Serious Money
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| Serious Money | |
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| Written by | Caryl Churchill |
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| Date premiered | 1987 |
| Place premiered | Royal Court Theatre London, England |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | The world of arbitrageurs, junk bonds and greenmail, white knights and corporate raiders |
| Genre | Comedy, satire |
| Setting | 1980s, London and New York |
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| IOBDB profile | |
Serious Money is a satirical play written by Caryl Churchill first staged in London in 1987. Its subject is the British stock market, specifically the London International Financial Futures and Options Exchange (LIFFE).
The language of the play features rhyming couplets and scatological humour to create the raucous atmosphere of the trading floor. The objects of Churchill's merciless caricature loved the show, and flocked in their red-braced droves to see it, ironically making the playwright a bit of serious money of her own.
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[edit] Plot summary
The plot follows two stories. In the first, the patrician stockbroker Greville Todd and his two grown children, Scilla and Jake are enjoying the pleasures of high-stakes wheeling and dealing in exotic securities and in the comforts of the upper class.
The second story line involves corporate raider Billy Corman's attempted hostile takeover of the Albion company from its chairman Duckett, with the assistance of his banker, Zac Zackerman and an exotic pair: Jacinta Condor, a Peruvian businesswoman and her African acquaintance, Nigel Ajibala, Their intermediary is the aforementioned Jake Todd, who soon turns up murdered.
As the plot careens forward, the audience learns that Jake was under investigation by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for insider trading. Scilla resolves to ferret out the truth behind her brother's murder, but gets sidetracked looking for Jake's missing fortune.
Simultaneously, Corman attempts to persuade the foreigners to buy shares in Albion and support his bid for the company. They initially agree, but in the end they give their support to Duckett. Corman resolves to end up in jail for insider dealing rather than back down, but he eventually yields and is handsomely rewarded with a knighthood and the chairmanship of the National Theatre.
Scilla never does identify Jake's killer, but she does track down the money to the American Marylou Baines, who offers her a lucrative job and a fresh start.
[edit] Productions
'Serious Money was developed at the Royal Court Theatre in London, directed by Max Stafford Clark. It opened in the spring of 1987 and was an immediate hit. After its initial engagement it transferred to the West End where it enjoyed an extended run.
Serious Money was produced on Broadway, opening on February 9, 1988 at the Royale Theatre. Some changes were made for the Broadway run, including a reference to the American stock market crash of 1987. American audiences declined to invest their ticket money in the show which closed after 21 previews and 15 performances.
The play has fared better at American regional companies, such as the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. A successful revival was given at the U.K.'s Birmingham Repertory Theatre in 2009.
[edit] Awards and nominations
- Awards
- 1987 Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play
- 1988 Obie Awards Best New American Play
[edit] References
- Mel Gussow (10 February 1988). "The Stage: Serious Money". New York Times. http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?_r=1&res=940DE6DE1F3AF933A25751C0A96E948260&oref=slogin. Retrieved on 2008-09-21.
- Frank Rich (4 December 1987). "The Stage: Serious Money". New York Times. http://theater2.nytimes.com/mem/theater/treview.html?res=9B0DE0DB1E30F937A35751C1A961948260. Retrieved on 2008-09-21.
[edit] Further reading
- Churchill, Caryl (1987). Serious Money: A City Comedy (First edition ed.). London: Methuen. ISBN 0413166600.
[edit] External links
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