The National Health

by Peter Nichols, directed by Peter White

The Maskers presented The National Health at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton from Tuesday 21st to Saturday 25 June 1976

Peter Nichols writes to the producer of the play

I needn't tell you, I'm sure, that this piece is neither an attack on nor a defence of the Health Service.  When I told this to some journalist in an interview, before the play opened, he added to my words: Not intentionally anyway.  Only the title leads people to expect it, but, of course, I meant that to refer to the health of the nation.

The other actors should not take their cue from Barnet, who is not my mouthpiece.  He is a man who puts everything at its lowest value.  He survives, he's funny, but he misses the point ...

I am only too aware that Barnet doesn't do much to praise the Health Service or attack Private Medicine but the play isn't about that anyway and I'm only anxious to prevent people using it as Right Wing propaganda ...

Please feel free to make clear in programmes and press releases that the play isn't an attack on Medicare or Socialism or any other sensible undertaking.  I take it for granted that any decent community would want its resources to be shared - whether they're hospitals, libraries, parks, universities, houses, milk, old masters or fresh slamon - and inasmuch as we fail to share them, we fail to be respectable.  But you can see how difficult it is to say that in a play without getting egg on your face.  The emphasis might be on the fact that the play's called The National Health, not The National Health Service.

The Cast

For The Maskers