Katherine Chandler’s touchingly funny monologue, starring Christian Patterson tours venues in Wales this autumn.
Peggy’s Song, which was originally commissioned as part of National Theatre Wales NHS70 festival last year, will now tour across South and West Wales, opening in The Riverfront, Newport on 25 September 2019.
Katherine Chandler’s play that celebrates the volunteers of our NHS is a gloriously funny but poignantly touching monologue which explores an unexpected friendship between hapless hospital radio DJ Danny Walkman and tough talking patient Peggy.
After his radio show at St Bevan’s Hospital, Danny has a chance encounter in the Garden of Hope with Peggy. They’ve nothing in common, but in Danny’s world everyone likes music, don’t they?
Everyone’s got a song, and if there’s one thing Danny Walkman is good at, it’s getting people to tell him what their song is. Peggy doesn’t give much away, so it’s a race against time for Danny to find, and play, Peggy’s song.
Writer Katherine Chandler said “Peggy’s Song is my love letter to the NHS. I really wanted to write something that celebrated the many people who work for and give their time to the NHS and are at the heart of why it’s a service that’s so treasured by us all. I felt like I wanted it to be an uplifting piece about community and ordinary people.”
She continued “When difficult things happen to us in hospitals it’s more often than not the kindness of the people who work there that really stays with us and I wanted to look at that in my love letter and to celebrate it.”
“I think Peggy’s Song is a hopeful celebration of community and ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It’s funny and sad, and has a lot of great songs in it.”
Peggy’s Song is a story of ordinary people and the volunteers of the NHS.
Christian Patterson said “I am so happy that National Theatre Wales decided to revive Katherine Chandler’s beautiful play and that I get the chance to tour it around the beautiful theatres of Wales! This production is a labour of love for me and I know that the director, Phil Clark, feels exactly the same way. It’s going to be a great pleasure to share ‘Peggy’s Song’ and my character (Danny Walkman) with new audiences and take them on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.”
National Theatre Wales’ Peggy’s Song will play at venues in Newport, Pontardawe, Brecon, Porthcawl, Newtown, Swansea, Cardiff, Abergavenny, Blackwood, Milford Haven, Llanelli and Carmarthen from 25 September to 11 October 2019.
For tickets, visit https://www.nationaltheatrewales.org/ Age Guidance 14 +
