Fuel in collaboration with Shipwright present
The World Premiere of
The Gretchen Question
Co-written by Melly Still and Max Barton
Directed by Melly Still
Designed by E.M. Parry
Lighting designed by Malcolm Rippeth
Music by Second Body
22 September – 2 October
Presented by Fuel in collaboration with Shipwright
Co-commissioned by Fuel, the Albany and We Are Lewisham
- Full casting for The Gretchen Question has been announced.
- Leading the company are Tamaira Hesson playing Lulit who joins the previously announced Yohanna Ephrem playing Maisie and Lauren Moakes playing Gretchen
- They are joined by Ryan Gerald, Katherine Manners, Alex Mugnaioni, Al Nedjari and Christopher Saul
- Running alongside the play will be a series of engagement workshops covering a range of subjects including self-sustainability, voice and space
- Part of We Are Lewisham, the Mayor’s London Borough of Culture 2022
- Tickets are on sale now
The full performing company for Melly Still and Max Barton’s new play The Gretchen Question has today been confirmed.
In the 18th century, Gretchen, played by Lauren Moakes, witnesses the Royal Society return from a polar expedition with a mysterious oyster, promising unlimited wealth on the eve of industrial revolution. Present day, Maisie, played by Yohanna Ephrem, sets out to livestream from the Arctic as part of a questionable brand partnership. Lulit, played by Tamaira Hesson, wakes on an ice rink, struggling to remember what happened to her last night.
They are joined by Ryan Gerald, Katherine Manners, Alex Mugnaioni, Al Nedjari and Christopher Saul.
The play will be performed in the grounds of the remarkable hidden architectural gem the Master Shipwrights House in Deptford in South East London and forms part of London Borough of Culture. It plays from 22 September – 2 October with a press night on 23 September. It features live music by Second Body and design by E. M. Parry. Drawing from the history of climate change, it invites us to inquire what the future holds for us.
“We launch another voyage as soon as possible. Dig deeper.”
The Master Shipwright’s House and Office is one of the few remaining parts of Deptford’s former royal dockyard. Founded by Henry VIII in 1513 the King’s Yard became one of the most important shipbuilding yards in the world before finally closing in 1869. It was bought and restored by its current owners in 1998. Since then it has been a home and creative space for artists, performers and audiences from around the world.
Fuel will host threeevents alongside The Gretchen Question, between 22nd Sept – 2nd Oct 22, at The Shipwright theatre in Deptford. Two of these sessions are being commissioned by Sounds Like Chaos who will devise the sessions and deliver them with Fuel’s producing support. The third session is being commissioned and delivered (in-kind) by Young Wilders with the Shipwright producing support.
The sessions are an extension of the play and will be an opportunity for audiences to reflect more widely on its topics whilst developing their creativity and learning new skills.
The sessions are divided into three areas (language for internal comms):
· Voice (commissioned to SLC)
· Space (commissioned to SLC)
· Self-Sustainability (produced in kind at The Shipwright)