Roustabout Announces The Autumn 2021 Tour of New Family Show THIS ISLAND'S MINE

In early 2020, the Bristol-based theatre company Roustabout (creators of Luna and One Small Step) worked with 195 primary and secondary students to develop its new show, This Island's Mine, exploring themes of colonialism, identity and place. The making of the play is informed directly by the thoughts and opinions of those students. It is written and directed by Toby Hulse, who has twice won the Distinguished Play Award from the American Alliance of Theatre and Education. Set in the magical and comic world of Shakespeare's The Tempest, this vital new play encourages young people to explore complex and sensitive issues of colonisation, immigration and national identity: Where do I belong? Where is my home? Is it truly mine?

The premiere production will tour in Autumn 2021 to 25 primary and secondary schools in the South West as well as to the following arts venues: Watermans, London (19 Sept), The Poly, Falmouth (25 Sept), Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse (2-3 Oct), the egg, Bath (9 Oct), Theatr Clwyd, Mold (16 Oct), Bridport Arts Centre (23 Oct), Exeter Phoenix (24 Oct), The Pound, Corsham (27 Oct), Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol (28-31 Oct), Blackwood Miners Institute (6 Nov) and Valley Arts, Chew Valley (7 Nov).

Blending Brechtian and Forum Theatre techniques that encourage the audience to think, question and challenge, This Island's Mine focuses on a debate between three inhabitants of an island - one of the first peoples (Ariel), a second generation religious refugee (Caliban) and a Western coloniser (Stephano) - who all believe the island is theirs.

Ariel was always here. Caliban was born here. And Stephano has just arrived. They all claim 'this island's mine'. But do any of them have that right? And what happens if they can't agree?

Filled with magic, music and mayhem, Roustabout presents a playful and daring exploration of the place we choose to call home, for children and their families. At a time when young people are questioning closely their own experiences, identities and education, the play's themes are more pressing than ever.

The production will be supported by an online educational resource, created with experts, academics, creatives and young people, designed to challenge, provoke and stimulate debate around these difficult but essential questions.

The cast of This Island's Mine is Robin Hemmings (Oi Frog & Friends! (Pins and Needles); One Small Step (Oxford Playhouse); War Game (Bristol Old Vic)) as Caliban, Kesty Morrison (The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (RSC); Hamlet (The Globe); The Price (The Young Vic)) as Ariel and Eleanor Pead (Why Would You (The Barbican); Too Late (Market Theatre Hitchin)) as Stephano.

The Creative Team is Writer and Director Toby Hulse, Associate Director Oliver de Rohan, Designer Maria Terry, Composer Tarek Merchant, Lighting Designer Jeremy Costello, Sound Designer Oliver Wareham, Set Builder Jonathan Attwood and Prop Maker Tish Mantripp.

This Island's Mine was developed with support from Arts Council of England and Tobacco Factory Theatres, in partnership with the Cathedral Schools Trust, One Bristol Curriculum and University of Bristol.

Roustabout is a Bristol-based family theatre company who have produced six highly acclaimed productions since forming in 2018, including the OFFIE nominated digital production of Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish. Writer/director Toby Hulse has worked with Bristol Old Vic, The Old Rep, Pickled Image, Tobacco Factory Theatres, Travelling Light, the egg and the Unicorn Theatre. Toby is an expert when it comes to making work for young audiences, as seen in his productions of The Lost World and War Game (Bristol Old Vic), his adaptation of Around the World in Eighty Days (Bristol Old Vic), and his international touring production of One Small Step (Oxford Playhouse), which starred Roustabout's Robin Hemmings. Robin Hemmings has also appeared in both The Lost World and War Game (both at Bristol Old Vic), as well as the wonderful Medusa, all by Olivier award-winning Adam Peck and the Olivier nominated Oi Frog & Friends! by Pins and Needles Productions.

For more information about This Island's Mine, which is suitable for everyone aged 7+, visit https://www.roustabouttheatre.co.uk.

Tour Dates:

19 September Watermans, London https://www.watermans.org.uk/ 020 8232 1010

25 September The Poly, Falmouth https://thepoly.org 01326 319461

2-3 October Burton Taylor Studio, Oxford Playhouse 01865 305305

https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/about-us/burton-taylor-studio/

9 October the egg, Bath https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/your-visit/the-egg/ 01225 448844

16 October Theatr Clwyd, Mold https://www.theatrclwyd.com 01352 344101

23 October Bridport Arts Centre https://www.bridport-arts.com 01308 427183

24 October Exeter Phoenix https://exeterphoenix.org.uk 01392 667080

27 October The Pound, Corsham https://poundarts.org.uk 01249 701628

28-31 Oct Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol https://tobaccofactorytheatres.com/ 0117 902 0344

6 November Blackwood Miners Institute https://blackwoodminersinstitute.com 01495 227206

7 November Valley Arts, Chew Valley https://www.valleyartscentre.co.uk info@valleyartscentre.co.uk

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