Synopsis
Lingua Franca
Published by Samuel French Ltd
3 Male 4 Female
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