‘It don’t always turn out like you think it is. You don’t always have the kind of life that you dream about. You know what I mean?’
Jim Becker and his unlicensed drivers take the people of Pittsburgh Hill District where regular taxi cabs won’t – healing old wounds and tearing new ones as they pass the time in a condemned taxi rank between pick-ups.
Directed by Tinuke Craig (The Color Purple) and following an acclaimed run at Leeds Playhouse, August Wilson’s (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom) groundbreaking modern classic explores the fragile bond between eight men as they live, love and work in a racially segregated, post-Vietnam America. Cast includes: Geoff Aymer, Leanne Henlon, Wil Johnson, Leemore Marrett Jr and Tony Marshall.
ACCESS PERFORMANCES
Relaxed (also audio described and captioned): Sat 25 Jun, 2.30pm Captioned: Mon 27 Jun, 7.30pm Audio described: Fri 01 Jul, 7.30pm (Touch Tour, 5.30pm) British Sign Language: Tue 5 Jul, 7.30pm
2 hours 45 minutes (inc. Interval)
12+
9th June, 2022
9th July, 2022
By: August Wilson
Director: Tinuke Craig
Cast list: Lindon Alexander, Geoff Aymer, Lincoln Conway, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Blair Gyabaah, Leanne Henlon, Solomon Israel, Wil Johnson, Dayo Koleosho, Leemore Marrett Jr, Tony Marshall, Yolanda Ovide, Sule Rimi
Set: Alex Lowde
Costume: Alex Lowde
Lighting: Elliot Griggs
Sound: Max Perryment
Location: West End
Railway station: Waterloo
Bus numbers: (Waterloo Road) 1, 4, 26, 59, 68, 139, 168, 171, 172, 176, 188, 521, X68; (Mepham Street) 211, 243, 507
Night bus numbers: (Waterloo Road) 139, 176, 188, N1, N68, N171; (Mepham Street) 243
Car park: Waterloo Station (4mins)
Directions from tube: (7mins) Take Mepham Street (100 metres) down to Waterloo Road. Turn right on Waterloo Road, but keep left as the theatre is 100 metres further along on the opposite corner.
Park yourselves at the Old Vic this summer and see August Wilson’s Jitney onstage. Book Jitney tickets in London on TodayTix.
The Jitney play explores life in 1970s Pittsburgh through events and decisions made at a taxi rank. At the start of the play, audiences meet Jim Becker, a taxi-rank manager who looks out for a group of drivers as they usher people around the city. However, his drivers go to places most taximen would avoid, notably the Pittsburgh Hill district. In the early 20th century, the Pittsburgh Hill district thrived, but over the years, many of its residents live below the poverty line.
When the taxi drivers aren't ferrying people around the city, they spend hours at the taxi rank. So much so, their place of work is now a second home. As the drivers sit and talk, they look out for one another by healing each others problems. But in a post-Vietnam America, awkward political conversations are commonplace. Throughout Jitney, eight men try to work, live and ultimately survive in a newly-segregated world.
Book Jitney tickets in London on TodayTix.
Unfortunately, tickets for this event are no longer available.
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