Home

BalletBoyz® presents
DELUXE

• BALLETBOYZ NEW SHOW DELUXE TO AIR ON BBC FOUR FOR THE BBC CULTURE IN QUARANTINE FESTIVAL AND TO BE SCREENED ONLINE TOMORROW EVENING TO LAUNCH SADLER’S WELLS FACEBOOK PREMIERES SERIES
   
• FURTHER DIGITAL WORKS FROM BALLETBOYZ’ VIDEO ARCHIVE PLUS NEW MATERIAL WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO WATCH SOON ON WWW.BALLETBOYZ.COM

BalletBoyz’ new dance show Deluxe will air on BBC Four for the BBC Culture in Quarantine festival and the production will also be available to view online from Friday 27 March at 7.30pm to launch Sadler’s Wells Facebook Premieres. Following Government advice on Monday 16 March and to protect the safety of audiences, artists and workforce, BalletBoyz cancelled the remaining performances of its 20th anniversary UK Spring Tour but is now able to share the production with audiences watching from home. Deluxe will have its TV premiere on BBC Four and will be available on iPlayer – further details to be announced in due course. Co-producers Sadler’s Wells, where the live show was due to be performed in London this week, will also host Deluxe on its Facebook page this Friday at 7.30pm as the first video of the new Sadler’s Wells Facebook Premieres series where it will be available to watch for one week only. 

Deluxe features three new works choreographed by an all-female team: Ripple, the UK debut of renowned shanghai-based choreographer Xie Xin with music by electronic composer Jiang Shaofeng; Bradley 4:18 by Punchdrunk choreographer Maxine Doyle in a collaboration with Mercury Prize-nominated jazz musician Cassie Kinoshi and inspired by the Kate Tempest track Pictures On A Screen; plus The Intro, a short opening film by emerging choreographer Sarah Golding set to music by SEED Ensemble.

BalletBoyz was founded in 2000 by Artistic Directors Michael Nunn and William Trevitt. Deluxe is the company’s 20th anniversary production and is performed by the current BalletBoyz company which includes Joseph Barton, Benjamin Knapper, Harry Price, Liam Riddick, Matthew Sandiford and Will Thompson plus apprentice Dan Baines.

In addition to Deluxe, BalletBoyz will be sharing further video content online in the coming weeks including excerpts from their past shows, films and documentaries, behind the scenes in rehearsals, plus brand new material on www.balletboyz.com

RIPPLE
Choreographed by Xie Xin
Music by Jiang Shaofeng

Ripple marks the UK debut of Chinese choreographer Xie Xin choreographed to a highly detailed electronic score by composer, lauded tap dancer and her long-time collaborator Jiang Shaofeng. The piece explores movement inspired by the memory of a person and the flow of energy that such memories and feelings possess. Beautifully fluid and lyrical, it sees the BalletBoyz company express new styles in contrast to their familiar athletic and strength-oriented work.

BRADLEY 4:18
Choreographed by Maxine Doyle
Music by Cassie Kinoshi

Bradley 4:18, choreographed by Punchdrunk’s Maxine Doyle, is inspired by the lyrics and story of spoken word artist Kate Tempest’s Pictures on a Screen, about Bradley, a seemingly successful young man struggling to connect with the world around him. It is set to a score by Mercury Award nominated and Ivors Academy Award winning London-based composer, arranger and alto-saxophonist Cassie Kinoshi. Composed in parallel with the choreographic creation, it is a highly atmospheric, filmic score with a modern jazz flavour. Bradley 4:18 presents the six BalletBoyz dancers as different iterations of the character Bradley and how he might act at 4:18 in the morning.

THE INTRO
Choreographed by Sara Golding
Music by Seed Ensemble

Ahead of the double-bill, Deluxe begins with a short film introducing the BalletBoyz in a new work choreographed by dancer and emerging choreographer Sarah Golding and set to Seed Ensemble track The Darkies as featured on their Mercury Prize-nominated album Driftglass. The piece introduces the audience to the dancers’ and offers a look into their individual personalities and characters, and giving a flavour of the performances to come.

Olivier Awards to celebrate Greatest Moments in special TV and radio programmes

ITV will broadcast a special Olivier Awards with Mastercard programme on Sunday 5 April at 10:15pm, in place of the 2020 Royal Albert Hall awards show which was cancelled due to coronavirus.

