The Awkward Squad

The Awkward Squad

“The Awkward Squad” is a play from “Emmerdale” writer Karin Young and it also shares something else with the ITV show as it will feature Charlie Hardwick, known nationwide for portraying the character of Val Pollard. It will be an opportunity for audiences to witness some talented performers, including further cast members like Barbara Marten, Libby Davison and Lisa McGrillis, come together on the stage of the Arts Theatre, a venue that has welcomed a range of stand-out shows over the years, whilst also welcoming artists like Cemlyn Jones in 2012.

Charlie Hardwick portrays the role of Sandy in the production, with Barbara Marten leading the cast in the lead part, whilst Davison plays Pam and McGrillis plays Sarah. The focus is on the character of Lorna, who is hoping for a quiet weekend and is instead forced to deal with the so-called problems of her daughters and her granddaughter, who promptly arrive on the scene. She has spent her life helping others and is an upstanding member of the community – proven by her upcoming honorary PhD – so it is clear that some things never change and instead of her quiet weekend she must listen to problems related to boob jobs, redundancies and more.

Though Hardwick’s portrayal of Val Pollard is her highest profile role, she has appeared in numerous other television programmes over the years, in addition to movies. Early in her career she performed in the television series “Byker Grove” as Sian and has also been a presence on “Grumpy Old Women”. Meanwhile, she has graced the silver screen in films like “The Scar” and “Purely Belter”.

And among the actresses she appears alongside in “The Awkward Squad” is Lisa McGrillis, who is best known to London theatre audiences for her role in “The Pitmen Painters” at the National Theatre (which returned to the West End’s Duchess Theatre in 2011). She has also appeared in stage shows like “Nicole Most Famous” at Live Theatre and “In Wonderland”, which appeared at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For the screen she has appeared in “Spit Games” and “The Other Possibility”.

Those with theatre tickets can catch “The Awkward Squad” at the Arts Theatre from Thursday 8th March 2012 (previews from Tuesday 6th March 2012) to Saturday 7th April 2012.

Venue Information and Directions

Arts Theatre
6-7 Great Newport Street
WC2H 7JB

Seating Plan

Directions

Directions
Closest tube station is Leicester Square.