{"id":472849,"date":"2026-04-18T09:18:04","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T08:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/?p=472849"},"modified":"2026-04-18T09:18:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T08:18:07","slug":"oval-theatre-to-host-double-bill-of-soviet-political-satire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/camberwell\/oval-theatre-to-host-double-bill-of-soviet-political-satire\/","title":{"rendered":"Oval theatre to host double-bill of Soviet political satire"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>A double-bill of bold Soviet political satire is set to be held in Oval\u2019s Golden Goose Theatre, <em>writes Maya Sgaravato-Grant&#8230;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The plays Charlie and Striptease, written by award-winning Polish playwright Slawomir Mrozek in the 1960s and 1970s, will be performed from Tuesday 21 April.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"69959\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448384\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">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<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>Combining comedy with unsettling drama through Mrozek\u2019s characteristic blend of absurdity and biting social commentary, the shows seek to expose the fear and suspicion which drive paranoid political systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"fGuEHQ9LBghkFD16mUAAJxM3zG3wQ0biRyhwl2BZvvaZm4uYraXcKNrHD5CsEOjYbKWMlo8eVpJOj\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"ENKEKFwdV9\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/peckham\/save-old-kent-road-protestors-to-demonstrate-in-national-rally-this-saturday-and-local-rally-next-saturday\/\">Save Old Kent Road &#8211; protestors to demonstrate in national rally this Saturday and local rally next Saturday<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Save Old Kent Road &#8211; protestors to demonstrate in national rally this Saturday and local rally next Saturday&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/area\/peckham\/save-old-kent-road-protestors-to-demonstrate-in-national-rally-this-saturday-and-local-rally-next-saturday\/embed\/#?secret=WN20GQkHIZ#?secret=ENKEKFwdV9\" data-secret=\"ENKEKFwdV9\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The first of the two plays, Charlie, depicts the experience of an optician who encounters a grandfather and grandson intent on killing a man with the aforementioned name, while in Striptease two strangers find themselves in a room where a mysterious \u2018hand\u2019 orders them to progressively remove pieces of clothing.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"68153\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448385\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMjQ3Mjg1Mjg5MyIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWNvbnRlbnQgc291dGgtZW50aXR5LXBsYWNlbWVudCIgc3R5bGU9Im1hcmdpbi1sZWZ0OiBhdXRvO21hcmdpbi1yaWdodDogYXV0bzt0ZXh0LWFsaWduOiBjZW50ZXI7Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtMngxIj4NCjxzY3JpcHQ+DQpnb29nbGV0YWcuY21kLnB1c2goZnVuY3Rpb24oKSB7IGdvb2dsZXRhZy5kaXNwbGF5KCdkaXYtZ3B0LWFkLTJ4MScpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICAgICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"747\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-747x560.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-476071\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-747x560.jpeg 747w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-373x280.jpeg 373w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-195x146.jpeg 195w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-1320x990.jpeg 1320w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-750x562.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-1-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-1140x855.jpeg 1140w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 747px) 100vw, 747px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A previous production of Striptease (credit Paddy Gormley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"420\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-420x560.jpeg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-476072\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-420x560.jpeg 420w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-210x280.jpeg 210w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-768x1024.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-1152x1536.jpeg 1152w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-1536x2048.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-109x146.jpeg 109w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-1320x1760.jpeg 1320w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-750x1000.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-1140x1520.jpeg 1140w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Production-shot-4-Credit-Paddy-Gormley-scaled.jpeg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 420px) 100vw, 420px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A previous production of Striptease (credit Paddy Gormley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"309\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140321-309x560.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-476073\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140321-309x560.png 309w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140321-155x280.png 155w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140321-81x146.png 81w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140321.png 444w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 309px) 100vw, 309px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A production image of Charlie (credit Paddy Gormley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"490\" height=\"560\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140333-490x560.