Casting Update Announced For Iris Theatre's Outdoor Summer Festival 2021

Iris Theatre today announces casting for the five Seed Commission pieces being presented as part of their Summer Festival 2021. The festival runs at their home in the courtyard of the Actors' Church, Covent Garden from 21 June - 22 August 2021.

Each of the five selected recipient receives £1000, as well as technical, marketing and creative support from Iris Theatre to develop and present their work as part of the Summer Festival. Each artist receives 50% of their production's box office revenue.

The Summer Festival also includes Iris Theatre's world première production Arthur/Merlin, a reimagining of the Arthurian legend featuring spoken word and original songs written by previous PLATFORM artist, Reuben Johnson and directed by the company's Artistic Director, Paul-Ryan Carberry. Full cast to be announced.

Queen Mab

By Danielle Pearson

Cast: Erica Flint (Mab), Jo Patmore (Freya)

Directed by Georgie Straight; Designed by Isobel Nicolson

21 - 26 June 2021

Press Night: Tuesday 22 June at 7.30pm

Mab is an ancient being who doles out dreams and nightmares to her sleeping victims. She has watched humans for centuries, knows our worst fears and wildest fantasies - and quite frankly, she's bored of us. That is until a chance meeting with Freya Roberts, a locked-down teen watching her best years slip away. As Mab and Freya strike up an unlikely friendship, the faerie is reluctantly drawn into the laughter, squabbles, triumphs and anxieties of the Roberts' family. But when grief threatens their world, can Mab maintain her impartial role of observer?

Inspired by Mercutio's famous speech in Romeo and Juliet, Queen Mab brings this mythic dream-weaver into the mundanity of pandemic life. A coming-of-age tale for fifteen-year-olds and five-hundred-year-olds alike. Through music and storytelling, Queen Mab examines the euphoria, confusion and loneliness of youth.

Danielle Pearson is an Associate Artist at the Watermill Theatre, where recent work includes A Christmas Carol, Jane Eyre and Newbury Yarns. Other work includes Combe Gibbet (Paines Plough), This Restless State (Ovalhouse/UK tour), and A Prickle of Hedgehogs (Southwark Playhouse). In 2017 she was a member of the Royal Court Writer's Group and a winner of the EU Collective Plays! Competition.

Erica Flint plays Mab. Her theatre credits include Unshore (Barn Theatre), Toad on the Road, Peter Pan, Alice's Tea Party (UK tours) and Things We Do Not Know (Curve Leicester).

Jo Patmore makes her professional stage debut as Freya.

Joint Artistic Director of Flux Theatre Georgie Straight directs. She is an associate artist at the Watermill Theatre. Her directing credits include A Christmas Carol, Camp Albion, D-Day 75 (Watermill Theatre), Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon (Old Red Lion/Barn Theatre), Eigengrau (Waterloo East Theatre), CHUTNEY, Section 2 (Bunker Theatre), Into the Numbers, Dubailand (Finborough Theatre), Dreamless Sleep (Arts Theatre/Bunker Theatre), and Flood (Tristan Bates Theatre). Her credits as Assistant Director include Sweet Charity, Our Town (Watermill Theatre) and Legally Blonde: The Musical (Bernie Grant Arts Centre).

Can You See Into A Black Hole?

By Tom Ryalls

Cast: Daniel Fitzsimons (Tom)

Directed by Deirdre McLaughlin; Sound and Music by Christian Czornyj

Associate Director: Sally Lofthouse

28 June - 3 July 2021

Press Night: Tuesday 29 June at 7.30pm

When Tom grows up he wants to be an astronaut... or the blue power ranger, they're kind of the same thing anyway, right? But, when he has his first seizure aged 8 and a black hole opens up inside his head, his entire world is swallowed and he must find an even bigger adventure.

In this autobiographical show, developed through interviews with his parents, the real Tom tries to reconstruct this invisible part of his life which has changed him so much. Performed by one actor with a soundscape of interviews, Can You See into a Black Hole? is an epic adventure exploring one family's journey to adapt in the face of celestial scale events.

The show was originally commissioned by Upstart Theatre as part of DARE Festival 2018.

Tom Ryalls is a writer and producer whose work includes How to be an Astronaut (artsdepot - shortlisted for the Unlimited Emerging Artist Award). Their writing has been seen at Theatre Royal Stratford East, Theatre503, the Arcola Theatre, Slunglow and Shoreditch Town. They are also part of the SSE Creative Leadership programme funded by ACE and a trustee of the disabled commissioning organisation Unlimited.

Daniel Fitzsimons plays Tom. His previous theatre credits include Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace Theatre). His television credits include Torvill & Dean, and My Mad Fat Diary; and for film, Get Gone.

Deirdre McLaughlin is a director and dramaturg. She has worked with venues including Shakespeare's Globe, the National Studio, The Place, Dance City, Cambridge Junction, Hackney Showrooms, Finborough Theatre, the Kensington Karavan and Hong Kong Performing Arts Centre. She is directing the upcoming Live to Tell: (a proposal for) The Madonna Jukebox Musical which will première as part of Battersea Art Centre's Wild Times Season in May 2021. She is a disabled director and creative access is featured frequently within her work.