Hosted by Jason Manford, the hour-long ‘Olivier Awards – Greatest Moments’ programme will look back at Olivier Awards ceremonies over the past ten years, with archive footage of performances and speeches, and a celebration of some of the many Olivier Award-winning productions – including Dreamgirls, Hamilton, The Book Of Mormon, Disney’s The Lion King and the RSC’s Matilda The Musical.

Official radio partner Magic Radio will broadcast a special programme from 6pm to 8pm on the same evening, also celebrating the best Olivier Awards moments, alongside a weekend of shows on Magic’s new musical theatre station Magic at the Musicals.

Nominations for the Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard were announced on 3 March, and the winners will be revealed in a special ceremony and event – also broadcast on ITV and Magic Radio – which depending on government medical advice is likely to be held in the Autumn, with plans to be confirmed as soon as is feasible.

In the lead-up to Sunday 5 April, the Olivier Awards social channels will be trailing the ITV and Magic Radio programmes by publishing stand-out content from shows to be featured in the broadcasts.

Julian Bird, SOLT Chief Executive and Olivier Awards Executive Producer, said:

‘Amid unprecedentedly difficult times for our theatre community, we look forward to providing audiences with a unique celebration of the last ten years of incredible, world-leading British theatre honoured at the Olivier Awards, in anticipation of a separate ceremony for this year’s winners in the Autumn. We are hugely grateful to our longstanding headline sponsor Mastercard, for their support this year and over the past decade – alongside all our other partners, who we look forward to working with again soon.’

The theatre world has seen mass closures and cancellations due to the coronavirus pandemic, with many companies, creatives and performers taking to online platforms to create new work, connect with fans and colleagues, and raise money to help those in the industry who are struggling.

Tomorrow (Thursday 26 March), Olivier Awards presenters and nominees will be participating in the NHS’s nationwide ‘Clap For Our Carers’ online campaign, and on Friday 27 March, World Theatre Day, the Olivier Awards will join other theatre organisations and individuals sharing favourite theatre memories on social media.

OlivierAwards.com | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

#OlivierAwards

BREACH THEATRE TO STREAM AWARD-WINNING CATALOGUE DURING UK ARTS SHUTDOWN

·       Critically acclaimed Artemisia Gentileschi drama It’s True, It’s True, It’s True to be streamed internationally after February’s BBC Four TV debut

·       The Beanfield and the music of Joan of Leeds will also be released for the first time ever

·       It’s True, It’s True, It’s True: Artemisia on Trial available to stream from 31st March 2020 on YouTube for 30 days

This week Breach Theatre release their acclaimed bodies of work exclusively via YouTube amid widespread COVID-19 cancellations across the arts, with It’s True, It’s True, It’s True: Artemisia on Trial on Tuesday 31 March and The Beanfield available to stream now.

It’s True, It’s True, It’s True – the courtroom drama based on the case of the rape of Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi will be streamed on Breach’s YouTube channel following its TV premiere on BBC Four. The film is produced by Artemisia Films and Breach and was commissioned by The Space. One of the undisputed hits of the 2018 and 2019 Edinburgh Festivals, also touring across the country, It’s True, It’s True, It’s True was due to be performed at the Barbican this April but now cancelled due to COVID-19.

Breach Theatre will also stream The Beanfield for the first time – a political drama that follows the 1985 ‘Battle of the Beanfield’, praised for its vivid portrayal of the brutal conflict between new age travellers and police to confront issues of history and civil liberties, and Joan of Leeds soundtrack – the medieval mystery play that uses live music to tell the extraordinary true story of a runaway 14th century rebel nun, lyrics by Billy Barrett and music by James Frewer.

The Beanfield full show is currently available to stream online (link below) and the music of Joan of Leeds will be available to stream on Friday.

It’s True, It’s True, It’s True: Artemisia on Trial will be streamed for free from 31st March 2020 for 30 days on YouTube and Breach encourage donations via PayPal for those who enjoyed the show and wish to support the company through the shutdown.

THEATRE HOSTS ONLINE QUIZ

Darlington Hippodrome will be engaging with the community with an arts and entertainment online quiz on Friday 27 March at 7.30pm to help celebrate World Theatre Day.

