David Essex will be rolling up his sleeves when he plays the lead role in The Dishwashers, a new play by Morris Panych, at Birmingham REP.
The plot features a character called Emmett who used to be a high flyer in the City. Then he was a customer in an upmarket restaurant but after a reversal in his fortunes, he starts a new career there—as a dishwasher.
His new colleagues are dominant, self-appointed leader Dressler, who’s been happily scraping and scrubbing for more than 30 years, and the decrepit Moss who’s ready for retirement.
Playwright Panych “brings wit and humour to their quest for existential meaning in this world of soapsuds and despair”.
David Essex appeared in Peter Hall's production of She Stoops to Conquer in the West End and has also starred in musicals including Evita, Godspell, All The Fun of The Fair, Mutiny! and Aspects of Love.
Playing the part of Emmett is Rik Makarem, known for his character Nikhil Sharma in Emmerdale and Dr Rupesh Patanjali in Torchwood: Children of Earth.
His most recent stage credits include Martin Sherman’s Passing By at the Tristan Bates Theatre, London.
Andrew Jarvis plays Moss. His recent theatre credits include Duncan in Macbeth at Sheffield Crucible; The Lord of the Rings at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane; and The Woman in Black in the West End.
Director Nikolai Foster has directed productions of Brecht's The Good Person of Sichuan at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester; Sherlock Holmes - The Best Kept Secret at West Yorkshire Playhouse; and Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing at the Arts Theatre, London.
Designer is Matthew Wright, lighting designer David Plater, composer Grant Olding and sound designer Dan Hoole.
The Dishwashers runs at Birmingham REP from Friday (31 January) until Saturday 15 February before going on a UK tour.