Shakers
By John Godber and Jane Thornton
About the play
A play Made in Hull and exported worldwide, from Dubai to Bratislava, from Scandinavia to LA. A play so popular in Prague that it has played in rep there for the past 12 years!
Carol, Adele, Niki and Mel work in a bar that is worse than hell! Welcome to the 80s, where every town has its Shakers, the oh so trendy cocktail bar where everyone wants to be seen, from the checkout girls to the chinless wonders, from the luvvies to the local lads tittering at the thought of a “long slow comfortable screw”.
Shakers gives a wickedly funny glimpse of this world as seen through the eyes of the four long-suffering waitresses, offering a fascinating view of the reality that lurks behind the plastic palms and the Pina Coladas.
History of ‘Shakers’
Shakers was first presented by the Hull Truck Theatre Company at Spring Street Theatre in 1984.
Jane Thornton writes :
“On the very first tour of Up n Under that went into the Donmar Warehouse, I played Hazel. At many venues on the tour the rest of the cast also performed a late night version of Bouncers. I was left on the sidelines. Thus came the impetus to write Shakers - a play that would provide strong physical theatre roles and exciting multi-role playing for four women. It would also examine the world of the waitress, the abuse and degradation that they experience on a daily basis and the struggles and triumphs of their day to day lives.
John and I structured the play, then literally divided the scenes between us. I took most of the monologues, the supermarket girls (I had worked in a supermarket) and other scenes. Over the years we have constantly updated it. The most recent production played at the East Riding Theatre in 2017. We are always happy to send out the latest version of the script.
In the 80’s we went to see it performed in LA, in a small theatre off Hollywood Boulevard directed by the wonderful Ron Link. One of the actresses, Yeardley Smith who played Nicky was seen in it and asked to audition to do some voiceover work on the Tracey Ullman show and whilst we were there, she was successfully offered the chance to voice Lisa Simpson in The Simpsons - she is still doing it!
The play has been performed all over the world, including playing for many years in Prague and is a favourite with young women in schools. There is a musical version with music by Rex and Harvey Brough and it was this version that was recorded for the BBC starring Diane Parrish from Eastenders, Louise Lombard and Maria Friedman. It was also nominated for a Writers Guild Award.
The funny thing is I have never actually been in it - but John has! During an early tour one of the actresses was taken ill and we had no understudy - I was working away, so John went on as Nicky with the book!”