Our first festival of new plays ran during summer 2016 in the reopened The Other Place.

What is unsayable in the 21st century? 

Over the course of these four plays, our writers responded to this challenge with daring explorations of language, race, gender and life in Britain today. We called on people to join us in our intimate new theatre space at The Other Place and confront their own assumptions about what is taboo in the times we live in.

Fall of the Kingdom, Rise of the Foot Soldier by Somalia Seaton

'This is our England.'

In a country where protectionism masquerades as patriotism, a new national identity is being forged. Nostalgic notions of Englishness fracture as the rallying cries of a new generation are heard on the streets. In London, an attack on a student forces her teacher to confront the uncomfortable truth lurking beneath the veneer of community cohesion.

In this provocative play, Somalia Seaton peels away the privileged ignorance of middle-class tolerance to expose the deep wound of cultural tension cutting through modern England.

Cast

Donna Banya - Aisha | Bally Gill - Chorus | Laura Howard - Hawkins | Tyrone Huggins - Chorus | Syreeta Kumar - Shabz/Chorus | Ifan Meredith - Archie/Chorus

Creatives

Director - Nadia Latif | Designer - Madeleine Girling | Lighting - Claire Gerrens | Sound - Steven Atkinson

Always Orange by Fraser Grace 

'Raise the Flag. Raze the city.'

In the aftermath of terrorist attacks, the population is on edge. Empathy and community have been blown away by the storm of terror and replaced by fear. A survivor of the first attack, Joe is convinced that he has found the key to turning the tide of destruction and restoring tolerance and understanding. But the city is in no mood to listen… 

Following the award-winning Breakfast with Mugabe and TMA-nominated The Lifesavers, writer Fraser Grace presents a tragicomic exploration of how to be human in a world always on edge.

Cast

Donna Banya - Amna/Shermeera | Bally Gill - No Name I/Parvendra | Laura Howard - Dolores/Jackie | Tyrone Huggins - Farouk/Mr Ibrahim | Syreeta Kumar - Rusha | Ifan Meredith - Joe | Sam Cole - Niall | Bianca Stephens - Houida/Lorna/No Name II

Creatives

Director - Donnacadh O'Briain | Designer - Madeleine Girling | Lighting - Matt Peel | Sound - Steven Atkinson

 

Revolt. She said. Revolt again. by Alice Birch

You are expected to behave…

Use the right words.
Act appropriately.
Don’t break the rules.
Just behave.

This play is not well behaved.

Alice’s play examines the language, behaviour and forces that shape women in the 21st century and asks what’s stopping us from doing something truly radical to change them.

Revolt... was first performed at the 2014 Midsummer Mischief Festival, and has also run in Edinburgh and London.

Cast

Robert Boulter | Emmanuella Cole | Emma Fielding | Beth Park

Creatives

Director - Erica Whyman | Designer - Madeleine Girling | Lighting - Claire Gerrens | Sound - Jonathan Ruddick 

Joanne by DEBORAH BRUCE, THERESA IKOKO, LAURA LOMAS, CHINO ODIMBA, URSULA RANI SARMA

Five of the most exciting voices in theatre explore the pressures on our public services as one woman buckles under pressures of her own.

Commissioned and produced by Clean Break, the play came to the Festival after debuting at Latitude Festival and enjoying a critically-acclaimed run at Soho Theatre.

Joanne was directed by Róisín McBrinn and performed by Olivier Award-nominated Tanya Moodie.

B5807-Making_Mischief_Joanne
Tanya Moodie in Joanne

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