Hendrix is a hormonal sixteen year old who lives with his mother, organic food shop owner Hilary and her twenty-five year old girlfriend Katie. Hendrix is under constant attack, both from Katie’s constant inappropriate teasing and from vicious bullies at school who believe him to be gay Hendrix is growing up; plagued by his own urges and fantasies and paralysed by his own dark lust. In a desperate attempt to lose his virginity and prove his masculinity he visits a brothel he has read about in his local paper. Here he meets Luminita, a prostitute trafficked from Moldova and held captive by her pimp Leko. The play follows their burgeoning friendship; Can Hendrix save Luminita? And will she help him become a man?
Lucy Roslyn and Jesse Rutherford in Chicken Shop – at Crooked Pieces scratch night
CHICKEN SHOP is currently in development with Epsilon Productions, with director Jemma Gross. Watch this space for more news!
CHICKEN SHOP by Anna Jordan got down to the final ten plays in the Soho Theatre’s Verity Bargate Award 2011, which had over 900 entries. Since then it has been in development with the Soho Literary team. It has received high praise from Ice and Fire, the theatre company exploring human rights issues through its work. It was on the longlist for the Royal Exchange Theatre Bruntwood Prize. It was also translated into German and played in Cologne to critical acclaim. CHICKEN SHOP seems to stir something in all that read or see it. This is down to a combination of the unashamed exploration of the darkest side of human nature coupled with the innate charm, humanity and warmth of our central character Hendrix, striving against a world which seems determined to scupper and mock him at every turn.