Plays

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The Hamster Wheel

OVERVIEW

  • Playwright

    Marie Jones (1) 

  • Synopsis

    Jeanette Duncan is a supervisor at the school canteen, taking equal pride in her work and her home. Her husband Kenny is a long-distance lorry driver, their daughter Cathy is about to start college, and they are just about to buy their council house. Just as all their plans seem to be coming to fruition, Kenny suffers a stroke. When he returns from hospital, Jeanette becomes a full-time carer, with no job description, no information and no idea of what lies ahead of her. Passing through anger, resentment, frustration and guilt, she arrives at a level of understanding and acceptance, making choices which others find incomprehensible.

  • Play Type

    Plays General

    Number Of Acts

    Full-Length

  • Cast Size Male

    2

  • Cast Size Female

    3

  • Cast Notes

    In the original production additional unspecified characters were played by members of the cast.

Original Production

Original Cast  
Norman McDonald Lalor Roddy
Kenny Duncan Martin Murphy
Jeanette Duncan Carol Scanlan
Patsy McDonald Eleanor Methven
Cathy Duncan Zara Turner
Production Team  
Director Robert Scanlan
Set Designer Liz Cullinane
Lighting Designer Nick McCall
Costumes Ivor C. Morrow
Sound Louis Edmondson
Music by Debra Salem
Assistant Director Simon Magill
Stage Manager Nick McCall
Deputy Stage Manager Marey Devlin
Photography Robert Malone
Administrator Patricia McBride

Published Scripts

Rights Information

Source Of Information

Information for this entry was taken from the original production programme, and from the company archive, which is held at the Linen Hall Library, Belfast.