Big Issue Foundation and Roughhouse Theatre Join To Present UNKNOWN This Autumn

Big Issue Foundation has announced that a critically acclaimed theatre production commissioned as part of Big Issue's 30th anniversary celebrations will be staged across the UK during a month-long tour this Autumn and it is coming to THE GREENWICH THEATRE from 18th to 22nd October. UNKNOWN - a play about homelessness - which has been created with support from The Arts Council was developed and produced in partnership with Roughhouse Theatre whose 2021 drama N17 won The National Campaign for The Arts 2021 Best Arts Project Award.

Moira Hunt - Director of Roughhouse Theatre - describes UNKNOWN as "a deeply compelling drama that tells the painfully true and profoundly moving story of a young man's struggle to survive living on the streets of Britain today." She also believes that it "should be seen by everyone who has ever crossed the road when approaching a homeless person in the street."

First performed as a radio play in October 2020 and developed as a stage drama for a short tour in 2021, UNKNOWN has already received widespread acclaim - including being listed by The Guardian as one its readers' favourite plays of 2020.

Announcing the forthcoming tour of Unknown, Tracy Griffin - CEO of Big Issue Foundation - said that "with the exponential increase in homelessness over the last three years there has never been a more important time to raise awareness of the issues and the reality of life on the streets in the UK today. It is in this context that we are working with Roughhouse Theatre to bring their compelling drama to as wide an audience as possible."

THE BACKGROUND TO UNKNOWN

In just two years from 2017 to 2019, more than 800 people died living and sleeping rough on the streets of the UK - a significant number of them have never been identified or named. UNKNOWN is a poignant and powerful dramatisation of the tragic but true story of one young person's journey from an abusive childhood to a life on the streets of Bath - one of the most affluent cities in the UK.

Supported by Arts Council England and Big Issue Group, UNKNOWN has been written by award winning playwright Dougie Blaxland with the assistance of six people who have recent experience of homelessness on the streets of Bath and Bristol: Sammy Clark, Nathan Dempster, Ian Duff, Paul Jones, Lloyd Rusdale and Anthony Williams.

UNKNOWN is directed and produced by RoughHouse Theatre.

PERFORMANCES OF UNKNOWN

Oct 11 South Street Studio Reading

Oct 12 Ben Travers Theatre Charterhouse Godalming

Oct 13 Old Joint Stock Theatre Birmingham

Oct 14 Old Joint Stock Theatre Birmingham

Oct 15 Derby Theatre Studio

Oct 17 Pub and Gown Theatre Cambridge

Oct 18 Greenwich Theatre

Oct 19 Greenwich Theatre

Oct 20 Greenwich Theatre

Oct 21 Greenwich Theatre

Oct 22 Greenwich Theatre

Oct 25 Vesta Tilley Studio Swan Theatre Worcester

Oct 26 Vesta Tilley Studio Swan Theatre Worcester

Oct 27 Salford Arts Greater Manchester

Oct 28 Salford Arts Greater Manchester

Oct 29 Angles Theatre Wisbech

Nov 1 The Egg Theatre Royal Bath

Nov 2 Everyman Theatre Studio Cheltenham

Nov 3 Everyman Theatre Studio Cheltenham

Nov 4 The Core at Corby Cube

Nov 5 Mill Studio Yvone Arnaud Guildford

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