Christopher Chen‘s new play, Caught, presented as part of the Arcola‘s VOLTA International Festival is a thick, false-bottomed guillotine of a play, that betrays its audience again and again, sweeping legs out from underneath everyone at every turn.
The VOLTA International Festival is well and truly underway; an exciting initiative spearheaded by acclaimed director Andrea Ferran, the festival’s aim is to bridge the gap between international playwrights and UK based directors. This year welcomes award winning playwright, Ewald Palmetshofer, who hails from Linz, Austria with his dark comedy, hamlet is dead. no gravity. Ahead of the production’s showing at the festival, Theatrefullstop was lucky enough to speak with the playwright about his inspirations for the play, why he wanted to take part in this year’s festival, and whether he’s driven by a mission statement with his works!
Hi Ewald, Your work, hamlet is dead. no gravity will be showcased at this year’s VOLTA International Festival. How are you feeling ahead of the festival?
I am very exited that my play is staged at the festival and I really do appreciate this opportunity to introduce my work to the english audience. Besides I think that Neil Blackadder has done a truly beautiful translation into English and I am very curious how the actresses and actors of the production will interpret the play, its language and of course both its tragedy and humour.
Absent belongs to that rare kind of performance that subtly, but very firmly, refuses to let you go. Though you step out of the doors and onto the streets, the atmosphere conjured in the play lingers; it discreetly impregnates itself onto the buildings, people and movements you observe on your way home. It is the pulsating innovation and sharp theatrical vision I observed in this show that keeps our theatre industry on its toes and warmly welcomes new audiences to its stalls. It is shows like this that remind me why I prefer the dynamics of the theatre rather than idly staying at home and staring at the screen of my laptop.
For a fortnight, the Arcola Theatre will welcome a range of collaborations, as four established international playwrights join forces with four esteemed UK directors. Award winning playwright Christopher Chen is accustomed to having his productions staged in the U.S., however the UK will witness his work for the very first time. Ahead of Chen’s play, Caught, debuting at VOLTA, Theatrefullstop were lucky enough to speak to him about working with Offstage Theatre’s Artistic Director, Cressida Brown, whether being an award winner adds pressure to his creation of future works and why he was drawn to take part in this year’s festival!
Answer this… where else can you dance the along to hip hop legend, Missy Elliot‘s greatest hits? Grab a dose of the toe tapping Upton Funk courtesy of Mark Ronson? Forget about all of your worries whilst jamming along to the high octane spirits of Rudimental? Just when you thought the festival season was drawing to a close… Any idea?
Theatre Royal Stratford East are getting set for their autumn season, where they’ll witness Ché Walker’s, The Etienne Sister‘s take over the East London stage for the next month. A family drama placing the spotlight on three fiery characters, the production promises an evening of hard truths, confrontations and an original soundtrack. Ahead of the production’s opening night, Theatrefullstop were lucky enough to speak to actress and singer Allyson Ava-Brown, who plays Bo, about working with her fellow cast members, whether she identifies with Bo, and what it’s like working with Ché Walker!
Farmyard tales usually guarantee a recipe for success, especially televisually and filmically. With stories such as Babe and Charlotte’s Web jumping to mind, these really capture the imagination of audiences both young and old. Juliet Roger‘s Fowl Play, currently playing at the Puppet Theatre Barge in Richmond clutches onto this tradition, and translates this onto the stage.
Four exciting new productions are at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year thanks to the 2015 IdeasTap Underbelly Award. IdeasTap and Underbelly work hand-in-hand to showcase a diverse season of original work from young, emerging UK talent; one of which is Ben Norris‘ new one-man show The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Family.
The production of CELL is in collaboration with puppetry-focused companies Smoking Apples and Dogfish. The project started in 2012, and after performing at a number of theatres such as Greenwich Theatre, Incoming Festival and the New Diorama, it was nominated for a Peter Brook Festival award in 2014.
There are many categories of performance at The Fringe – something to suit all. From musicals to comedy, puppetry to spoken word, you name it – they’ve got it! One genre that particularly interests me is circus. I’m not sure whether it’s the excitement and sheer adrenaline rush you get whilst watching these incredibly muscular and toned athletes complete death defying stunts, or whether it’s that I like to pretend it’s me up there on the high-wire, staring down at hundreds of gob smacked faces. Either way, I know that never in a 100 years would I be able to complete the tricks and tumbles they skilfully perform on a nightly basis.
