Photo Flash: Jagged Fence's THE FATHER Opens Tonight

Jagged Fence Productions has announced that it will present a series of free events inspired by Laurie Slade's acclaimed new version of August Strindberg's The Father. The adaptation, to be given its London premiere at Trafalgar Studios from tonight 17 March, will mark the first time Strindberg's play has been performed in a London theatre in 50 years. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Produced and chaired by theatre industry commentator Terri Paddock, the debates will take place throughout the run of The Father and will provide a forum for some of today's most respected thinkers, prominent activists, arts practitioners and cultural leaders to engage with the play's themes of equality, parenting and attitudes to gender roles. Key speakers will include Caroline Criado-Perez, Lucy Ann Holmes, Polly Neate, Polly Toynbee, Sally Peck, Stephanie Street and Alistair Smith.

On Monday 23 March 'Feminism in the age of Fifty Shades of Grey' will ask where feminism stands in light of E.L. James's Fifty Shades of Grey and The Sun newspaper's Page 3. Joining the panel will be: Natalie Collins (Founder, Fifty Shades is Domestic Abuse campaign); Caroline Criado-Perez (journalist, feminist campaigner and author of Do It Like a Woman); Lucy Ann Holmes (Founder, No More Page 3); Polly Neate (CEO, Women's Aid); Tim Robey (Telegraph Film Critic) and Polly Toynbee (Guardian columnist and ex-BBC Social Affairs Editor).

On Monday 30 March 'Parenting Rights: Does Mummy or Daddy Know Best?' considers whether equal parenting is truly possible and how we can strive for equal rights for mothers and fathers. Joining the panel are: Matt O'Connor (Founder, Fathers 4 Justice); Sally Peck (Editor of the Telegraph's new parenting hub, Mother Tongue) and The Father cast members Alex Ferns, Robert Wilfort and Thomas Coombes with other guests to be confirmed.

The final panel discussion on Tuesday 7 April will look at 'Women in the Arts: What's being done about gender equality', with a panel made up of: Stella Duffy (theatremaker, campaigner and Creator of Fun Places); Alistair Smith (Editor, The Stage), Stephanie Street (actor, writer, Founder Member of The Act of Change project); Emily Dobbs (actor in and producer of The Father), June Watson (Actor in The Father) and Abbey Wright (Director of The Father and the forthcoming The Mentalists).

Further guest panellists are still to be announced.

Directed by Abbey Wright, former Resident Assistant Director at the Donmar Warehouse, Laurie Slade's contemporary adaptation of Strindberg's masterpiece will star Alex Ferns as the Captain. The adaptation originally ran in a critically acclaimed production at the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry in 2012 and has subsequently been broadcast on BBC Radio 3.

The full cast of The Father is Alex Ferns, June Watson, Thomas Coombes, Emily Dobbs, Barnaby Sax, Millie Thew and Robert Wilfort. The Father is produced by Jagged Fence Productions. James Turner designs, with lighting by Gary Bowman, music by Simon Slater and casting by Annie Rowe.

Ticket prices: £30, £24, £17.50 (Preview rates: £25, £20, £17.50). Box Office: www.atgtickets.com/shows/the-father/trafalgar-studios/.

Panels: All panel events take place directly after the evening performance and are free and open to anyone with a valid ticket or ticket stub to any performance of The Father.
- Feminism in the age of Fifty Shades of Grey, Monday 23 March,
- Parenting Rights: Does Mummy or Daddy know best? Monday 30 March
- Women in the Arts: What's being done about gender inequality? Tuesday 7 April

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