Epsom Downs is a 1977 play

Play (theatre)

A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...

 by Howard Brenton

Howard Brenton

-Early years:Brenton was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, son of Methodist minister Donald Henry Brenton and his wife Rose Lilian . He was educated at Chichester High School For Boys and read English Literature at St Catharine's College, Cambridge. In 1964 he was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal...

. Taking its name from the racecourse

Epsom Downs Racecourse

Epsom Downs is a Grade 1 racecourse near Epsom, Surrey, England. The "downs" referred to in the name are part of the North Downs. The course is best known for hosting the Epsom Derby, the United Kingdom's premier thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old colts and fillies, over a mile and a half...

 at which it is set, the play presents a panorama of race-goers, horse-owners, bookies, jockeys, etc. on Derby Day

Epsom Derby

The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...

 1977, giving it the feel of a modern city comedy

City comedy

City comedy, also called Citizen Comedy, is a common genre of Elizabethan, Jacobean, and Caroline comedy on the London stage from the last years of the 16th century to the closing of the theaters in 1642...

.

The play was commissioned by Joint Stock

Joint Stock Theatre Company

The Joint Stock Theatre Company was founded in London 1974 by David Hare, Max Stafford-Clark and David Aukin. The director William Gaskill was also an important part of the company. It was primarily a new work company....

, a company which works with the writer on researching and devising their plays, but who leave the final writing of the script to the author. It was first performed at The Roundhouse

The Roundhouse

The Roundhouse is a Grade II* listed former railway engine shed in Chalk Farm, London, England, which has been converted into a performing arts and concert venue. It was originally built in 1847 as a roundhouse , a circular building containing a railway turntable, but was only used for railway...

 on 8 August 1977, the director was Max Stafford-Clark

Max Stafford-Clark

Maxwell Robert Guthrie Stewart Stafford-Clark is an English Theatre Director.-Life and career:He went to school at Felsted and Riverdale Country School in New York City. He has worked as a theatre director since he left Trinity College, Dublin.His directing career began as associate director of...

 and the cast, each of whom played multiple roles (the play has almost 50 characters), was: Gillian Barge

Gillian Barge

Gillian Barge was an English stage, television and film actress.She was born in Hastings, Sussex and she started acting at the age of 17, training at the Birmingham Theatre School....

, Simon Callow

Simon Callow

Simon Phillip Hugh Callow, CBE is an English actor, writer and theatre director. He is also currently a judge on Popstar to Operastar.-Early years:...

, Paul Freeman, Bob Hamilton, Cecily Hobbs, Will Knightley

Will Knightley

Will Knightley is an English actor.He has primarily worked in on the stage, and is a founder member of London's Half Moon Theatre. In addition to acting, he has performed voice-over work. He has had TV stints in The Bill, Frost, Midsomer Murders and various adverts...

, David Rintoul

David Rintoul

David Rintoul is a stage and television actor.Rintoul was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. He studied at Edinburgh University and won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London....

, Tony Rohr

Tony Rohr

Tony Rohr is a British/Irish actor who played Granddad in The Lakes, Solomon Featherstone in Middlemarch, he has also been in The Bill, The Long Good Friday, McVicar, Softly, Softly, Crown Court, Casualty, Lovejoy, I Hired a Contract Killer, Cracker, The Vet, Father Ted, Waking the Dead, and Hustle...

, and Jane Wood.

Writing in The Guardian

The Guardian

The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...

, Michael Billington

Michael Billington (critic)

Michael Keith Billington is a British author and arts critic. Drama critic of The Guardian since October 1971, he is "Britain's longest-serving theatre critic" and the author of biographical and critical studies relating to British theatre and the arts; most notably, he is the authorised...

described Epsom Downs as Brenton's “most accessible and simply enjoyable play”.