Written by Nick Payne | Directed by James Haddrell
Park90, 26 Feb – 22 March
Cassie Bradley and Barney White have been announced as the cast of Nick Payne’s One Day When We Were Young, presented by Greenwich Theatre in association with Park Theatre. Cassie Bradley is best known for playing Natalie Watkins in Coronation Street, and work at the National Theatre including Home I’m Darling, directed by Tamara Harvey, and King Lear, directed by Sam Mendes. Barney White will soon reprise his leading role in the fourth series of ITV’s Professor T, alongside Ben Miller and Frances de la Tour, and will appear in the second series of The Couple Next Door for Channel 4. The pair play a couple across three different points in their relationship at three moments in time, from the middle of World War II to the 1960s to the turn of the millennium, and paints a moving picture of an aging relationship set against an ever-changing social landscape.
One Day When We Were Young is by Nick Payne, the Tony Award-nominated writer of Constellations, BBC/Netflix drama Wanderlust and feature film We Live in Time starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. In 1942, as the bombs begin to fall, Leonard and Violet find themselves in a hotel in Bath, embarking on their first night together and desperately hoping it won’t be their last. It’s the eve of Leonard’s departure for the Front and everything seems to be falling apart for the young couple, but despite their fears the world keeps turning, time keeps moving on, and over a period of sixty years the invisible bond between two people is stretched to its limit. Named after the couple’s favourite song, One Day When We Were Young delves into the fragility of love and tests the limits of a relationship. The play will be revived for Park Theatre by the Artistic Director of Greenwich Theatre James Haddrell.
Director James Haddrell said, “I have wanted to stage One Day When We Were Young for a long time, but Nick’s play requires two actors at the absolute top of their game, playing these two characters across a period of 60 years from the impetuous flush (and fear) of youth to the frustrations of old age. I am delighted to have the opportunity to finally present the show with Cassie and Barney. Both have extensive experience across both stage and screen, but more importantly both have an astonishing ability to see beyond the physical ageing process and understand the ageing of intelligence and emotion – two hearts ageing in parallel, though not always in unison. Presenting Leonard and Violet’s story in the intimate space of Park90 offers audiences a chance to see these two fantastic actors at work – and I can’t wait to share this story.”
Greenwich Theatre is one of London’s foremost Off-West End theatres, working on a local, national and international stage. From presenting a year-round programme of established and emerging theatre in the Royal borough of Greenwich, to supporting artists in taking their work around the world, the development of new work is always at the heart of what they do.
Park Theatre presents exceptional theatre in the heart of Finsbury Park, boasting two world-class performance spaces: Park200 for predominantly larger scale productions by established talent, and Park90, a flexible studio space, for emerging artists. In twelve years, it has enjoyed ten West End transfers (including Rose starring Maureen Lipman, The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss, Pressure starring David Haig and The Life I Lead starring Miles Jupp), two National Theatre transfers, 14 national tours, seven Olivier Award nominations, has won multiple OffWestEnd Offie Awards and won a Theatre of the Year award from The Stage.
Running Time: 90 mins (no interval) | Suitable for ages 14+
Company information
Director: James Haddrell
Writer: Nick Payne
Lighting designer: Henry Slater
Cast
Violet: Cassie Bradley
Leonard: Barney White
Listings information
Park90, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, London N4 3JP
26 Feb – 22 March
Preview: 26 Feb – 27 Feb
Mon – Sat evening 7pm, Thurs and Sat matinees 3.15pm
Dementia friendly performance: Thu 13 Mar 15.15
Previews £15, standard £25 – £15, Park Up Members 16 – 26 yrs £10, Access conc. £9.50
Booking: 020 7870 6876*
* Telephone booking fee of £3 per transaction applies. All ticket prices are inclusive of a £1.50 building levy.
Social media
X (Twitter): @ParkTheatre @greenwichtheatr @jameshaddrell
Instagram: @ParkTheatreLondon @greenwichtheatre @jhaddrell
TikTok: @ParkTheatreLondon
#OneDayWhenWeWereYoung