by Stewart Permutt
Directed by Anthony Biggs
Designed by Beck Rainford
Lighting by Tony Simpson
Sound by Arthur Darvill
Presented by Whippet Productions

Transfers to Jermyn Street Theatre, London, from 6 October - 14 November 2009
Thelma Ruby replaces Miriam Karlin, Tim Stern replaces Daniel Hill.

Cast in order of appearance
Stella – Miriam Karlin
Sadia – Elizabeth Uter
Martin – Daniel Hill
Leo – Jason Wing
Helen – Gillian Hanna
Avril – Amanda Boxer

The world premiere of a new play

* * * * Four Stars Time Out, MusicOmH.com and Whatsonstage.com
* * * * * Five Stars Remote Goat

11 June – 5 July 2008

There was a free post-show discussion following the evening performance on 2 July 2008, hosted by the British Institute of Human Rights with Katie Ghose (Director of BIHR), Miriam Karlin and Stewart Permutt.

“Relationships are like going on a very long train journey. You have to keep on going till the end; you can't just jump out of the carriage when things get a bit bumpy...”

North London. Across a crowded karaoke bar, chunky travel agent Martin nervously catches the eye of his not-so-young internet stud. At a Jewish residential care home, blind and elderly Stella shares make-up and millinery tips with her Muslim nurse. And in their spacious house, a long-term lesbian relationship crumbles as Helen and her alcoholic partner squabble viciously over fig and honey tart.

Six people whose lives are inextricably linked, each searching for some kind of salvation. But with so many roads to paradise, which one will they choose?

Legendary actress Miriam Karlin makes a rare stage appearance in this scathingly funny new comedy from writer Stewart Permutt.

The cast includes Amanda Boxer, Gillian Hanna, Daniel Hill and Miriam Karlin OBE. Amanda Boxer’s theatre credits include The Destiny of Me at the Finborough Theatre as well as The Pain and The Itch (Royal Court Theatre), The Arab Israeli Cook Book (Tricycle Theatre), Macbeth (Arcola Theatre), The Graduate (Gielgud Theatre), The House of Bernarda Alba (Globe Theatre) and Othello (Young Vic). TV includes The Shell Seekers (Gate Television), The Commander (La Plante Prods), Tom Brown’s School Days (Company) and Cider with Rosie (Carlton) – and as Mrs Ryan in the film Saving Private Ryan; Gillian Hanna’s theatre credits include Uncle Vanya (Birmingham Rep), Amy's View (Salisbury Playhouse), Katie Mitchell’s Ivanov (Royal National Theatre), Night Songs (Royal Court Theatre), Medea (Queen's Theatre), Dominic Cooke’s Fire Face (Royal Court Theatre) and East Is East (Tamasha at the Royal Court Theatre). Film includes Roman Polanski’s Oliver Twist, The Heart Of Me, All The Queen's Men and Les Miserables; Daniel Hill has appeared on several national tours as well as in the West End including Art (York Theatre Royal), The Importance Of Being Earnest (Bristol Old Vic), The Hound Of The Baskervilles (National Tour), Dead Funny (Hampstead Theatre and National Tour) and Absurd Person Singular (National Tour). Film includes Kenneth Branagh’s Love’s Labour’s Lost and he has appeared as a regular character on TV’s Judge John Deed (BBC), Waiting for God (BBC) and No Place Like Home (BBC); Miriam Karlin’s extensive theatre credits include the West End, UK tours, Theatre Workshop, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Court Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Bush Theatre amongst many others including the original London casts of Fiddler On The Roof, Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be and Torch Song Trilogy. Her many TV and film credits include So Haunt Me, The Rag Trade, A Clockwork Orange and The Millionairess. Elizabeth Uter’s theatre credits include Diaspora Afric (Dublin Abbey Theatre), Redemption Song (Birmingham Rep), Rocks In Her Pockets (Riverside Studios), Those Who Trepass Against Us - The Victoria Climbié Story (Hackney Empire), Embers (Southwark Playhouse); Jason Wing’s theatre credits include Office Guerillas (Hampstead Theatre), Lucifer - A Love Story (Stratford Festival) and The Beggar's Opera (Wiltons Music Hall), Lampardio and Deborette, Coffee in Memphis (Tristan Bates Theatre).

Stewart Permutt is an actor and playwright. His plays include Exclusive Yarns (written with Gary Lyons), which was presented at Watford Palace Theatre, the Comedy Theatre London and broadcast on Channel 4; Singular Women with Lesley Joseph was broadcast on Radio 4 and produced at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh, the Purcell Room, the King’s Head and on national tour – “Stewart Permutt has bravely marched into Alan Bennett country and stalked out his own impressive territory producing subtle and touching monologues” Sue Gaisford, The Independent on Sunday; Singular People (Edinburgh Festival, the New End and the King’s Head) was Critics’ Choice in The Scotsman, Time Out and The Guardian; One Last Card Trick (Watford Palace); The Cracked Comic (New End) was Time Out Critics’ Choice; and Unsuspecting Susan starring Celia Imrie was seen at the King’s Head and in New York where it was selected as one of the top five Off-Broadway plays. “Permutt is a classy writer…with lines worth committing to memory.” Patrick Marmion, Time Out.

Director Anthony Biggs is a graduate of the MFA Theatre Directing course at Birkbeck, University of London, and was Assistant Director on Stewart Permutt’s One Last Card Trick at Watford Palace. Directing includes Savage Love at Theatre503 – “Refreshingly unguarded performances in Biggs’ fluid production” The Guardian – and Hiding (Watford Palace) with Claire Goose, Tanya Franks and Michael Smiley. He also directed Brecht’s The Wedding in Edinburgh – “Wonderfully detailed direction…hilarious, a joy to watch” Best of the Fest 5 Stars. He was also Associate Director on Mother Courage and The Changeling for English Touring Theatre, Resident Assistant Director at Watford Palace, and is currently Education Director at Theatre503.

The Press on Many Roads to Paradise

"A savage laugh about painful relationships between infuriating characters, vividly and convincingly played." The Guardian

"A rare, real and heart-warming find." Time Out

"Stewart Permutt underscores every scene with a sharp wit, and ensures that each character is given due focus, cleverly connecting them together in the manner of a classic British farce." Whatsonstage

"The acting is astonishingly well-observed, with each cast member so thoroughly inhabiting their role that in moments of silence the audience is left gasping with laughter or manfully suppressing tears merely at a gesture or look."
MusicOMH

"Permutt has reason to be proud of this treatment of his work and the artists who have served him so well." Remotegoat

"Anthony Biggs' production is admirably subtle … producing moments of superb social awkwardness" The Stage

"An all too accurate study of the dysfunctional pattern of human relationships"
British Theatre Guide

"No frills, no bells and whistles, no excuses. This play is, well, there's no other way to say it – EXCELLENT!" Rogues and Vagabonds