Heritage Arts Present VAULT 2014

Building on the huge success of the 2012 Festival, Heritage Arts present VAULT 2014: a wide-ranging programme of performance, live music, discussions and one-off late night events. Waterloo's Leake Street tunnels will again be transformed into a must-visit destination for creative and curious Londoners; a place for debate, drinking, dancing and more.

The work of the capital's most exciting emerging performance companies and artists will live within a collaborative and uniquely energised hub during the six week festival. Alongside ticketed performances, free music from The Kansas Smitty's House Band will entertain visitors to the VAULT Bar every Tuesday and Wednesday evening, and an additional series of late-night parties and events will take over the venue on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays: the VAULT Lates supported by Time Out Live.

The programme is headlined by two new productions: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, and The Cement Garden.

Dr Hunter S Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream is re-envisioned by an old friend of Thompson's, Director-Adaptor Lou Stein. The current relevance of this cult classic is brought out by a focus on the surreal wit, humour and polemical heart of the original text. This production will draw out Thompson's newly pertinent warnings about the loss of national identity and resonate with the instability that threatens journalism today. Poster artwork for the show, designed by Ralph Steadman, legendary illustrator and Thompson's collaborator, is released today.

VAULT will also present the world premiere of Ian McEwan's The Cement Garden. This new adaptation brings fresh resonance to the dark coming of age tale of four abruptly orphaned children. FallOut Theatre's production, co-written by David Aula and Jimmy Osborne, will give audience members access to the cellar which houses the family's secret, as the young characters attempt to make sense of the adult world.

VAULT 2014 is designed to house productions large and small, established and experimental, and everything in between. The menu this year includes physical theatre from Airealism, The Ticket Theatre and Changing Spaces, one-man-shows from the likes of Belt Up's Dominic Allen and newcomer Jessica Burges, ensemble theatre from Move To Stand, Superbolt Theatre and Another Story, music/performance combos from Pythagoras Ensemble, the Wolf Pack, Edinburgh favourites House of Blakewell and much, much more. With at least five shows every night, no two days will be the same.

Full listings and tickets for all events will be available from: www.vaultfestival.co.uk.

At VAULT's bar, open to the public until 10.30pm every night, explorers can warm themselves with Adnams cask ale, or their award-winning gin, or follow Hunter S Thompson's lead with Wild Turkey bourbon. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays between9.00pm and 11.00pm, live swing music meets New Orleans jazz with performances from the Kansas Smitty's, in addition to comedy compering from a programme of comedians - all for free. Snacks and food will be available every night courtesy of adventurer/chef Coyote Moon.

VAULT is sponsored by Adnams and White Light.

Press Representative: Charlotte Bayley at The Corner Shop PR on 020 7831 7657 or email charlotte@thecornershoppr.com

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The Heritage Arts Company, PW Productions & Lou Stein Associates present
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
By Hunter S Thompson
Adapted & Directed by Lou Stein
Sponsored by Wild Turkey

A new production of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas will headline VAULT 2014, 28 January - 8 March 2014. Dr Hunter S Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream is re-envisioned by an old friend of Thompson's, Director-Adaptor Lou Stein. This production explores Thompson's newly pertinent warnings about the loss of national identity and resonates with the instability that threatens journalism today. The current relevance of this cult classic is brought out by a focus on the surreal wit, humour and polemical heart of the original text. Ralph Steadman, legendary illustrator and Thompson's collaborator, provides the artwork for this production, released today. Steadman's work will form a crucial part of the show's visual narrative.

On the eve of a decade since Dr Thompson's suicide, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas presents an opportunity to remember and rejoice with the inventor of gonzo journalism. Stein said: "Discover one of the wildest, most vibrant and utterly essential books of our time in a theatrical context. By immersing the audience in the colour, sounds and soul of the 70s in a contemporary venue, the play will become an event experience. The production marks a continuation of my long friendship with the artist Ralph Steadman, whose visual art is part of its DNA, but it is also a celebration of Hunter S Thompson - he was an ally, friend, and has been a gonzo beacon for me throughout my theatre career."

Lou Stein was the founding Artistic Director of the famous Gate Theatre, Notting Hill as well as the Gate at the Latchmere, Battersea. His work established the Gate as an important theatre for the introduction of European drama to the British public. Previous stage adaptations include: Down and Out in Paris and London, Miss Lonelyhearts, and Embers, starring Patrick Stewart, for the BBC. Stein premiered 33 plays by living playwrights, including new versions of European classics by leading writers. These included Michael Frayn's The Seagull and Ranjit Bolt's The Marriage of Figaro and The Barber of Seville.

Cast for the production includes the recent winners of the 2013 Funny Women Awards Nina Smith & Libby Northedge, who won performing as comedy duo Twisted Loaf.

This production is sponsored by Wild Turkey Bourbon.

