After a two year break it’s such a joy that the Crouch End Festival is back! From 8th – 10th July there’ll be the usual mix of music, theatre and generally creative things happening in N8 and we are fully involved with a new production from Crouch End players.

Cruel Comedy is a double bill of short plays by the French anarchist writer Octave Mirbeau from his set of Farces et Moralités, first published in 1904. Mirbeau was a pretty savage critic of the society in which he wallowed and I hope I’ve carried through some of the anger and incredulity that informs Interview, a satire on the press of his day which we’ve updated to be a take on social media as Snoop. Les Amants – which I’ve translated as Lovers – is on the other hand a satire on the personal rather than the public.

The most important thing is that both are very, very funny and ideal for a festival feel. Short and snappy with a young cast with lots of energy.

To get your free tickets click through and take a punt on a couple of neglected masterpieces from a writer who deserves to be better known this side of the Channel.

Culture France Theatre Comedy Crouch End Festival Mirbeau Theatre