The play is set in the 80s when a lot of pub closures were in the news. Billed as a love letter to something that is dying, something that is being lost. “I don’t think it’s really just about pubs” suggests James. “It’s about shared community spaces, spaces where people as part of their everyday life, as part of their well-being, as part of their mental health, as part of their tradition, as part of their joy, go and share space with other people. And I think these spaces are under threat and theatres are part of that as well, all those common spaces are struggling.” 

Coming back to the characters in the play, does Haddrell think we’re likely to meet them in a pub or community centre today? His answer is a flat “yes, absolutely.”   He’s already had a week of rehearsals, followed by a break to mull it over before commencing full rehearsals. “You see the young couple where he’s a desperate flirt and never wants to get married and settle down, and she naively hangs on to him forever. You see another woman in her relationship of three, coming in looking for her man. You see a couple, whose ages are never defined, (so that’s interesting to play with), but they clearly have a history of mental health issues. This is part of their routine, this is where they go to watch the telly, and they’ve got a telly at home, but there’s something about the magnetism of the pub.” 

These characters are archetypes, but some of the language has changed in its resonance since it was first performed in the 80s. Haddrell is very drawn to the landlord and the landlady. “From the very opening, their presence appears to be as entertainers, as so many publicans are. You love going to that particular pub because of the way that pub is run by the people behind the bar. They present outwards, they’re larger than life, they’re a joy to be around. But they’ve got history. Something happened to them seven years ago, but it’s important, and that runs throughout the play.  It’s incredibly sensitive writing by Tim (Cartwright), particularly the Landlord, the way he is desperately trying to navigate his life in the wake of what happened.”

Haddrell likes to start with the blocking, because it helps the actors. “The actors feel like they’re underway when they are up on their feet moving around.” It’s like a “scrap book of pictures” which is quite important to him particularly because it can highlight a particularly crucial point in the play which isn’t in the script.

The acting style is slightly heightened because of the “incongruous experience of seeing a landlord put a hat on to be someone else” explains Haddrell. “I think for an audience to celebrate the art of acting, you want to dial it up a little bit, but for me I love storytelling; it’s why I want to be a director. The feelings will be very real as the stories belong to real people. Even if it’s a show for three year olds it has to be honest. To take an audience on a proper journey, you’ve got to tap into the heart of the character’s story.”   

We turn to the subject of Greenwich Theatre to consider its history because it’s had live performances since 1855. “It used to be a music hall basically at the back of The Rose and Crown pub.” Now comes the interesting bit which answers my first question.  “So, we were a pub theatre in the 1800s,” explains Haddrell.  “That’s what we were, a room at the back of the pub.   They used to ring an interval bell in the pub. It was really part of the life of this theatre, and it still is in a lot of ways.”  Over time the theatre evolved, it was a cinema for a short period of time, then lost its license briefly for lewd performance, it closed after WW2 and fell into disrepair, the roof got sodden and fell in. It was due to be demolished but in the 60s a local actor led a campaign to save it. The whole building was remodelled, and the theatre now has a 400 seat main space and 60 seat studio theatre. Round the side of the brick building, on Nevada Street, it is possible to see the original Victorian plaster work.   

Haddrell’s own history with the theatre started in 2001 when he did a year as press officer, and five years as marketing agent and then in 2007 took over as executive director.   At the time the theatre wasn’t producing any of its own work, they were just a receiving house. “I spent a huge amount of my own time working with young emerging companies, nurturing, co-producing and mentoring, helping companies to tour, to go to Edinburgh.” Then in 2012 Haddrell made a case to become the Artistic Director.  “If I can do that, I might as well be making shows as well.” More than half of the shows are now in-house. “It’s a real challenge but I’m very proud of it,” adds Haddrell.

My last question brings us right back to the show and whether audiences will be able to buy a pint from the bar on the set. “Yes,” says Haddrell with conviction, “they’ll be able to buy a pint from Kelly and Peter in the pub which we’re calling the Clock and Compass, (how could you not, because we’re in Greenwich).”   That’s not all, audiences will be able to spend time with the fruit machine and the dartboard and the pool table and then at some predefined time the show will start.

Sounds like a lot of fun.   “I’ve loved this play for a long time and always fancied doing it and doing it like this” says Haddrell with true determination.

TWO by Jim Cartwright

The Café-Bar, Greenwich Theatre, London 21 Aug– 12 Sept 2025

Tickets



CAST

 KELLIE SHIRLEY

( In The Long Run – Netflix, EastEnders – BBC, One

 Man, Two Guvnors – West End and UK tour)

 PETER CAULFIELD

 (Tammy Faye – Almeida, A Christmas Carol – Old Vic, I

 Hate Suzie Too – Sky TV)