With the entire country adopting social distancing measures people have looked to the internet to keep engaged with family, to keep fit, to remain mentally active or just to learn new skills.

Through the power of Zoom – an online meetings app – Darlington Hippodrome will be engaging with theatre lovers with an online arts and entertainment online quiz which will take place on Friday 27 March at 7.30pm. There will be rounds on music, art, literature, films and more. Homes can take part as a small team or you can take part as an individual – there will be no ‘winning’ prize – just the fun of joining in a large social online event to help pass the time.

Rebecca Howarth from Darlington Hippodrome told us “This way of engaging with the community is all very new to us and it may be a little rough around the edges, but the theatre is looking at new and exciting ways we can engage with the community to keep spirits up, have some fun and allow people some social interaction in these difficult times.”

Rebecca continued “Over the last couple of weeks Zoom has become the go-to app to allow large groups of people to engage in activities such as keep fit classes, singing classes, drama classes and even learning how to knit. It’s a great way to meet friends and make new ones as well.”

If you are interested in taking part in the online quiz simply go to the Darlington Hippodrome Facebook page and ‘attend’ the Virtual Quiz Night event. Further details will be posted in the event on Friday evening. All you need to take part is internet access, a phone or laptop with a camera, pen and paper for your answers, an open mind and a sense of humour.

The quiz will be open to the first 100 participants who access the Zoom event on the night, but don’t be disappointed if you miss out on this occasion as there will be future theatre events to get involved in

LOVE LOWRY launches to keep people entertained during social distancing

With its doors currently closed due to coronavirus, The Lowry in Salford has launched a new, free way for people to continue to enjoy the arts.

Launching on The Lowry Blog, Love Lowry will be a daily service of creative activities and art experiences for people to enjoy from their homes.

Julia Fawcett OBE chief executive of The Lowry, said: “Our visitors engage with us for many different reasons, the escapism of a night at the theatre, a walk around our exhibitions or the joy of taking part in a creative workshop. The Lowry offers so much to so many.

“The arts have always played a valuable role in people’s mental wellbeing and at a time when social-distancing and self-isolation is the new normal, its role is now more important than ever.

“I’m really proud of the online programme we’ve pulled together – and we’ve began sharing content immediately. Hopefully, this will help people to engage with the arts and keep their minds and their bodies active.”

“The programme will offer things such as creative activities for children, adults and families, the opportunity to experience digital art designed to be experienced online and the chance to ‘watch again’ art experiences The Lowry has in its digital archive.”
 
All the activities on offer are free of charge.

 
Please follow The Lowry’s social media channels for the latest content:

Facebook: /TheLowrySalford
Twitter: @The_Lowry
Instagram: @The_Lowry
 
The Lowry Blog can be found here: https://thelowryblog.wordpress.com/

Barn Theatre | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Website

BARN THEATRE TO LIVE

STREAM HENRY V STARRING AARON SIDWELL AND

LAUREN SAMUELS

• BARN THEATRE HAVE ANNOUNCED THAT THEY WILL BE LIVE STREAMING THEIR CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF SHAKESPEARE’S HENRY V ON WORLD THEATRE DAY

• THE PRODUCTION, STARRING WEST END STARS AARON SIDWELL AND LAUREN SAMUELS, WILL BE BROADCAST ON FRIDAY 27 MARCH AT 6PM

The Barn Theatre have announced plans to live stream their critically acclaimed production of William Shakespeare’s Henry V on World Theatre Day (27 March).

The production, which stars Aaron Sidwell (Wicked, American Idiot, Loserville, Ghost, EastEnders) and Lauren Samuels (Bend It Like Beckham, Romantics Anonymous, We Will Rock You, Grease, Water Babies, Over The Rainbow), will be streamed live to the theatre’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter accounts on Friday 27^th March at 6pm.

Henry V, which was called “a populist Hal for a post-Brexit world” by Dominic Cavendish from The Telegraph, is directed by Hal Chambers, with designs by Emily Leonard, fight direction by Christos Dante, movement direction by Kate Webster, composition by Harry Smith, BroadwayWorld UK award-nominated projection designs by Benjamin Collins, sound design by Chris Cleal and lighting by Sam Rowcliffe-Tanner.

