John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga, which begins its two-part run at London's Park Theatre October 10, officially opens October 19. The world premiere adaptation by Shaun McKenna and Lin Coghlan will be staged through December 7. The two plays are on offer on alternate nights, with consecutive runs on matinee days.
Titled The Forsyte Saga Part 1: Irene and The Forsyte Saga Part 2: Fleur, both plays are directed by Josh Roche.
Set in 1886 London, the saga centers on Soames Forsyte, a wealthy solicitor and man of property, and his wife Irene, who he considers to be his prized possession. Years later, their daughter Fleur is forced to confront the family's shocking secret when history begins to repeat itself. Spanning the 40 years of immense change between the end of the Victorian era and the beginning of the Roaring '20s, the epic directly dissects the concepts of class, respectability, and possessive patriarchy.
Leading the company are Fiona Hampton as Irene Forsyte, Joseph Millson as Soames Forsyte and Flora Spencer-Longhurst as Fleur Forsyte. They are supported by Emma Amos, Nigel Hastings, Michael Lumsden, Florence Roberts, Andy Rush, and Jamie Wilkes.
The Forsyte Saga won Galsworthy the 1932 Nobel Prize in Literature, and was previously televised by the BBC in 1967. It was again serialized by ITV in 2002. McKenna and Coghlan have both previously adapted the novels for BBC Radio 4 in 2016 under the title The Forsytes.
For more information, visit ParkTheatre.co.uk.