Reunion & Dark Pony by David Mamet

Dark Pony – Battersea Library

Baseless Fabric presented David Mamet’s short early plays Reunion and Dark Pony as site-specific performances in libraries across South London as part of National Libraries Week. Both plays are about father and daughter relationships. Reunion tells a story about an ex-alcoholic father, reconciling with his daughter for the first time in 20 years. In Dark Pony a father tells his child a magical fairy tale about the friendship between an Indian Brave and his Dark Pony.

Starring David Schaal whose TV credits include The Inbetweeners & The Office.

We explored these early plays by one of America’s leading contemporary playwrights that are rarely seen in the UK by immersing the audience in the worlds of these plays in unique and atmospheric library environments.

Reviews

Reunion – Earlsfield Library

This rarely performed double bill is both an ideal introduction to theatre for new audiences, and a treat for seasoned theatregoers.- Everything Theatre

This was a most enjoyable production perfect for its location.- LondonTheatre1

The company couldn’t have chosen a more suitable author for this purpose than the one who once said “My alma mater is the Chicago Public Library. I got what little educational foundation I got in the third-floor reading room, under the tutelage of a Coca-Cola sign”- Everything Theatre

This is a rare opportunity to see two early works from David Mamet in a very special venue… this Libraries Week it’s lovely to see [libraries] getting the appreciation they deserve.- Theatre Things

Dark Pony is a lovely testament to the power of stories (and particularly appropriate in the library setting), but it also serves as a perfect counterpoint to Reunion by offering a glimpse of what Bernie and Carol missed out on.- Theatre Things

“Celebrate Libraries Week (9 – 14 October) with sombre, but touching father/daughter dynamics”- The View from the Upper Circle

“David Schaal as Bernie and the book-reading father captures the right kind of wide-eyed intensity, reeling from his hard life and the mistakes he’s made, desperate for a fresh start. And you can almost hear Siu-see Hung’s (Carol and the young daughter) internal struggle, as she tries to find the words to put her life into focus.”- The View from the Upper Circle

Both plays “lend themselves well to the space between the bookshelves”- The View from the Upper Circle

Cast

David Schaal

Siu-see Hung

Creative Team

David Mamet – Playwright
Joanna Turner – Director
Bex Kemp – Set & Costume Designer
Nadine Froehlich – Design Assistant

Blog Posts on Reunion & Dark Pony

Performance Dates

Date	Time	Location	Book Online
Mon 9th Oct	7.30pm	Durning Library 167 Kennington Ln, London SE11 4HF
Tues 10th Oct	7.30pm	John Harvard Library 211 Borough High St, London SE1 1JA
Wed 11th Oct	7.30pm	John Harvard Library 211 Borough High St, London SE1 1JA
Thu 12th Oct	7.30pm	Merton Arts Space – Wimbledon Library 35 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 7NB
Fri 13th Oct	7.30pm	Merton Arts Space – Wimbledon Library 35 Wimbledon Hill Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 7NB
Sat 14th Oct	3pm	Earlsfield Library 276 Magdalen Rd, London SW18 3NY
Sat 14th Oct	7.30pm	Battersea Library 265 Lavender Hill, London SW11 1JB
Sun 15th Oct	6pm	Clapham Library 91 Clapham High Street, London SW4 7DB