The Man in the White Suit

Critically acclaimed, nominated for an Academy Award, and wildly successful, The Man in the White Suit (original film) inspired an entire generation of satirical comedies after its release in 1951. The film was directed by Alexander Mackendrick, and starred acting legends Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, and Joan Greenwood. Like most Ealing Studios classics, the themes explored in the movie revolved around the idea of a ‘common man’ battling the Establishment. The West End production of this immensely influential story is director Sean Foley’s project in collaboration with designer Michael Taylor, following their successful work on The Ladykiller. The Man in the White Suit features Tony Award-winning actor Stephen Mangan and Kara Tointon from the EastEnders fame. Foley himself is a two-time Olivier Award winner and is widely regarded as one of the finest directors.

The Story

Former Cambridge scholar and research chemist Sidney Stratton has found little success in working at textile mills in the north of England. His obsession with creating an everlasting fibre leads him to demand expensive facilities and equipment in every establishment that offers him a job. While working as an unpaid researcher at the Burnley Mill, Stratton accidentally manages to create a fibre that never wears out. The researcher is held in high regard as a genius by his employers and fellow workers, but it is not long before the trade unions realise that the demand for their fabric will drop sharply after consumers buy enough of the everlasting material. In an attempt to keep their profits soaring, they attempt to bribe Stratton into signing an agreement that will give them the rights to his invention, but Stratton promptly refuses. What follows is a truly sublime story that asks important questions about human greed, the role of science, and our responsibility as consumers.

Good for

West End fans | Satirical Comedy | First-time theatergoers

Critics Reviews

“The Man in the White Suit has a particular, perennial relevance in that it is about people with vested interests not wanting change because it threatens them.”
– The Guardian