UK Theatre Network

LINES returns to the Rosemary Branch Theatre and everybody who missed this powerful and important play the first time should now take the opportunity and see it.

An actor has been murdered. He was stabbed by Terry Stein, the police officer who he was portraying in a play about the Ian Tomlinson incident. Robin, a seasoned writer of verbatim theatre, had interviewed Stein and a police sergeant as part of his research for his docudrama Ian and Bill. Although Stein was only a witness to the Tomlinson incident the writer singled him out and used him as comic relief in his verbatim drama, carefully selecting those parts of the interview that he considered especially ridiculous. The director and the actor, Michael Kinney, gave Stein a stammer and a superhero complex to ensure that they got their laughs during the fifteen minutes the character featured in the play. 

The dramatist (an outstanding Ian Mairs) denies all responsibility. His verbatim play was theatrical journalism and therefore the truth was absolute. Yes, he edited his interview with PC Stein emphasizing the juicy parts but it is a docudrama after all, not a documentary. The Sergeant (Impressive John Canmore) who saw himself being portrayed as vertically challenged with a posh accent and long wavy hair - “He wasn’t even Scottish!” -states that his interview was distorted and perverted and had little to do with the truth. There were omissions and edits to make it more dramatic. The director gave his actors complete freedom – they never listened to the interview tapes. He was satisfied to have them find the truth about their characters “in the words.” Meanwhile the devastated parents (wonderful Jeryl Burgess and David Vale) are trying to cope with the death of their only child: “Something changes when you lose a child. There is no word for a loss that deep.” They reminisce about their son’s career but cannot find any joy in it knowing that his profession was responsible for his death.   

This play asks important questions regarding the dangers verbatim theatre and docudrama.

Until 30th April at 7.00 pm
BOX OFFICE: 020 7704 6665

The Rosemary Branch, 2 Shepperton Road, London N1 3DT

My Name is Rachel Corrie

Coming here is one of the better things I have done.

Taken from the writings of Rachel Corrie this powerful and eloquent piece of theatre documents a young activist who was prepared to risk her life in protest. In March 2003, whilst protesting against the demolition of a Palestinian family's home, 23-year-old American student Rachel Corrie from Olympia, Washington, was killed by an Israeli Defence Force bulldozer.

Sophie Angelson absolutely inhabits the character of Rachel Corrie from the second the lights come on. Full of enthusiasm and joy for life she even sees the positive aspects of an ugly industrial town in Russia that she visits as a young student. After much soul searching she decides to become an artist and writer and her parents support her in her endeavour. When Corrie visits Gaza for the first time she finds a land full of rocks and restrictions. She is appalled by what she experiences as the collective punishment of all Palestinians – curfews, checkpoints, bulldozers destroying homes and orchards. Rachel becomes an activist and joins a peaceful Palestinian resistance organization to do what she thinks is right.  

Alan Rickman and Katherine Viner compiled this rather controversial play from diary entries and emails. There have been various protests and even bans due to the critical nature of the piece which is very critical of Israel’s policies towards the Palestinians. The play was censored in Toronto 5 years ago:

http://rachelswords.org/2006/12/24/rachel-corrie-play-censored-in-toronto/

I think this is a very important and poignant play that introduces us to a truly remarkable woman.

For more information on Rachel Corrie and the efforts to continue the work she began, please visit www.rachelcorriefoundation.org.

Performed as part of a double bill : see Lines with My Name is Rachel Corrie for only £15 for both shows on the same night.

Tickets: £12 /£10
Until 30th April at 8.30 pm, Tuesday to Saturday
BOX OFFICE: 020 7704 6665

The Rosemary Branch, 2 Shepperton Road, London N1 3DT

Mixed Up North, a co-production between Bolton Octagon and Out Of Joint, is set in Burnley and is about attempts to heal the rift between the town’s communities in the wake of the 2001 disturbances. 

Trish (Celia Imrie) is an experienced youth arts worker who has set up a theatre group with the aim of fostering social cohesion among Burnley’s British Asian and white British teenagers.  What we see is a fictional account of a play being staged by the group - we spectators are having a privileged preview of the dress rehearsal.  Of course the real drama lies in the complicated inter-racial relationships between the young actors and the conflicting political agendas of the assorted youth workers: even referring to the 2001 events as “riots” is an incendiary act.

Director Max Stafford-Clark and writer Robin Soans visited Burnley with students from LAMDA, and together they conducted numerous interviews to create this unusual example of verbatim theatre - nearly all the words spoken on stage originate from these interviews, or from the work done with the LAMDA students while the piece was being developed.

One of the most beguiling and involving aspects of the staging is the way the audience and auditorium are weaved into the narrative: Colin the technician (Matthew Wait) does the lighting from the back, tea and cake are handed around by Jen (Mia Soteriou), the fire exit at the rear of the stage is opened so a van (in full view) can be loaded.  In some ways with its site-specific nods and attempts at creating a totally immersive experience it resembles Everybody Loves a Winner at the Royal Exchange last July, but with less audience participation and a far less naturalistic feel.

However the traditional verbatim theatre moments, where characters tells their stories directly to the audience in their own words, are easily the most compelling.  Tamsin (Lorna Stuart) explains how she was deceived by a charming married Asian boy and how her young sister was groomed and prostituted by another; Wendy (Rose Leslie) confesses that she was recently raped but her past experience of sexual abuse has prevented her from seeking help; Uday (Muzz Khan) describes a violent attack that led to a prison sentence. 

A large number of the original LAMDA students who worked on the piece are in the current cast and give very convincing performances as street-wise northern working-class teens with shocking tales to tell.  Max Stafford-Clark directs the 13-strong ensemble with his customary verve and energy, making for an entertaining and thought provoking evening of theatre.

Mixed Up North is on at Bolton Octagon until Saturday 26 September 2009, then touring

Tickets: from £9.00

Evenings: Mon-Sat at 7.30pm

Matinees: Sat 12 & 19 & Wednesday 23 @ 2pm

Box Office: 01204 520661

www.octagonbolton.co.uk

www.outofjoint.co.uk