The full cast comprises of: Matt Ray Brown (Exeter/Orleans), Alicia Charles (Bardolph/Williams), Elin Phillips (Fluellen), Lauren Samuels (Katherine/Boy),

Aaron Sidwell (Henry), Adam Sopp (Pistol/Constable), Sarah Waddell (Queen of France) and Jonathan Woolf (Nym/Dauphin).

Since launching in 2018, the Barn Theatre has gained national recognition by producing 12 Built By Barn shows to upwards of 80,000 audience members and being awarded The Stage Awards’ Best Fringe Theatre of the Year Award 2019. Their contribution to the local community stretches further than just the theatre with large scale outreach programmes, school workshops and collaborative projects around the centenary of the First World War, the ‘record-breaking’ Cirencester Human Poppy, and The Cirencester Advent Festival that have enhanced the well-being of the community and draw thousands of visitors to the town.

The theatre has also worked extensively with disadvantaged communities working with charities including Cirencester Housing for Young People (CHYP) and Age UK Gloucestershire.

The Cotswold theatre recently launched their live streaming service, Behind The Barn Door, gives access to entertaining, fun and informative content for the local community. The service launched with a Q&A with Cotswolds MP Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, in collaboration with The Cirencester Chamber of Commerce. 

Giffords Circus favourite Tweedy the Clown will star in a new children’s entertainment mini-series called Tweedy’s Lost & Found, where every Wednesday at 12pm viewers will join the clown as he adapts to his new life working at the local Lost & Found. The series will be live streamed to the Barn Theatre’s Facebook, YouTube and Twitter accounts.

The Barn Theatre (registered charity no. 1174253) have launched a donations campaign, SAVE OUR BARN, via their website and social media platforms.

Regan De Wynter Williams Productions Ltd. are very disappointed to announce that owing to Coronavirus (COVID-19), they are cancelling the production of Sasha Regan’s All-Male H.M.S. Pinafore at Wilton’s Music Hall which was scheduled to run from 15th April – 9th May.

Wilton’s Music Hall will contact all ticketholders and offer the following options:

• The donation of the cost of your booking (this will be split accordingly between Wilton’s and the visiting company) which we would be very grateful for in the current circumstances
  
  
• You can donate a percentage of your ticket, with the remainder being refunded (this will be split accordingly between Wilton’s and the visiting company).
  
  
• You can receive a full refund.

Customer service teams are currently working remotely and are extremely busy.  They will be in touch as soon as possible.  Please do not phone the Box Office at this current time and do not come to Wilton’s Music Hall which is closed for the time being.

Thank you very much for your wonderful support and patience during these very difficult times.  We are heartbroken. Please look after yourselves and keep safe and well.

FULL SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR

THE SHOW MUST GO ONLINE

Following the incredible success of their first reading of The Two Gentleman of Verona, The Show Must Go Onlinetoday announce the full schedule for their upcoming livestreams, with the next reading of The Taming of the Shrew streamed on Thursday 26 March, 7pm.

The series of livestreamed readings aims to bring actors and audiences together to collectively enjoy and experience Shakespeare at a time when connecting in a traditional theatre space isn’t possible. The Two Gentleman of Verona now has over 24K views on YouTube and was watched live by audiences from over twenty-five different countries, from the USA to the Philippines, and from Poland to Malaysia.

The cast of this week’s reading of The Taming of the Shrew will also take part in Clap for our Carers at 8pm, the round of applause taking place across the country for NHS workers and front line health workers around the world and the extraordinary work they are doing. This will be led by cast member Mary Bragg Ion who is an NHS trauma therapist. For the full cast for this reading, please see https://twitter.com/robmyles/status/1242006913744875520?s=20

The company have also established a Patreon for the venture, which will be used as an opt-in hardship fund for the actors who take part – https://www.patreon.com/TheShowMustGoOnline

The watch the YouTube live readings, please visit – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFQ2EezD1GPVTH6hug3zu8w