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-476074\" srcset=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140333-490x560.png 490w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140333-245x280.png 245w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140333-128x146.png 128w, https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Screenshot-2026-04-02-140333.png 706w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">A production image of Charlie (credit Paddy Gormley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Producer and actor Rowland D. Hill stated that the shows were still \u2018so relevant\u2019 to the present day. He said: \u201cEven in translation, Mrozek\u2019s wit and humour remain peerless, giving us riotous comedy that is also thought provoking in a time when authoritarianism is on the rise across the western world\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fellow producer and director Orsolya Nagy was inspired to take up Mrozek&#8217;s work while working on a research project on Eastern European absurdist theatre for her PhD. This led to pilot performances of Striptease at Birmingham Theatre Festival in 2025. She said: \u201cLiving in London but originally coming from an ex-communist country, I am very interested to see what happens when these plays are out of context, staged in the 21st century in the UK.<\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71156\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448386\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMjI5NjI1OTA0MiIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1OSBzb3V0aC1lbnRpdHktcGxhY2VtZW50Ij48IS0tICAvMTU0NzI1MDcwLDIyNjk0MTk2OTY5L3NvdXRod2Fya25ld3Mvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cyAtLT4NCjxkaXYgaWQ9ImRpdi1ncHQtYWQtbXB1OSI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHU5Jyk7IH0pOw0KPC9zY3JpcHQ+DQo8L2Rpdj4gICAgIDwvZGl2Pg==<\/script>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cMy aim as a director is to take the audience on this emotional, strange journey where they recognise the absurdity of our current times and can laugh at it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Golden Goose Theatre, 146 Camberwell New Rd, London SE5 0RR from Tuesday 21st April to Saturday 9th May 2026<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Tickets \u00a318 (concessions \u00a315) from 22 April; preview tickets \u00a312. Tickets will include a \u00a31 booking fee<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Booking and full details: https:\/\/www.goldengoosetheatre.co.uk\/whatson\/charlie-and-striptease<\/em><\/strong><\/p><script type=\"text\/plain\" data-tcf=\"waiting-for-consent\" data-id=\"71157\" data-bid=\"1\" data-placement=\"448387\" data-no-track=\"impressions\">PGRpdiBpZD0ic291dGgtMTEzMjczMzYxMCIgY2xhc3M9InNvdXRoLWluLWFydGljbGUtbXB1LTEwIHNvdXRoLWVudGl0eS1wbGFjZW1lbnQiPjwhLS0gIC8xNTQ3MjUwNzAsMjI2OTQxOTY5Njkvc291dGh3YXJrbmV3cy9zb3V0aHdhcmtuZXdzIC0tPg0KPGRpdiBpZD0iZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCI+DQo8c2NyaXB0Pg0KZ29vZ2xldGFnLmNtZC5wdXNoKGZ1bmN0aW9uKCkgeyBnb29nbGV0YWcuZGlzcGxheSgnZGl2LWdwdC1hZC1tcHUxMCcpOyB9KTsNCjwvc2NyaXB0Pg0KPC9kaXY+ICAgICA8L2Rpdj4=<\/script>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-wp-embed is-provider-southwark-news wp-block-embed-southwark-news\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"Zuk4x7wQCRCl0s0rzVPoNeoTbGm8aHT4nOJSKuUsn6IYFLWpXkqjhcwR29UmPAgd53iHKENOLfa58YAzSEgyF6dQyGf1eZlMWcx\"><blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"91Y6MxSh2i\"><a href=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/camberwell-garden-above-abandoned-cold-war-nuclear-hideout-suddenly-destroyed\/\">Camberwell garden above abandoned Cold War nuclear hideout &#8216;suddenly destroyed&#8217;<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe class=\"wp-embedded-content\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden;\" title=\"&#8220;Camberwell garden above abandoned Cold War nuclear hideout &#8216;suddenly destroyed&#8217;&#8221; &#8212; Southwark News\" src=\"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/news\/news-plus\/camberwell-garden-above-abandoned-cold-war-nuclear-hideout-suddenly-destroyed\/embed\/#?secret=XTNwdfVhs6#?secret=91Y6MxSh2i\" data-secret=\"91Y6MxSh2i\" width=\"500\" height=\"282\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A double-bill of bold Soviet political satire is set to be held in Oval\u2019s Golden Goose Theatre, writes Maya Sgaravato-Grant&#8230; The plays Charlie and Striptease, written by award-winning Polish playwright Slawomir Mrozek in the 1960s and 1970s, will be performed from Tuesday 21 April. Combining comedy with unsettling drama through Mrozek\u2019s characteristic blend of absurdity [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18930,"featured_media":472864,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":{"format":"standard","override":[{"template":"1","parallax":"1","fullscreen":"1","layout":"right-sidebar","sidebar":"default-sidebar","second_sidebar":"default-sidebar","sticky_sidebar":"1","share_position":"top","share_float_style":"share-monocrhome","show_share_counter":"1","show_view_counter":"1","show_featured":"1","show_post_meta":"1","show_post_author":"1","show_post_author_image":"1","show_post_date":"1","post_date_format":"default","post_date_format_custom":"Y\/m\/d","show_post_category":"1","show_post_reading_time":"0","post_reading_time_wpm":"300","post_calculate_word_method":"str_word_count","show_zoom_button":"0","zoom_button_out_step":"2","zoom_button_in_step":"3","show_post_tag":"1","show_prev_next_post":"1","show_popup_post":"1","show_comment_section":"1","number_popup_post":"1","show_author_box":"1","show_inline_post_related":"1"}],"image_override":[{"single_post_thumbnail_size":"crop-500","single_post_gallery_size":"crop-500"}],"trending_post_position":"meta","trending_post_label":"Trending","sponsored_post_label":"Sponsored by","disable_ad":"0","subtitle":"Tickets \u00a318 (concessions \u00a315) from 22 April; preview tickets just \u00a312"},"jnews_primary_category":{"id":"9635"},"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":{"view_counter_number":"0","share_counter_number":"0","like_counter_number":"0","dislike_counter_number":"0"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,7375,15871,18246,13602,13543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-472849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camberwell","category-community","category-lambeth","category-lifestyle","category-news","category-politics"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18930"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=472849"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":477974,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/472849\/revisions\/477974"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/472864"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=472849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=472849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/southwarknews.co.uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=472849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}