehouse

A Jacobean classic, updated.

Highgate, London - August 2011. As riots continue to spread across the capital, rich homeowner Lovewit decides to escape abroad on holiday, leaving his nephew Jeremy to house-sit. With the city in chaos, Jeremy spies an opportunity to make some money, and so invites round two of his associates: twitchy, chemically-talented Subtle, and Dol Common, a girl who can't say 'no'. In one manic day the trio attempt to pull off a series of intricate scams targeting a variety of marks - including a Tory Cabinet minister, two members of a religious sect and a young American heiress - but as the situation becomes increasingly complicated, they realise they may have bitten off more than they can chew...

Dunnico Theatre presents this giant of English stage comedy in a whole new setting, keeping the wonderful Jacobean language of the original while bringing the play right up to date. In The Alchemist Jonson was determined to satirise and critique the London he saw around him; our production does exactly the same, using this classic comedy to explore issues like greed, criminality and social division, which are just as topical and relevant today as they were in 1610.