In the late 1960s, the combination of Ralph Steadman's illustrations and the writing of Hunter S. Thompson gave birth to gonzo journalism. Steadman's images bound together Hunter's unruly prose, becoming as identifiable with Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream and its aftermath as the author himself.

Dr Hunter S. Thompson remains a central figure in a complex, riotous framework of post-war global culture and politics. Wielding the twin canons of uncompromising revelation and outrageous humour, the various published and collected works of the author carve a furious and insightful path across our ideological landscapes.

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The Heritage Arts Company and FallOut Theatre presents
The Cement Garden
Adapted from Ian McEwan's novel by Jimmy Osborne & David Aula
Directed by David Aula

A new stage adaptation of Ian McEwan's 1978 novel The Cement Garden will be given its world premiere at Waterloo's Leake Street tunnels 28 January - 8 March as part of VAULT 2014. The dark coming of age tale of four abruptly orphaned children is adapted by Jimmy Osborne and David Aula, who also directs. Presented by The Heritage Arts Company and FallOut Theatre and staged across two levels, the production will give audience members access to the cellar which houses the family's secret, as the young characters attempt to make sense of the adult world.

In the relentless summer heat, four siblings retreat into a shadowy, isolated world and find strange and unsettling ways of fending for themselves. FallOut's theatrical adaptation of McEwan's first novel responds to the original text in a new humourous, energetic and sensitive interpretation.

Casting for the production includes George MacKay and Ruby Bentall. MacKay's recent film credits include Sunshine on Leith, How I Live Now and For Those in Peril. For his lead role in the latter, MacKay was awarded the Scottish BAFTA for Best Actor and won in the same category at the Stockholm Film Festival. The Cement Garden at VAULT 2014 will be his professional stage debut. Bentall is known as Minnie in Lark Rise to Candleford. Recent stage credits include: Mike Leigh'sGrief (National Theatre) and Peter and Alice (Michael Grandage season at the Noel Coward Theatre).

The Cement Garden was originally adapted by FallOut Theatre in 2008 at the Judith E. Wilson Drama Studio and has since been developed at the National Theatre Studio. Osborne and Aula's new adaptation has won the approval and support of the author, Ian McEwan.

Jimmy Osborne's writing for stage includes Meat (Theatre503); his collected short plays have recently been published asTransmission. Osborne is one of the writers selected for the 4Screnwriting 2013 Programme run by Channel 4 and his short radio play, This is Jack, Leave a Message, Alright? won a national BBCWritersroom competition. David Aula is Artistic Director of FallOut Theatre. His directing credits include Meat (Theatre503), the world premiere of John Osborne's lost playPersonal Enemy (White Bear & Theater59E59, New York), Torben Betts' Mummies and Daddies (White Bear), Perfect Now(Rich Mix), Thornaby (Southwark Playhouse). He has co-written and will direct The Cement Garden at VAULT 2014.

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VAULT Lates
Supported by Time Out Live

At 10.30pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the festival, the atmospheric caverns of VAULT will become a nightclub, featuring one-off parties and extravaganzas. In all, there are eighteen late-night events to choose from. These include: three Fear & Loathing parties from Glastonbury's Shangri-La team, extending the mad nightmare of the production into early hours; a Valentine's Day Ball presented by Artful Badger; and London's best Mardi Gras party brought to life by Kansas Smitty's and The Americana. More information on VAULT Lates supported by Time Out Live will be released in January 2014.

-ENDS-

Listings

VAULT 2014
The Vaults
Leake Street,
Waterloo, SE1 7NN
Box Office: www.thevaultfestival.com

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Tuesday 28 January - Saturday 8 March 2014
Performances: Tuesday - Friday at 7.30pm; Saturdays at 6.45pm & 9.15pm.
Press Night: Thursday 30th January 2014, 7.30pm
Tickets: £25

The Cement Garden
Tuesday 28 January - Saturday 8 March 2014
Performances: Tuesday - Saturday, time tbc
Press Night: Friday 31st January 2014, time tbc
Tickets: £20
Running Time: approximately 90mins

The VAULT Bar
Tuesday 28 January - Saturday 8 March 2014
Free music & comedy: Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9.30pm - 11.00pm

VAULT Lates supported by Time Out Live
Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 30 January 2014
For more information visit www.thevaultfestival.com

Full programme listings available at: www.thevaultfestival.com
Follow VAULT on Twitter: @vaultfestival #vault2014

Notes to Editors

About VAULT
VAULT is a six week all-arts festival in central London, taking place 28 January - 8 March 2014. With over 24, 000 tickets on sale over a broad range of attractions, the festival builds on the enormous success of the first VAULT, in February 2012. With top-name attractions, drama, comedy and late-night gigs, right down to one-night-events, the programme is thrillingly diverse.

About The Heritage Arts Company, Producers of VAULT 2014
The Heritage Arts Company (Tim Wilson & Mat Burt) creates cultural events that excite the public imagination. We create our own work and produce work by other artists. Using spectacle to inform, to teach and to entertain, we aim to unite people through shared storytelling. We are an arts company. This means we've committed to undertake all sorts of mediums and artforms. It depends on the message. Our guiding principles are equality and honesty. Above everything else.

