Book description
The kettle boils in 1936 as the fascists are marching. Tea is brewed in
1946, with disillusion in the air at the end of the war. Twenty years
on, in 1956, as rumours spread of Hungarian revolution, the cup is
empty. Sarah Khan, an East End Jewish mother, is a feisty political
fighter and a staunch communist. Battling against the State and her
shirking husband, she desperately tries to keep her family together.
This landmark state-of-the-nation play is a panoramic drama portraying
the age-old battle between realism and idealism. Chicken Soup with
Barley captures the collapse of an ideology alongside the disintegration
of a family. Chicken Soup with Barley, the first in a trilogy that
includes Roots and I'm Talking about Jerusalem was first performed at
the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry in 1958 and transferred to the Royal
Court in the same year. It reminds us of Wesker's rare gift for
generating strong emotion while encompassing big ideas -- Michael
Billington Guardian 20110608 The play...has a deep core of humanity. Its
title is a refernence to a memorable, evocative flavour that remains
after everything has gone - a reminder of the warm, enduring nourishment
afforded by friendships. -- Henry Hitchings Evening Standard 20110608
Arnold Wesker is one of Britain's seminal post-war playwrights. His
varied writings include essays, short stories, poetry, journalism and 49
plays, which have been translated into 18 languages. His other plays
include The Kitchen, Roots, Chips with Everything and Shylock.