To join the readings, please visit https://forms.gle/ZXCHb2x1Z2RsESty8

#ShowMustGoOnline

#ConnectedAndCreative

FULL SCHEDULE

All performances are streamed from 7pm

26 March 2020	The Taming of the Shrew (1590–1591)
02 April 2020	Henry VI, Part 1 (1591–1592)
09 April 2020	Henry VI, Part 2 (1591)
16 April 2020	Henry VI, Part 3 (1591)
23 April 2020	Titus Andronicus (1591–1592)
30 April 2020	Richard III (1592–1593)
07 May 2020	The Comedy of Errors (1594)
14 May 2020	Love’s Labour’s Lost (1594–1595)
21 May 2020	Love’s Labour’s Won (1595–1596)
28 May 2020	Richard II (1595)
04 June 2020	Romeo and Juliet (1595)
11 June 2020	A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1595)
18 June 2020	King John (1596)
25 June 2020	The Merchant of Venice (1596–1597)
02 July 2020	Henry IV, Part 1 (1596–1597)
09 July 2020	The Merry Wives of Windsor (1597)
16 July 2020	Henry IV, Part 2 (1597–1598)
23 July 2020	Much Ado About Nothing (1598–1599)
30 July 2020	Henry V (1599)
06 August 2020	Julius Caesar (1599)
13 August 2020	As You Like It (1599–1600)
20 August 2020	Hamlet (1599–1601)
27 August 2020	Twelfth Night (1601)
03 September 2020	Troilus and Cressida (1600–1602)
10 September 2020	Measure for Measure (1603–1604)
17 September 2020	Othello (1603–1604)
24 September 2020	All’s Well That Ends Well (1604–1605)
01 October 2020	King Lear (1605–1606)
08 October 2020	Timon of Athens (1605–1606)
15 October 2020	Macbeth (1606)
22 October 2020	Antony and Cleopatra (1606)
29 October 2020	Coriolanus (1608)
05 November 2020	The Winter’s Tale (1609–1611)
12 November 2020	Cymbeline (1610)
19 November 2020	The Tempest (1610–1611)
26 November 2020	Henry VIII (1612–1613)

Robert Myles is a classical actor and director, writer and freelance creative lead. He is the creator of The Shakespeare Deck, and has workshops available for actors interested in getting more from Shakespeare’s incredible text. As an actor, he has toured the UK playing leading roles in Shakespeare’s most celebrated plays.

https://robmyles.co.uk/theshowmustgoonline/

@robmyles

ALAN BENNETT’S 

THE HABIT OF ART 

AND ALI MILLES’S THE CROFT

FILMED PERFORMANCES AVAILABLE

ON THURSDAY 26 MARCH AT 8:15 PM AND

FRIDAY 27 MARCH AT 7:30PM 
In light of the closure of theatres across the UK due to COVID-19, the Original Theatre Company’s productions of Alan Bennett’s THE HABIT OF ART and Ali Milles’s THE CROFT, both of which were touring the UK, will now each have an online launch performance:  THE HABIT OF ART on Thursday 26 March at 8:15pm and THE CROFT on Friday 27 March at 7:30pm. The performances are available to pre-order now. The videos will then be available to watch online until 2 June 2020.

The performances are available to watch at www.originaltheatreonline.com

The Original Theatre Company operates with no Arts Council support and relies solely on box office takings. With productions of THE HABIT OF ART and THE CROFT both out on national tours, the immediate cancellations are financially devastating. The company is determined, wherever possible, to meet financial commitments made to actors, stage managers and suppliers who are all dependent on the company to survive the coming months. They therefore ask people pay what they can afford but have a suggested minimum donation of £2.50.

Every penny they make through this online release will go to the people who helped make these shows and who now find themselves in a hugely precarious financial position. People in exceptional financial difficulties can access the videos for free by emailing directly the Original Theatre Company.

In addition to the show, there will also be access to a programme and backstage videos as part of the package.

Alastair Whatley, Artistic Director of The Original Theatre Company, said “Gaining access to these films is an extraordinary opportunity that has been permitted by the kind permissions of our writers Alan Bennett and Ali Milles, the acting companies, stage managers and creative teams to allow us to share these with you as a way of saying a heartfelt thanks to you, our audiences, for helping sustain the Original Theatre Company and all those who work with us.

“We hope people who have booked tickets and are now unable to attend, along with many thousands of others, can now access these videos and enjoy two superb pieces of theatre in the comfort of their homes. Some small respite in these trying times.