So far we've created or produced live music, radio plays, straight theatre, contemporary dance, gallery installations, set design and installation, multiplayer games, stand-up comedy, horticulture, educational experiences, amongst others. We've worked with, or created work for, the Battersea Arts Centre, The National Theatre, Punchdrunk, The Shunt Lounge, Secret Cinema, The British Fashion Council, Google, Atlas Obscura, King's Cultural Institute, Lumin, Camp Bestival, The Insider Festival, Harrods, Sky Atlantic, The Hospital Club, Lily Vanilli, Old Vic Tunnels, IdeasTap, Kindle Theatre, Hammer Horror, The Flicker Club, Ron Arad, The Roundhouse, English Heritage, & more.

About The Kansas Smitty's House Band
Inspired by the swinging, hedonistic atmosphere of the one American city that overcame the Great Depression, The Kansas Smitty's House Band are the fresh answer to London's booming 'speakeasy jazz' scene. The Smitty's House Band features an ever shifting line up of Londons best musicians put together by band leader on alto sax and clarinet Giacomo Smith. Unfettered by pretensions of academic authenticity, it is not another vintage dress up party, they're putting danger back in jazz.

About Adnams
Adnams, the brewer, distiller and retailer, is an independent values-based business committed to a sustainable future. It has been brewing from its base at Southwold on the Suffolk coast for over 140 years and produces a range of cask and bottled beers, which are available in pubs and supermarkets nationwide. The company has an estate of pubs, hotels and a small chain of Cellar & Kitchen stores. For further information about Adnams visit: www.adnams.co.uk

About White Light
For more than 40 years, White Light has been supplying lighting equipment, services, and support to the entertainment, presentation and event industries across the UK, Europe, and worldwide. As part of an ongoing commitment to supporting the UK's vital cultural sector, White Light is proud to sponsor the VAULT Festival and similar initiatives throughout London and the UK. For more information visit: www.whitelight.ltd.uk

About Wild Turkey
The Distillery for Wild Turkey is situated on a deep limestone shelf on the Kentucky River. The shelf acts as a natural filter and provides the distillery with crystal clear water, vital to making such a high quality product. The whiskey is fermented for 72 hours. The Master Distiller and brand ambassador is James "Jimmy" Russell, with son Eddie Russell as Associate Distiller. Wild Turkey is distilled and put into new oak barrels at a much lower ABV than most bourbon. This results in a much richer flavour as less of the flavour is cooked out during the production process. Ageing in the highest quality new American oak barrels from the Ozark Mountains with the heaviest char available (the Number 4 "alligator" char), imparts a smooth flavour and deep amber colour to the whiskey. Wild Turkey is one of only a few bourbons to use this expensive, deep char. The barrels are filled at the distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Both Wild Turkey 81 (40.5% ABV) and Wild Turkey 101 (50.5% ABV) are available at the VAULT Bar. www.wildturkey.com

About PW Productions
PW Productions is one of the West End's most prolific and significant theatre producers, responsible for some of the most successful theatre productions in British theatre over the past 30 years. PW will support the project by sharing their unique depth of knowledge and expertise, whilst PW will take a back seat when it comes to mounting the project, they will be there to support the process from start to finish lending creative advice, administrative support and financial control. PW regard the VAULT Festival as an opportunity for their business as much as a way to support the next generation.

About Lou Stein Associates
Lou Stein formed his own company in 2000 in order to create and find partners for unique and individual theatre, including music theatre projects and radio plays. The company's output has ranged from a UK premiere co-production with Wilton's Music Hall of Brian Friel's new play Performances to a world premiere at the South Bank Centre of Deirdre Gribbin's The Venus Blazing Tour, a vast and spectacular orchestral theatre performance which included a full chamber orchestra and lighting by Emmy Award winning lighting designer Jeff Ravitz. The company will be developing Lou's recent BBC radio playMind Hackers, inspired by the phone hacking scandal, into a stage play next year.

About FallOut Theatre
FallOut Theatre is committed to the drama of aftermath, the beauty of chance, and the overwhelming energy of conflict: we like to see What Falls Out. Formed in 2007, FallOut Theatre was set up with the purpose of creating a platform from which young actors and directors could launch themselves into the professional world. Previous productions include: Meat by Jimmy Osborne (Theatre503), Personal Enemy by John Osborne (Brits Off Broadway), Mummies and Daddies by Torben Betts (White Bear), An Oak Tree by Tim Crouch (ADC Theatre), The Pillowman by Martin McDonagh (ADC Theatre) and After The End by Denis Kelly (Corpus Playroom, Cambridge). Co-productions include Port Authority by Conor McPherson, dir. Tom Attenborough (Southwark Playhouse) and Mirror Teeth by Nick Gill, dir. Kate Wasserberg (Finborough).