WHAT happens to a family when privilege is abused and trust vanishes?

When cheating becomes a code to live by and deception a justified means to an end?

York Theatre Royal presents the world premiere of The Be All and End All, from May 4 – 19.

The Be All and End All is a contemporary drama by award-winning writer Jonathan Lewis that shows a politician’s family in crisis after he makes a life-changing decision to ensure his troubled 18-year-old son has the best possible start in life.

When his secrets and lies are exposed the result is an emotionally raw drama of a family split apart by the abuse of power and hunger for success.

Imogen Stubbs stars in the production, directed by York Theatre Royal Artistic Director Damian Cruden.

The writer Jonathan Lewis appears as the politician who oversteps the mark in his quest to ensure his son has the best possible start in life.

Matt Whitchurch, plays the son Tom while Robyn Cara completes the cast as his girlfriend Frida.

Jonathan said: “The idea for the play evolved from a conversation with my son after he did his GCSEs. I hadn’t quite understood the pressure schoolkids are under.

“As I started to talk to him about it I realised it was not just him I was interested in but how that affected me and my relationship with my ex-wife and the teacher – and the pressure on them all.

“One of the themes is the education system’s obsession with exams and grades. If you try and put numbers around everything you are not telling the whole story.

He added: “The education system has been turned into a business and just testing children about what they know.”

Imogen added: “We both feel very strongly about the potential damage done by homogenising education that at its worst becomes battery farming, rather than organic.

“I don’t remember exams dominating my life the way they dominate children’s lives now.”

The Be All and End All is one of three plays Lewis has written in his Education, Education, Education trilogy.

For tickets contact the box office 01904 623568

or go to yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

There is a York Theatre Royal fund-raising, post show VIP party at The Ivy in York on Wednesday, May 9.

Tickets are £45 and can be booked via the box office