“We want to encourage people to make their own in-house theatre experience. We will be making play-appropriate drink suggestions, suggestions of what people might wear to watch the productions, a fun code of conduct which amounts to ‘do whatever you like, as you are in your own house’, and ask people to share photos of their home theatre experience.”

THE HABIT OF ART is directed by Philip Franks and stars Matthew Kelly as Fitz (W. H. Auden), David Yelland as Henry (Benjamin Britten), Veronica Roberts (Kay, the stage manager), Robert Mountford (Neil, the author), John Wark (Donald/Humphrey Carpenter), Jessica Dennis (George, the assistant stage manager) and Benjamin Chandler (Tim/Stuart).

THE HABIT OF ART explores friendship, rivalry and heartache, the joy, pain and emotional cost of creativity.  It is centred on a fictional meeting between poet W. H. Auden and composer Benjamin Britten.  Bennett wrote it as a play-within-a-play – actors Fitz, Henry, Tim and Donald are rehearsing a play called Caliban’s Day under the direction of stage manager, Kay, and in the presence of the playwright, Neil. In Caliban’s Day, a fictitious meeting occurs in 1973 in Auden’s (Fitz) rooms at Oxford not long before he dies.  Britten (Henry) has been auditioning boys nearby for his opera Death in Venice, and arrives unexpectedly – their first meeting in 25 years after falling out over the failure of their opera Paul Bunyan.

Alan Bennett’s THE HABIT OF ART premiered at the National Theatre in November 2009, directed by Nicholas Hytner and starring Richard Griffiths, Alex Jennings and Frances de la Tour.  The National then toured the production in Autumn 2010 with a new cast led by Desmond Barrit, Malcolm Sinclair and Selina Caddell.

This production of THE HABIT OF ART has been designed by Adrian Linford, with lighting by Johanna Town, sound by Max Pappenheim and casting by Joyce Nettles.

THE CROFT is directed by Philip Franks and stars Gwen Taylor as Enid, Caroline Harker as Suzanne / Ruth, Drew Cain as David / Alec, Lucy Doyle as Laura / Eilene, Simon Roberts as Tom / Patrick,

THE CROFT is set in the remote Scottish Highlands village of Coillie Ghille, where we encounter three women from different eras whose lives are intertwined by the croft’s dark history. In the 1880’s, we have Enid, the last person left in the village – she’s resilient, a survivor, who takes in the Laird’s pregnant daughter, Eilene. In 2005, Ruth occupies the croft, which she and her husband Tom bought as a holiday home and where Ruth has her affair with local man, David. In the present day, Laura returns with her friend Suzanne to her parent’s croft after her mother Ruth’s death. They discover the terrifying truth that lurks within the croft. In this bold and haunting play, the present interweaves with the past, as these women search for love in the midst of great danger. As we watch their stories intertwine and ancient tales surface, can the present heal the past?

THE CROFT is designed by Adrian Linford, with lighting by Chris Davey, sound by Max Pappenheim and casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.

Website:          www.originaltheatre.com
Facebook:       @OriginalTheatre
Twitter:            @OriginalTheatre #OriginalOnline #HabitOfArt #TheCroft
Instagram:       @OriginalTheatreCompany

Running Time The Habit of Art:  2 hours
Suitable for 13+

Running Time The Croft:  1 hour, 45 minutes
Suitable for 13+ 

HEADLONG AND CENTURY FILMS ANNOUNCE UNPRECEDENTED: REAL TIME THEATRE FROM A STATE OF ISOLATION

• A MAJOR NEW DIGITAL PROJECT BRINGS TOGETHER CELEBRATED PLAYWRIGHTS, DIRECTORS AND ACTORS TO CREATE A SERIES OF SHORT DIGITAL PLAYS RESPONDING TO THE CURRENT CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

• THE SERIES WILL BE AN IMMEDIATE AND INTIMATE THEATRE EXPERIENCE, FEATURING ACTORS PERFORMING FROM ISOLATION, BROADCAST ACROSS THE NATION DURING THIS PERIOD OF LOCKDOWN

• APRIL DE ANGELIS, CLINT DYER, JAMES GRAHAM, JENNIFER HALEY, JASMINE LEE-JONES, DUNCAN MACMILLAN AND PRASANNA PUWANARAJAH ARE AMONG THE PLAYWRIGHTS CREATING NEW WORK FOR THE SERIES

