Dirty Protest Presents... The Bells of Shoreditch
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Dirty Protest hopes to spark discussion, rivarly and excitement among writers and theatre goers in Wales as it stages Tim Price's first full length play The Bells of Shoreditch as a development production in Cardiff next week.
For two nights the critically acclaimed DIY theatre company will take over the Sherman theatre when it graduates from producing short pieces to a full length play.
Bafta Cymru nominated Tim Price (pictured right and above), whose television series Y Pris is up for best drama at the Celtic Film Festival, believes the time is right for the theatre company to try something new.
After causing a stir with sell out nights dedicated to new short plays in venues as diverse as the Yurt in Milgi Bar to nightclub Clwb Ifor Bach, this is a different challenge and Price hopes it will fill the vacuum between rehearsed reading in Wales and full-scale productions.
He said, "This is our first development production.
"It's the most exciting thing we've done as it's us growing up and trying to present full length-plays whilst still putting writers at the heart of what we do. No theatre company in Wales at the moment will spend more money on workshopping the play than putting it on, but that's what we've done here. To us, it's not about the finished product, it's about helping emerging writers make their average plays good, or good plays great.
"There's no salon culture in Wales other than at DP. We need to have playwrights regularly showing their work to each other, we need rivalries, we need disputes, we need encouragement not from theatres but from each other. No successful playwright has ever worked in a vacuum. If you're a writer it's important you come along to this night, because if it's a success, we'll be looking for the next play."
The Artistic Director of the National Theatre for Wales, John McGrath has spoken in praise of the company after they met with him last November.
Dirty Protest threw a special meet and greet for Mcgrath to introduce him to some of the hottest writing talent in South Wales.
Speaking about the company he said, "Dirty Protest is one of the most dynamic initiatives in theatre at the moment - a mad, messy collective of writers and theatre artists with something worthwhile to say."
The performances, from January 15-16, will be directed by Vicky Jones, who as co-founder of the successful London theatre company Drywrite has credits as diverse as Royal Court, Bush Theatre and Off Broadway is keen to come and experience the Welsh theatre scene.
There will be two performances a night of The Bells of Shoreditch - Thursday 15th at 7.30pm and 9.00pm and Friday 16th at 7.30pm and 9.00pm. This play has been workshopped by Dirty Protest, with the support of Sherman Cymru and the Arts Council of Wales.
The cast is Mark Arends (The UN Inspector), Crisian Emanuel (The Da Vinci Code), Eiry Hughes (Daddy's Girl, Aquanero, Caerdydd), Maria Pride (Pobol y Cwm, Y Pris), Lee Mengo (The Whole Truth. Theatr Clywd's The Grapes of Wrath), Gareth Milton (Caerdydd).
Since the company's launch in Cardiff-café bar Milgi back in August 2007, it has quickly become a strong presence in Cardiff nightlife, the Welsh theatre scene and beyond.
Sell out performances in Milgi, nightclub Ten Feet Tall, the Sherman theatre and performances at Latitude Festival, Wales Millennium Centre and Clwb Ifor Bach have made the company one of the most talked about groups over the past year.
Writers, actors and directors have flocked to work with the not-for-profit company, keen to join the merry band and giving young people an introduction to relevant theatre by taking plays to the bars and charging the same amount as a pint for a night of new work.
Award winning playwright like Ed Thomas and Gary Owen, scriptwriters from Doctor Who/Torchwood's Helen Raynor to Skins' writer Lucy Kirkwood have all written new works for the company and shared the stage with newcomers like Rhiannon Boyle, Alex Valhos, Elen Moore and Dr Ian Lewis.
Name: The Bells of Shoreditch
Date: 15-16 January 2009
Doors open: 7.30pm and 9pm
Location: Sherman Theatre
Ticket price: £5
Website: www.dirtyprotesttheatre.co.uk
Tel: Claire Hill on 07908 810 090
Email: info@dirtyprotesttheatre.co.uk
