Productions:

Zadies Shoes by Adam Pettle Presented by: Wise Donkey Productions 7 Oct - 1 Nov Finborough Theatre Tickets: Tuesday to Saturday Evenings at 7.30pm. Sunday Matinees at 3.30pm. Wednesday matinee on October 29th at 3.30pm. Tickets £10, £8 concessions. Tuesday Evenings £8 all seats. Saturday evenings £10 all seats. Previews (October 7th and 8th) £6 all seats.

One of the most successful Canadian plays of the last few years, Zadies Shoes tells the story of Benjamin - a compulsive gambler who's just lost the money for his girlfriend's trip to an "alternative" cancer clinic in Mexico. With only 72 hours to win it back, a desperate Benjamin finds himself at synagogue for the first time since his Bar Mitzvah, praying for a miracle or a winner. What he gets is rabbi "prophet" Eli, who, along with rabbinical advice, gives him a warning about cabbages and a hot tip on a horse! In the fast-paced, madcap worlds of horse-racing, addictions and championship curling, Zadies Shoes provides a hilarious yet moving look at the nature of luck and the power of faith.

Adam Pettles play was the surprise hit of Torontos 2000 theatre season, transferring to Ed Mirvishs Winter Garden Theatre for a sell out run.

The excellent cast includes Danny Babington (Sam Mendes production of To The Green Fields Beyond at the Donmar Warehouse), Leonard Fenton (Royal Court, National Theatre, Almeida, Out of Joint, EastEnders), Jennifer Lee Jellicorse (Tender Is The Night for BBC Radio 4), Isobel Pravda (Fighting The Tide for Hull Truck), and Dylan Smith (EastEnders, CBS/ITVs Murder on the Orient Express.) The show also features an original score by Jack Arnold who has composed music for Timewatch - Ramesses III for the BBC and the forthcoming feature film Oh! Marbella starring Rik Mayall and Mike Reid.

"Adam Pettle isn't afraid to mix humour and emotion, to tiptoe along the knife edge between comedy and tragedy. Zadies Shoes is tense, daring, funny, thoughtful, and touching" Variety

"Adam Pettle writes about the Toronto Jewish experience as Woody Allen does about New York, but like Allen, his themes are universal" Classic FM

"An important writer speaking with a distinctive voice" Variety

"This is a bold, daring, funny, touching work by a young man surely destined to be a major playwright" Toronto Star