THE INTERROGATION Will Be Performed by Access All Areas Theatre Company

Access All Areas have announced their new project, The Interrogation, a bespoke interactive audio production which will be touring nationally through the streets of London, Canterbury, Manchester and Bristol. Starting at Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) on Sunday 29 August and returning to London where it will be simultaneously running at Battersea Arts Centre and Rich Mix from Tuesday 28 September until the tour concludes on Sunday 3 October. The production is a GPS-guided walk, created by creative technologists Marmelo and learning disabled artist Charlene Salter, in response to treatment she has received because she is perceived as acting 'differently'. .

Comissioned by The Lowry, The Interrogation will use new mobile app technology to explore Charlene Salter's personal experience of being misunderstood for her learning disability as well as drawing on the real-life cases of learning disabled people unfairly criminalised. This gripping production allows audiences to explore how they would react if they thought they saw a crime being committed would they walk away or try to help? The 75 minute piece makes us question the causes of criminality, the ableism of language and the feelings of being judged by society. Access All Areas prides itself in pushing boundaries and makes even the most open and liberal person rethink their own preconceptions, fears and prejudices.

This self-led walking and audio experience takes place outdoors through a smartphone and headphones. There will be no stewards and audiences will follow a simple map and directions. The route is 2km, is wheelchair accessible and includes places to sit if required.

The Interrogation is poetically co-written by Charlene Salter who was in the cast of in unReal City, a collaboration between Access All Areas and dreamthinkspeak, performed at Battersea Arts Centre in 2020. She has facilitated workshops for Access All Areas Take Part programmes: Spring Back, Departure Lounge and Black Cab and co-directed the Black Cab showa??Wingeda??in 2018.a??a??She appeared in the giant outdoor theatre event ZARA with Mind the Gap theatre company in 2019. Her television credits includea??Casualtya??anda??Doctors, BBC 1. Charlene is currently part of Access All Areas Transforming Leadershipa??professional developmenta??programme where she is the Co-Chair of the board of the company. She graduated from Access All Areas' Performance Making Diplomaa??at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2014.

"Some of us have different ways of communicating, to express ourselves and some people don't really notice it. Some of us have hidden disabilities that people are not aware of that. So it's really important for this show to look on that. There are people that think we shouldn't be independent, that we should be locked up; that we are not capable of doing everyday stuff. They think that we are a problem for the world." Charlene, Co-writer and Performer

Playwrighta??Shaun Dunne has co-written The Interrogation, his recent work includes Restoration at Project Arts Centre. He also recently collaborated with The Abbey Theatre for Dear Ireland (DIFF) and with the Bush Theatre for their Monday Monologues series Beds, directed by Lynette Linton.a??In 2019, Shaun premiered his first short film, The First was a Boy at Dublin International Film Festival, which won the Judge's Special Mention for Irish Short and Honorable Mention for The Grand Prix Documentary Short Award at the Cork Film Festival.a??In 2020, Shaun returned to DIFF with his second short film, Larscoláirea??(Past Pupil). This film was awarded the Audience Choice Award for Short Film and later screened at the Galway Film Fleadh. This year Shaun's theatre work includes an Irish language adaptation of Carmen at The Abbey Theatre.a??He is also developing a feature-length film adaptation of his theatre project Rapids, in collaboration with Invisible Thread Films and Robbie Lawlor.a??Shaun is resident at the Ark and Project Arts Centre. He is the Arts Council's Next Generation Film Artist for 2020.a??

The production is co-directed bya??Emma Selwyn, who graduated from the Access All Areas' Performance Making Diplomaa??at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2016. As part of the Transforming Leadership professional development programme Emma is a trainee Theatre Director. They performed 2 solo shows, My Hands and Feet are Wiggling at Rich Mix and then at the Aespiaa??festival, Norway, and #Binariesbegonea??as part of the Battersea Arts Centre Occupy festival, at the GLYPT pride festival and the Autism Arts festival.a??Emma is also a performer in a cabaret group Not Your Circus Dog. In 2019 they performeda??Not F**kin' Sorrya??at Soho Theatre. Previous versions of the show were staged at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Duckie, WOW festival and at The Royal Court Theatre. In 2020 they performed ina??unReal City at the Battersea Arts Centre.

