SAFE Streams Online From the Hackney Empire Next Week

A thrilling new filmed production of 'Safe' performed by an out-LGBTQ cast, created and directed by Alexis Gregory, is being made available free-to-watch online from Monday April 19.

A quarter of all homeless and at risk youth identify as LGBTQ+.

Alexis Gregory interviewed several homeless and at-risk LGBTQ+ youth, that he met via the Albert Kennedy Trust (AKT), to tell their stories. 'Safe', his critically acclaimed verbatim theatre piece, goes behind the stark statistics using the actual words of youngsters involved, together with live music and spoken-word written especially for the production by acclaimed poet Yrsa Daley Ward.

While hard hitting and full of bite, 'Safe' is also full of humour and is ultimately, an uplifting celebration of queer survival.

Cast:

• Elijah Ferreira 'Unknown Territories' (Frantic Assembly), 'Queer Lives at The Tower' (Tower of London)
• Taofique Folarin 'The Grass Is Always Grindr' (Amazon Prime), 'The Lion King' (Lyceum Theatre)
• May Kelly 'Welcome to Shangri-La' (Hope Mill Theatre), 'Get Luke Lowe' (Amazon Prime)
• Mary Malone 2020 East 15 graduate, upcoming; 'The Jacket' (BBC)
• LaMont Winner of Pride's Got Talent 2018, 'London Live Sessions'

'Safe' will launch online via the Hackney Empire website and Youtube, in partnership with Hackney Empire and supported by Park Theatre. Funded by Arts Council England.

A virtual online launch event and 'post-show' talk, also free to join, is planned for April 19th with hosts and guests including Tim Sigsworth MBE (AKT Chief Executive), Ben Hunte (BBC) and acclaimed filmmaker Campbell X, alongside the 'Safe' cast and creative team.

The premiere screening is at 7pm with a post show at 8pm. The performance is hosted on the Hackney Empire website and on YouTube at https://hackneyempire.co.uk/safe

Creative team:

• Director Alexis Gregory
• Directors of Photography and post-production: Mann Bros
• Lighting design Mike Robertson
• Production sound James de Taranto
• Production Electrician Adam Mottley
• Make-up Victoria Winfield
• Production / Digital Associate Reuben Cook
• Produced by Alexis Gregory

'Safe' previously received a sell-out performance at Soho Theatre and a sell-out run at London Theatre Workshop; both directed by Robert Chevara. It was performed at Reading Rep in 2019, directed by Annie Kershaw, and Gregory previously directed his own piece at Norwich Theatre Royal in 2017. The playwright again directs this digital reimagining of his own play.

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