Sketching

Taking its cue from Charles Dickens' London, this play brings the city into the present day. Its action unfolds over a single day in a metropolis home to roughly 371 people per square kilometre. Each street and square holds its own heroes, villains, inner conflicts, rival loyalties, and bold escapades, alongside both the extraordinary and the ordinary.

Winner of an Olivier Award, playwright James Graham built the work with contributions from emerging writers, weaving their scenes into his own wide-ranging story. The project revisits the sprawling cast of Londoners and the larger-than-life tales found in Dickens' Sketches by Boz, adapting them for a modern audience. The result draws on voices from across the community to create a lively, imaginative theatrical spectacle.