Fringe Hit 'THIS MUCH' to Premiere During Pride Festival at Soho Theatre Tonight

Premiering in London during Pride Festival, exhilarating Edinburgh Fringe hit THIS MUCH (OR AN ACT OF VIOLENCE TOWARDS THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE) shows three men battling conformity to ask how we define relationships, and how relationships define us. The London debut will begin tonight at Soho Theatre and run through 2nd July 2016. Press night is Thursday 9th June at 7.15pm. Presented by MOVING DUST and Nik Holttum Productions.

At a time when gender, sexuality and individual identity are undergoing a radical re-examination, John Fitzpatrick's groundbreaking play, written as part of the Royal Court Writers' Programme, examines the tug of war between wanting to belong to society and being true to yourself. The play asks if we form relationships to be happy or do it because we fear the alternatives and need to fit in. Does the tradition of marriage have intrinsic value or has its historical significance invested it with a value that has passed its sell by date?

Set amidst a traditional wedding party and featuring a classic disco soundtrack, This Much traverses an intimate story of adrenalin-fuelled games, heart-breaking highs and lows, violent confrontation and beautiful moments of love and humanity. Gar can't decide between the man who plays games and the man on one knee with a ring, and every choice seems like a compromise. As boundaries between audience and performers are blurred, This Much questions suddenly being allowed to fit in, whether you want to fit in anymore or what that meant in the first place.

John Fitzpatrick said: "We have just stumbled through a looking glass from a binary phase into an age of spectrum. Fitting in has never been so much about being yourself. A tipping point has been reached with a younger generation who are more confident in being authentic to themselves and reject labelling. It's not about being gay, straight or bisexual. Although This Much has a specific queer context and storyline, its themes are those that anyone faces when they feel 'other' to society's norms, particularly in regard to traditional models of marriage, children and family.

"The central character is a man trying to decide between a traditional relationship which he thinks he 'should' subscribe to and something more challenging and scary. But both paths are flawed because he hasn't faced up to himself. The society he grew up in drove his shame and self loathing, now that society is changing it's up to him to be brave. Doing that, however, means losing all the safety and security his privilege afforded him."

Led by Artistic Director Kate Sagovsky, MOVING DUST creates ground-breaking performance projects, drawing on a large, international network of long-term collaborators from all disciplines for each different project. Their work spans theatre, dance, installation and large-scale outdoor work, and has been performed at venues and festivals around the UK, including at The Bush Theatre, The Arcola, The Place, Camden People's Theatre, and the Edinburgh Fringe (ZOO Venues / Pleasance Courtyard).

As well as Kate Sagovsky's work with MOVING DUST, her credits as a Director include Love's Labour's Lost (The Metropolitan Arts Centre, Tokyo, and UK Tour). Kate has worked as a Movement Director for companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company (as Resident Movement Practitioner), Paines Plough and The Bush Theatre, and as Associate Director for performances at The Barbican, Glastonbury and Southbank Centre. In 2013 she worked as a Staff Director at The National Theatre.

Writer John Fitzpatrick, is originally from Dublin and has worked across film, television and theatre. He is an Associate Artist of MOVING DUST and an alumni of the Royal Court Writers' Programme. As an actor and theatre-maker he has made and performed at venues including The Hayward Gallery and The Bush Theatre. As a filmmaker, his work has been screened at the The London Short Film Festival, The Galway Film Fleadh and regularly in Fringe! Film Fest, as well as touring with Barshorts. His most recent short film The Line was industry selection for BFI Flare 2015. This Much is his first full-length play for stage.

Nik Holttum is a freelance producer and lawyer and has a reputation for enabling ground breaking theatre and visual arts. Recent highlights include Rate Me by Fyzal Boulifa which won the Illy Prize for Best Short Film at Directors Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015 and was also official selection at the Toronto and Sundance international film festivals. Nik is currently an Associate Producer on Bug by Tracy Letts at Found111 starring James Norton and Kate Fleetwood.

In the cast are: Simon Carroll-Jones (Antony), Lewis Hart (Gar) and TBC (Albert). Directed by Kate Sagovsky with assistant director Andrew Room, THIS MUCH features designs by Alex Berry, lighting design by Matt Leventhall, and sound design by Dom Kennedy. Annie Sheppard produces.

IF YOU GO:

THIS MUCH (OR AN ACT OF VIOLENCE TOWARDS THE INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE)

Soho Theatre (Soho Upstairs), 21 Dean Street, Soho, London, W1D 3NE

7th June - 2nd July 2016 (Mon - Sat) | No show Monday 13th June
7.15pm | 4pm matinees on 11th, 18th, 25th June and 2nd July
BSL performance date: TBC
Post show talks on 20th and 27th June

Tickets: Previews £10 (7th and 8th June) then £15/£17.50 (£12.50/£15 conc); Box office: 020 7478 0100

For more information, visit www.movingdust.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.