• EACH PIECE WILL EXPLORE A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF HOW OUR COMMUNAL EXPERIENCES ARE CHANGING AT AN UNPRECEDENTED RATE

• CURATED AND DIRECTED BY HEADLONG AND CENTURY FILMS, EACH DIGITAL PLAY WILL BE CREATED USING DIGITAL CONFERENCING TECHNOLOGY AND WILL COMBINE LIVE AND PRE-RECORDED MATERIAL

• UNPRECEDENTED: REAL TIME THEATRE FROM A STATE OF ISOLATION WILL BE AVAILABLE TO WATCH ONLINE FROM APRIL

Award winning theatre company Headlong, in association with the BAFTA winning Century Films, have today announced a new creative response to the current global crisis, Unprecedented: Real Time Theatre From a State of Isolation.

Written by celebrated playwrights, curated and directed by Headlong and Century Films and performed by a cast of over twenty UK actors, Unprecedented is a series of short digital plays exploring our rapidly evolving world. The plays will respond to how our understanding and experiences of community, education, work, relationships, family, culture, climate and capitalism are evolving on an unprecedented scale. The series will ask how we got here and what the enduring legacy of this historic episode might be. Further details will be announced shortly.

The series will include new works from a diverse group of celebrated playwrights including: April De Angelis (My Brilliant Friend; The Village), Josh Azouz (The Mikvah Project; Buggy Baby), Deborah Bruce (The Distance; The House They Grew Up In), John Donnelly (The Pass; The Knowledge), Clint Dyer (Death of England), Jennifer Haley (The Nether; Sustainable Living), Sami Ibrahim (Two Palestinians Go Dogging; Wind Bit Bitter, Bit Bit Bit), James Graham (Ink; QUIZ; Coalition; Brexit: An Uncivil War; Labour of Love), Charlene James (Cuttin’ It; Tweet Tweet), Jasmine Lee-Jones (seven methods of killing kylie jenner) Duncan Macmillan (People, Places and Things; City of Glass; Rosmersholm; 1984; Lungs), Nathaniel Martello-White (Torn; BLACKTA), Chloë Moss (This Wide Night; The Gatekeeper), Prasanna Puwanarajah (Nightwatchman; Patrick Melrose; Doctor Foster) and Tim Price (Salt, Root, Row; The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning).

Using digital conferencing technology, and combining live and pre-recorded material, these intimate new plays will give an immediate insight into this unprecedented communal experience. Working closely with several directors and a team of freelance creatives, Headlong and Century Films will publish the series online in April for audiences to stream directly from their homes.

Jeremy Herrin, Artistic Director / CEO, Headlong says:

“At Headlong, we’ve been trying to process the disruption and, like many of us in the theatre industry, we have been trying to cope with the closure of shows, and the challenges facing future productions.

In these uncertain times we want to engage with our family of artists: our playwrights, directors and actors and other creatives, and provide them with a platform to share their insight, wisdom, humour, anger, fear and optimism or whatever else they’ve got at this pivotal moment. Theatre is a way of processing contradictions meaningfully, and I hope that this project will help artists and audiences alike find connection and meaning in their isolation, and provide an uplifting and perhaps inspiring diversion”  

Holly Race Roughan, Associate Artistic Director, Headlong says:

“In this extraordinary time, we at Headlong are humbled to be collaborating with some of the country’s most imaginative writers to process what is happening to us and around us in real time.  

Playwrights from all generations and backgrounds are urgently responding to the crisis to help us and our audiences make sense of our world transformed. We will be rehearsing digitally and streaming directly to homes in isolation around the world. Our quest is to connect a population in isolation through a series of short dramas.” 

Brian Hill, Managing Director, Century Films says:

“I’m very excited to be working with the team at Headlong and to show how a collaboration of storytellers from the worlds of theatre, film and television can produce brilliant work that addresses the current crisis.”

Unprecedented: Real Time Theatre From a State of Isolation is the latest digital project from Headlong. Previous projects have included two series of short films produced in partnership with the Guardian, Europeans: Dramas from a Divided Union (2020), and Brexit Shorts (2017).