Whiskey and Soda

A comedy play by Ben Randall
Studio 27 | Start time: 7:30pm

It is December 17th, 1979. Margaret Thatcher is visiting Washington D.C. Whilst preparing for her first speech at the White House, she invites a guest for drinks. The guest is John Lennon.

Thatcher has a deal for John that could change the course of his life. With her typical wit, she tries to persuade the singer to accept her offer.

Their fears of the past and their dreams of the future come to the surface. It is these powerful beliefs and their force of personality that lead to a dramatic and explosive finale.

Shortly after, John would go on to write his last but legendary album, Double Fantasy, and Margaret would deliver to the White House one of her most notorious speeches.

Was it all because of these drinks…?

IMAGINE THE PARTY!

About the play

Whiskey and Soda won the Best New Play competition at The Stables Theatre, where it premiered in 2022. Following a successful return later that year, the play went on to the United States in 2023, receiving great reviews and audience reactions.

Now, the play returns to Hastings to begin its first UK tour.

Cast & creative team

Margaret Thatcher — Clare McKervey
Clare is an Irish actor who trained in Dublin. Her recent roles include Julius Caesar and Momme Damme: How to be a Dom Me 101.

John Lennon — Matthew McGoldrick
Matthew trained at Rose Bruford and has performed with the Camden Fringe Festival, Riverside Studios’ Bitesize Festival and The Hounslow Arts Centre.

Written and produced by Ben Randall
Ben grew up near Hastings and has written for stage and screen, including the BAFTA-winning animated series Bob the Builder and The Hoobs. His recent stage play Bard Times premiered in 2024.

Directed by Hugo Trebels
Hugo has directed several productions at The Stables Theatre in Hastings, including Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Doubt, a Parable, The Last Five Years, A Single Man and The One Good Thing.

Photos below by Peter Mould from the July 2022 production at The Stables Theatre.