The Rise and Fall of Little Voice was the sixth play written by Jim Cartwright. It. was staged at the Royal National Theatre in London and debuted in June of 1992. It was later staged on Broadway in 1994 and was adapted into a film in 1998, before being revived again for the London stage in 2009.
Cartwright was born in Northern England in 1958. His first play, Road, was a meditation upon the working class people of Cartwright's upbringing as they struggled in during the economic downturn of the 1980s. The play was seen as an honest rendering of struggling Brits, and was critically acclaimed. He would write four plays between 1988 and 1991, before The Rise and Fall of Little Voice was staged the following year.
Like much of Cartwright's work, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice features a sparse cast. The play follows the story of Little Voice as she mourns her dead father and lives with her erratic mother, Mari. When one of Mari's many boyfriends discovers that Little Voice does, in fact, have a beautiful voice, he attempts to force her into performing, so he can capitalize on the fame and pay off his debts. Little Voice is pressured onto the stage by Mari and her boyfriend. While she relents once, they continually demand more. Eventually Little Voice refuses, leading to a fight with her mother. The play ends as a fire ravages the home of Little Voice and her mother, with Little Voice finally condemning her mother's selfish behavior and fleeing her control.
As with Road, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice was a major success. It's famed has endured since it's release over a quarter of a century ago, as evidenced by the continual stagings. As the London Daily Telegraph wrote, the play is "original, hilarious and hauntingly sad."
