Lingua Franca

Based around a leading character in Peter Nichols' acclaimed work, Privates on Parade, and inspired by his own experiences, Lingua Franca is a fast-paced, sexually-charged story that plays with notions of xenophobia and cultural stereotypes to comic effect

It's the mid-1950s and "innocent abroad" Steven Flowers has travelled to Florence to teach English in a chaotic language school, Lingua Franca

He is soon adopted by fellow Brit, Peggy, but is more interested in Heidi, a newcomer from Munich

Heidi's deep-seated prejudice against the Jews causes tension with the anti-fascist Italian manager, Gennaro, and Russian Jew Irena

Atheist and pacifist Jestin worships only the art that surrounds him, while Australian Madge struggles when her students start to speak better French than she does

As Steven tries to make sense of his own life and a Europe at peace after so many years of war, Peggy's unrequited obsession leads to highly dramatic consequences

"... richly enjoyable new play ... Nichols is back on top form with a play that offers a Florentine room with multiple points of view" ~ Michael Billington, Guardian

"... one of the finest and most under-rated British dramatists of the second half of the 20th century" ~ Ben Brantley, New York Times

Characters ...

Steven Flowers, 25, British

Gennaro Mannetti, 30, Italian

Peggy Carmichael, 30, British

Irena Brentano, 50, Russian

Madge Fox, 45, Australian

Jesin Overton, 60, British

Heidi Schumann, 22, German