"Working together as co-directors has enabled the performance to use our lived experience too to make the storytelling richer for all audiences. Having had similar experiences to Charlene in public, we're very keen where possible to explore intersectional identities to raise those voices and challenge people's assumptions and norms." Nick and Emma, Co-directors

Nick Llewellyn, Artistic Director of Access All Areas since 2009, co-directs The Interrogation with Emma Selwyn. Nick has received critical acclaim for his pioneering creative methodologies for people with learning disabilities. His focus is on the importance of the autobiographical body and its influence on devising innovative theatre practice.a??a??Nick directeda??unReala??Citya??with Tristan Sharps ofa??dreamthinkspeak, MADHOUSE re:exit, The Misfita??Analysisa??anda??Eye Queue Hear. Nick founded the Performance Making Diploma, a professional training course for adults with learning disabilities in partnership with the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, which won the Guardian University Award in 2015.a??

'Utterly fascinating and wildly creative' The Guardian (on Nick Llewellyn's directing The Misfita??Analysis)

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The Interrogation is produced bya??Patrick Colliera??and Conor Heron, the app is created by technology companya??Marmelo, sound design is bya??Maxa??Pappenheim and video design bya??Mann Bros. The production has been created as part of Access All Areas "Transforming Leadership" programme which sees nine learning disabled leaders employed in positions across all aspects of the company and theatre making including as directors, social media ambassadors and co-chairs of the board of trustees.

Access All Areas are known for making disruptive theatre and performances by learning disabled and autistic artists. Their immersive performance events create intimate moments of interaction between performers and public, occupying unexpected spaces in venues, on the streets, and in public buildings.

Access All Areas supports the artistic development of some of the world's leading learning disabled creatives. The award-winning Performance Making Diploma, in collaboration with the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, is breaking new ground in training for emerging learning disabled theatre makers. Access All Areas are story makers and change makers who have been widely recognised in the Arts and Media industries. The company have won a Guardian University Award, were finalists for the National Diversity Awards and nominated for a Living Wage Awards 2018 and for an Autism Award in 2017.

Dates and booking:

Sunday 29 August: Preview at Greenwich+Docklands International Festival. 1pm, 2pm, 4pm, 5pma?? https://festival.org/whats-on/gdif-theinterrogation/

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Tuesday 7- Sunday 12 Sept (NOT 11th) at The Marlowe, Canterbury, in partnership with the Gulbenkian 2.30pm, 7.30pm www.marlowetheatre.com

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Tuesday 14 - Sunday 19 Sept at The Lowry, Salford Tues 14, 7.30pma??a??
Wed 15, 2.30pm, 7.30pm, Thurs 16, 7.30pm, Fri 17, 7.30pm, Sat 18, 2.30pm, 7.30pm, Sun 19, 2.30pm. 7.30pma?? https://thelowry.com/whats-on/the-interrogation/

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Tuesday 21 - Sunday 26 Sept at Tobacco Factory Theatres, Bristol Tues 21, 6.30pm, 7pm, Weds 22, 2.30pm, 6.30pm, 7pm, Thurs 23, 6.30pm, 7pm, Fri 24, 6.30pm, 7pm, Sat 25, 2.30pm, 6.30pm, 7pm, Sun 26, 2.30pm, 6.30pm, 7pm www.tobaccofactory.coma??

Tuesday 28 Sept - Sunday 3 Oct: 2 simultaneous runs in London with Battersea Arts Centre (BAC) and Rich Mix, 2.30pm, 6.30pm, 7.30pm https://bac.org.uk/whats-on/the-interrogation/

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