RSC ‘MISCHIEF FESTIVAL’ 31 May – 23 June 2018
RSC ‘MISCHIEF FESTIVAL’
31 May – 23 June 2018
The Royal Shakespeare Company announces details for the Spring 2018 ‘Mischief Festival’ at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon starting in May 2018. This month-long festival features two new plays exploring global questions of truth, corruption and freedom; #WeAreArrested and Day of the Living. Led by Deputy Artistic Director Erica Whyman, the festival will include:
- #WeAreArrested, the true story of journalist Can Dündar’s commitment to expose the truth in the face of huge personal risk.
- Day of the Living, inspired by the events in Ayotzinapa, Mexico 2014 when 43 students were forcibly taken and disappeared.
- Written and performed by Nell Leyshon, Three Letters, is one woman’s story of how her reinvention of herself after having had children is halted by illness.
- Research & Development work-in-progress public reading of Redefining Juliet.
- A series of events giving an insight into the influences and decisions that have created the festival productions.
- Watch the RSC’s film about Can Dündar here https://youtu.be/41QpuS8Vas8
The book #WeAreArrested was written by journalist Can Dündar. It documents his enthralling account of receiving a critical piece of evidence confirming the illegal shipment of weapons to Syria by the Turkish government, his newspaper's decision to publish that evidence, and his subsequent arrest and imprisonment. Following research and development at The Other Place in 2017, the book has been adapted by Pippa Hill and Sophie Ivatts to create this ground-breaking new play, #WeAreArrested, which will also be directed by Sophie Ivatts. This deeply moving play is a tribute to the bravery of journalists under threat around the globe, exploring the true story of a journalist’s commitment to expose the truth in the face of huge personal risks.
Can Dündar is one of the best-known figures in Turkish Media. Dündar is the recipient of many major awards including the Whistleblower Award, the Gustav-Heinemann-Burgerfeis Award, the International Press Freedom Award from the Committee to Protect Journalists, the Oxfam Novib/PEN Award for Freedom of Expression and was named European Journalist of the Year. Together with Erdem Gül, he was awarded in 2016 the Prize for the Freedom and Future of the Media by the Leipzig Media Foundation. Pippa Hill is the RSC’s Literary Manager and has worked across a huge range of plays and projects. Sophie Ivatts is a freelance director, writer and script-editor, who develops original drama for both stage and screen. She was the Associate Director for the RSC’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream: A Play for the Nation and was the Clore Fellow for Theatre for 2016/17.
Created by Darren Clark, Amy Draper and Juliet Gilkes Romero, Day of the Living is in response to the 2014 ‘forced disappearance’ of 43 male students in Ayotzinapa, Mexico. This unsolved crime will be the source of this devised anarchic, musical tribute to life and the Mexican spirit with urgent, global issues at its heart.
Darren Clark is an award-winning writer of music and lyrics for the theatre. His credits include The Wicker Husband (Winner of Stiles & Drewe Award 2016), Scarecrows Wedding (UK Tour, Leicester Square Theatre) and These Trees Are Made of Blood (Southwark Playhouse/Arcola Theatre), a play he collaborated on with Amy Draper. Theatre director and creator Amy Draper’s other recent work includes Hansel and Gretel (Iris Theatre) and Princess Charming (Ovalhouse). In 2013 Amy was the Community Director for the CASA Latin American Theatre Festival. Juliet Gilkes Romero is an award-winning playwright and journalist. She has reported for the BBC from countries including Cuba, Ethiopia, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Juliet is currently the RSC and Birmingham University Creative Fellow. Her recent plays include Upper Cut (Southwark Playhouse), Razing Cane (shortlisted for the Alfred Fagon Award) and radio play One Hot Summer (Radio 4).
Three Letters joins the festival for a limited run of two performances. Nell Leyshon performs her own story of how her reinvention of herself after having had children is halted by illness. It is a story of the body, medicine, statistics and the NHS; a story of motherhood and being a woman; a story of writing and performing told with soul-bearing honesty.
The R&D work-in-progress readings are a chance to see inside the creative engine room of The Other Place where the RSC explores new ideas and exciting theatrical opportunities. Our sharing for the festival R&D of Redefining Juliet will be on Friday 22 June. Being developed by Storme Toolis and Alice Knight, Redefining Juliet is a frank and feisty re-telling of the greatest love story of all time, casting six diverse Juliets: each owning the iconic Shakespearean heroine for themselves. Developed in collaboration with the RSC and the Barbican.
Festival Events
Creative Team Talk:
Day of the Living Saturday 2 June, 6pm
#WeAreArrested Monday 4 June, 6pm
A chance to hear members of the creative teams in conversation, revealing some of the influences and decisions that have created the productions. From rehearsal room processes and design choices, to characterisation and relationships this is a fascinating insight into the creative process.
Post Show Talk: #WeAreArrested and Day of the Living
Tuesday 12 June (BSL Interpreted) and Monday 18 June
An opportunity after the show to ask members of the acting company questions about the productions, the actor's process and what it's like to work for the RSC. Post Show Talks take place after the performance, and are free with a show ticket.
Booking
To book call 01789 403493 or online at www.rsc.org.uk
Festival Dates
#WeAreArrested and Day of the Living
Playing as a double bill Thursday 31 May – Saturday 23 June, with press performances on Tuesday 5 June, 7pm. Tickets: £15
Three Letters
Wednesday 6 June and Friday 8 June, 1.30pm. Tickets £5
Redefining Juliet R&D reading
Friday 22 June, 2.30pm. Tickets £5
Press Contact information
For further information contact Amy.belson@rsc.org.uk / 01789 412622 / 07843483146
Images for media use
Media can download images by registering at www.rsc.org.uk/press-images
BP 16-25 Tickets
The BP £5 ticket scheme and BP Shakespeare Pass for 16 – 25 year olds gives access to £5 tickets for all RSC productions in Stratford-upon-Avon, London or on tour. Tickets can be booked in advance on the phone, online or in person with some available on the day of the performance. The scheme is supported by Project partner, BP.
Supporters
The RSC Acting Companies are generously supported by THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION and THE KOVNER FOUNDATION
The RSC Literary Department is generously supported by THE DRUE HEINZ TRUST
The Other Place has been made possible thanks to the support of private and public funders, including very generous donations from ARTS COUNCIL ENGLAND, THE GATSBY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION, BACKSTAGE TRUST, J PAUL GETTY JR CHARITABLE TRUST and a new creative partnership with the University of Birmingham, Founding Partner of The Other Place.