FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD PREMIÈRE OF
ELLA DORMAN-GAJIC’S TRADE
Following the cancellation of VAULT Festival, it is today announced that the world première production of Ella Dorman-Gajic’s Trade will open at Omnibus Theatre on 15 February to 19 February, as one of 11 productions rescheduled at the venue. Directed by Maddy Corner the cast is Tanya Cubric (Jana), Ojan Genc (Stefan/Nikola) and Eleanor Roberts (Katarina/Elena). Set in Serbia, Bosnia and the UK, Trade is a thought-provoking, unflinching new play exploring morality and power within the European sex-trafficking industry.
Trade was shortlisted for the 2020 Snoo Wilson Award and Slam Soaps New Writing Competition (out of 1,500 entries). It was developed at Drama Centre London and streamed online to an overwhelmingly positive response. All performances will also be captioned in English and Serbian.
10% of all ticket sales will go to Unseen, a leading UK charity fighting modern slavery.Today, over 20 million people are trafficked around the world. That number is higher than in all of history. 70% of those are female. This brave new play puts a brutal underground world centre stage.
A post-show discussion will take place on 19th February at 3.30pm. This will be with playwright Ella, Tanya and 2 people from the linked charity Unseen, Olivia Charlton and Eva Daly who are from the support services team, and work directly with survivors at Unseen.
‘I could tell you I had no choice. I could tell you I’m innocent. But I know that wouldn’t be completely true’
Jana is on the cusp of adulthood; she’s started dating her first boyfriend and is getting ready to leave war-torn Serbia, to provide for her family. However, when she wakes up in a basement in Bosnia, it becomes clear to Jana that life doesn’t always follow the plans we make for it.
Ella Dorman-Gajic is a playwright, poet and performer of Serbian and Austrian heritage. Her writing has been described as “impassioned” by The Guardian. She is a member of the Roundhouse Poetry Collective, alumna of Apples & Snakes Writing Room, New Writing South’s Young Writers and was Broken Silence Theatre’s first Writer in Residence. Her work has been staged at the Arcola Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre, The Old Red Lion and Edinburgh Festival Fringe. This is her debut full-length play.
Tanya Cubric plays Jana. For theatre her credits include XOX (Cambridge Junction), A Splintered Woman (Theatre503), Extra Terra (BAC/Monofest, Izmir), The Chemsex Monologues (Oscar Wilde Theatre, Berlin); and for television Bloods, We Hunt Together, Automat and The Tunnel.
Ojan Genc plays Stefan, Nikola, Man 1 & 2 and this will be his professional stage debut. His television credits include Angela Black, Hollyoaks and A Touch of Cloth.
Eleanor Roberts plays Katarina, Elena, Girl & Minna. For theatre her credits include The Lesser Bohemians (Zabludowicz Collection).
Maddy Corner is a director and theatre-maker from South London. Her work is inherently political, with a strong emphasis on female experience and telling underrepresented stories. Her theatre credits include SHE. (theSpace, edinburgh),and Mother [singular] (Director, Platform Southwark), Do You See Me? (Assistant Director to Kane Husbands), This Restless House (Assistant Director to Owen Horsely).
Serbian captions are translated by Zorica Agbaba.
LISTINGS
TRADE
Omnibus Theatre
1 Clapham Common North Side, London SW4 0QW
15 – 19 February 7pm and 2.30pm matinee on Saturday
www.omnibus-clapham.org/trade/
£13/ £11 concessions
Instagram & Twitter: @trade_theplay