Shoes To Fill

Written and performed by Tanya Bridgeman

Directed by Alex Miller; Designed by Charlotte Dennis

5 - 10 July 2021

Press Night: Tuesday 6 July at 7.30pm

1950 - Dublin to London 288 Miles

1954 - Bridgetown to London 4,214 Miles

As another birthday draws closer Granddaughter feels like her life is slipping away. Through stories told to her by her Bajan and Irish Grandmothers she learns to take control of her own narrative so she can proudly fill their shoes.

Shoes to Fill is a celebration of mixed-race identity and the coming together of two cultures. With elements of music, and spoken word, this one-woman new play takes us on an unexpected lyrical journey that questions who we are and where we fit in.

Playwright, Tanya Bridgeman also plays Granddaughter. She is a theatre maker trained at ALRA and Mountview - this marks her playwriting debut. She is also part of the Soho Writers Lab 2020 - 21.

Alex Miller directs. His credits include Bard from the Barn (Barn Theatre), Up Your Prana (Brighton Fringe), Greenwood Scratch (Tristan Bates Theatre), The Mercy Seat (Hen and Chickens Theatre) and Seminar (Etcetera Theatre); and as assistant director, Bon Ami (Battersea Arts Centre, Unicorn Theatre/UK tour). He also founded Greenwood Theatre Company in 2019.

The Red Side Of The Moon

By Zoe Woodruff

Music & Lyrics by Kathryn Tindall

Cast: Elinor Peregrin (Beth), Kathryn Tindall (Ellen)

Director: Priya Patel Appleby; Musical Director: Kathryn Tindall; Designer: Ellie Campbell

12 - 17 July 2021

Press Night: Tuesday 13 July at 7.30pm

Ellen and Beth meet in a bar at an open mic night in the early 2000s. They are thrust head first into the public eye and whilst audiences are falling in love with them, they are falling in love with each other.

From an all-female creative team, this beautiful, uplifting, original score will whisk you away on a journey about love, superstardom and the courage to be who you truly are.

Zoe Woodruff co-wrote and produced You Have A Match (Theatre503/Edinburgh Festival Fringe) and was Resident Production Assistant on The War of The Worlds: The Immersive Experience.

Elinor Peregrin plays Beth. Elinor is a recent LAMDA graduate. Her theatre credits include Emilia (Shakespeare's Globe).

Kathryn Tindall plays Ellen. Her theatre credits as a performer include Sensation - Music of The Who (UK tour) and Mamma Mia! The Party (O2 Arena); and for Orchestration and Musical Direction her credits include Vernon God Little (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre). The Red Side of the Moon marks her writing debut.

Priya Patel Appleby directs. This marks her professional directorial debut. Her credits as Assistant Director include RENT (Hope Mill Theatre).

Spectacular!

By Tara Harris and devised by company

Cast: Jemma Carlisle (Flo), Emily Cass (Fiona), Bethany Filler (Mrs Marigold), Tara Harris (Starla)

Director: Steph Crome

24 - 28 July 2021

Press performance: Saturday 24 July at 2.30pm

For this family of three, things have hit rock bottom - so it's time for their adventurous neighbour to step in and help! Through the power of some magical specs, will Starla, Flo and their new friends be able to grant their family's wish at last?

First performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019, Tiny T's Storytelling & Theatre present a brand-new musical adaption of Spectacular!, along with a rhyming Picture Book that will leave everyone, tiny or tall, with a twinkle in their eye. Performed with high energy, life size puppets, creative props and catchy songs that will get everyone toe-tapping.

For audiences aged 3+

Puppeteering Rabbit is Tara Harris who also writes and plays Starla. Her credits as an actor include Who Dunnit and Zog (UK tours).

Jemma Carlisle plays Flo. Her theatre credits include Annie (UK and international tour), Thursday's Child (Sadler's Wells), Alice in Wonderland (UK tour), Adore the Musical (Rosemary Branch Theatre) and The Sound of Music (Lincoln Theatre Royal).

Puppeteering Caterpillar is Emily Cass who also plays Fiona. Her theatre credits include Richard 3 (Fourth Monkey) and Cinderella (Flix Drive-In).

Puppeteering Busy Bee is Bethany Filler who also plays Mrs Marigold. Her credits as an actor include Hairspray, Sister Act, The Producers and Singing in the Rain (Gordon Craig Theatre), and Rapunzel the Musical (Gordon Craig Theatre/UK tour).

Steph Crome makes her directorial debut. Her credits as an actor include, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth (TNT Theatre Britain), Half-Broke Horses (Canal Café Theatre), and Santa's Little Helper and Dog's Don't Do Ballet (Little Blue Monster)

Box Office: https://iristheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows

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