A Family Affair

A Family Affair

Written by Alexander Ostrovksy
Performed in English
1988

The censor’s report on Aleksander Ostrovsky’s first full-length play read as follows: “All the characters are first-class villains, the dialogue is filthy, the entire play is an insult to the Russian merchant class!”

Ostrovsky was also ordered to report regularly to his local police station, was put under surveillance of the dreaded secret police, and forced to resign from the civil service.

A Family Affair had, however, been printed in Moskvityanin, a popular monthly literary review, and read aloud in the capital’s literary salons, so that in a few months the young Ostrovsky was Russia’s most famous if unperformed dramatist.

Banned for over ten years, the comedy tells the story of corrupt merchant Bolshov who, in an attempt to evade the creditors, transfers his possessions into the name of his assistant, Lazar. Lazar does not give back the possessions as agreed but instead sets up his own business and even marries Bolshov’s daughter. It is a play of social climbing, cunning and corruption with themes that resonate with contemporary audiences in the modern world.

An adaption by Nick Dear. Produced by Cheek by Jowl. The first performance of Family Affair was on 23rd February 1988 at the University Theatre, Colchester.

“One of the reasons Cheek by Jowl win awards at the rate they do is that they’re not afraid to nail their colours to the mast and be uncompromisingly theatrical.”
City Limits

Cast

Name	Character
Lesley Sharp	Lipochka
Anne White	Agrafena
Annette Badland	Fominishna
Marcia Warren`	Ustinya
Timothy Walker	Rispolozhensky
Tam Dean Burn	Bolshov
Adam Kotz	Lazar
Paul Stacey	Tishka

Creative Team

Role	Name
Director	Declan Donnellan
Designer	Nick Ormerod
Music	Colin Sell
Lighting Designer	Nick Kidd

Previous Performances

Date (first performance)	Location	No. of performances
27 April 1988	London, Donmar Warehouse, UK	24
15 April 1988	Carlisle, Stanwix Arts Theatre, UK	2
13 April 1988	Birmingham, Midlands Arts Centre, UK	2
11 April 1988	Cambridge, Arts Theatre, UK	2
7 April 1988	Bury St Edmunds, Theatre Royal, UK	3
1 April 1988	Shrewsbury, Music Hall, UK	2
30 March 1988	Stafford, Gatehouse Theatre, UK	2
28 March 1988	Kidderminster, Rose Theatre, UK	2
25 March 1988	Worthing, Connaught Theatre, UK	2
22 March 1988	Milton Keynes, Stantonbury Theatre, UK	2
17 March 1988	Hemel Hempstead, Old Town Hall, UK	3
11 March 1988	Builth Wells, Wyeside Arts Centre, UK	2
9 March 1988	Basingstoke, Central Studio, UK	2
5 March 1988	Oundle, Stahl Theatre, UK	2
3 March 1988	Harlow, Harlow Playhouse, UK	3
29 February 1988	Stratford Upon Avon, The Swan, UK	3
26 February 1988	Wallingford, Corn Exchange, UK	2
23 February 1988	Colchester, University Theatre, UK	3

Awards

Laurence Olivier Award nomination – Designer of the Year
1988 – For A Family Affair, Philoctetes and The Tempest at the Donmar Warehouse

Laurence Olivier Award nomination – Observer Award for Outstanding Achievement
1988 – Nick Dear for A Family Affair

Laurence Olivier Award nomination – Comedy Performance of the Year
1988 – Lesley Sharp in A Family Affair

Reviews

“One of the reasons Cheek by Jowl win awards at the rate they do is that they’re not afraid to nail their colours to the mast and be uncompromisingly theatrical.”
City Limits