Orange Tree Theatre and LAMDA Reveal Programming For Greenhouse Festival 2024
The festival runs from 2 to 7 September.
By: Stephi Wild Jul. 19, 2024
The second Greenhouse Festival will return this Autumn, from 2 to 7 September, continuing the collaboration between the Orange Tree Theatre and the drama school LAMDA, celebrating the talents of emerging directors and artists. Headlining the festival will be seven productions, directed by graduating LAMDA students; Robert Furey (dirty butterfly), Zana Hoxha (Revolt. She Said. Revolt Again.), Haiqing Liang (Little White Lies), Irina Mikheeva (Illusions), Anna Sharp (Pink), Ilona Sell (M.S.N.D) , and Paloma Sierra (Biography Of A Constellation). Alongside the productions a series of workshops will also be taking place from 2 - 6 September. This will include 'Tips on how to start writing your first play' and 'Starting to write character' with OT Literary Associate William Gregory, 'Introduction to producing work' with OT Executive Director Hanna Streeter and General Manager and Producer Sarah Murray, and 'Introduction to directing your first play' with Carne Associate Director Natasha Rickman.
Philippa Strandberg-Long, LAMDA's Director of Drama School and Actor Training, said: “We are very pleased to continue our collaboration with the Orange Tree Theatre through the second iteration of the Greenhouse Festival. This project represents the core of our shared commitment to nurturing new talent in the theatre industry, through which emerging directors gain hands-on experience, working closely with seasoned professionals. This collaboration not only enhances their skills but also provides them with invaluable insights into the professional theatre industry and the best possible start to their careers.”
Natasha Rickman added, “At the centre of this celebration of emerging talent are the final productions from the LAMDA MA Directing cohort, bringing us new lenses on Shakespeare, fresh productions of modern classics and new devised work. These productions platform the work of brilliant directors, performers, technicians and creative teams in the magical setting of the OT auditorium.”
Tom Littler, Artistic Director of the OT, said, "We're delighted to continue our collaboration with LAMDA through the second Greenhouse Festival, brilliantly led by our shared Carne Associate Director, Natasha Rickman alongside LAMDA's Caroline Leslie. It's an exciting array of contrasting work, and we look forward to introducing audiences to a new generation of artists."
BIOGRAPHY OF A CONSTELLATION
Directed by Paloma Sierra
12:30pm Tuesday 3 September; 3pm Thursday 5 September; 6pm Saturday 7 September
“There are so many things I'm on the brink of understanding.”
A heartfelt, uplifting play about three women whose lives intertwine across space and time as they grapple to overcome gender roles, societal expectations, and uncertainty in their pursuit of the stars.
Inspired by the legacy of astronomer Annie Jump Cannon, this poetic, sincere, and feminist play urges us to believe in ourselves, harness the infinite possibilities that exist within us, and reach for the stars.
REVOLT. SHE SAID. REVOLT AGAIN.
Directed by Zana Hoxha
10am Tuesday 3 September; 12:30pm Wednesday 4 September; 8:30pm Thursday 5 September
“You can – you can have it all”
“I don't know what that means”
Revolutionize the language. Revolutionize the world. Revolutionize the work. Revolutionize the body. Galvanise. A seering, funny and profound examination of what it means to be a woman performed by one ensemble across a range of scenarios and written by the sublime Alice Birch.
Welcome to our post-apocalyptic world where we reimagine the previous rules and conventions that brought our society to an end.
Ivan Vyrypaev's, translated by Cazimir Liske
ILLUSIONS
Directed by Irina Mikheeva
6pm Tuesday 3 September; 8.30pm Wednesday 4 September; 10am Saturday 7 September
“Because people constantly tell one another lies, no one believes anyone anymore.”
Sandra and Denny are married. Albert and Margaret are married. It has always been this way. But as these couples reach their final days, what will be revealed about what has really gone before. This piece gives a comic, touching insight into what it means to love and to be loved – and if any of it can ever be permanent.
M.S.N.D (from A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare)
Adapted and directed by Ilona Sell
10am Thursday 5 September, 12.30pm Friday 6 September, 8.30pm Saturday 7 September
“I know not by what power I am made bold”
Discover the journey of Hermia and Helena in this bold new adaptation, where their youthful defiance is vividly tested and revealed. As they flee to the forest as a world of freedom and hedonism, they encounter unchecked real-world power. This visceral reimagining delves into the violence and authority lurking beneath the vibrant surface of Shakespeare's text.
dirty butterfly
Directed by Robert Furey
8.30pm Tuesday 3 September; 10am Friday 6 September; 12.30pm Saturday 7 September
“You ever got that feelin -
Like butterflies
Like butterflies gone ballistic.
Butterflies gone wrong”
Listening through the walls, two residents hear sounds of sex and violence. One is intent on listening. The other attempts to ignore the brutality next door. How do they respond when confronted by their neighbour? Exploring voyeurism and the hidden darker truths of the human condition, Debbie Tucker Green's debut play is as powerful today as ever.
Content Warnings: Domestic abuse, penal violence
LITTLE WHITE LIES
Directed and devised by Haiqing Liang
3pm Tuesday 3 September, 6pm Wednesday 4 September, 3pm Friday 6 September
"This is a performance about camaraderie.
This is a performance about sincere head nodding, respectful listening, and contagious over-smiling.
This is a performance about our thoughts, our feelings, and our intentions.
This is a performance about political correctness and social expectations of us.
This is a performance about inventing new problems to solve existing ones"
This summer join director Haiqing Liang for this brand new devised piece, which promises a whirlwind adventure of physical theatre, clowning and comedy.
PINK
Directed by Anna Sharp
10am Wednesday 4 September, 6pm Thursday 5 September, 3pm Saturday 7 September
“There are three types of women in politics. I'd be interested to see if it's the same for pornography”
Kim is a porn star, preparing to tell all in a live TV interview. But an unexpected visit from Bridget Howard, the UK Prime Minister means Kim is interrupted. Suddenly the two women find themselves in a high stakes negotiation where all is not as it seems.
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