THE RIGHTS OF OTHERS to Play The Marlowe Theatre

THE MARLOWE Theatre's second community production takes place next month (July) and features more than 240 performers.

The Rights Of Others follows last year's successful inaugural event, The Garden Of England. In a year of landmark anniversaries, such as the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Second World War and the signing of the Magna Carta, the theme is freedom. As well as historic struggles, the project comes up to date and looks at the challenges faced in the internet age.

Andy Dawson, The Marlowe's Head Of Creative Projects, said: "The vital arguments of our age are bursting out of The Rights Of Others. The broad sweep of history crashes against the truths of our times.

"It is a project teaming with inspiration: diverse and different voices contribute to a local and global conversation about justice and liberty. Come join the conversation."

The Rights Of Others is a production of two halves: a promenade performance around the theatre, followed by a performance of the new play Desperate Measures in The Marlowe Studio. It involves every member of The Marlowe Youth Theatre and People's Company (with ages ranging from two to 80), as well as The Marlowe Boys Dance Company and fine art (sculpture) students and music students from Canterbury Christ Church University (CCCU).The promenade performance explores different aspects of the quest for freedom through 800 years of struggle. The search for justice from the banks of Runnymede (Magna Carta), to the collapse of the banks in a digital age; from a lawless land of barons to a lawless land of internet trolls. These are presented by The Marlowe Junior, Apprentice and Senior companies (ages ranging from eight to 21).

Included in the promenade performance will be films made by the two youngest Marlowe Youth Theatre groups: The Marlowe Diddies (two to four years) and The Marlowe Minis (five to seven). A film produced by Kosovan theatre-makers and Intent and Integra Theatre, will be featured. It explores the fights for freedom and justice from a Balkan perspective, and places the struggles in a new nation, alongside those of an old one, and asks if either has got anywhere. The five installations by the CCCU students include sculptures of balloons tied down by chairs, a maze of books, and a broken fence. Music students from CCCU also take part.

The Marlowe Boys Dance Company was formed as a direct result of last year's work with Matthew Bourne, the country's leading choreographer, in The Lord Of The Flies. The young dancers will be seen at various points throughout the promenade performance.

Moving into The Marlowe Studio, Desperate Measures is written by Andy Dawson. Featuring members of The Marlowe People's Company, it is set in a failing secondary school, and explores the ways in which people's rights and freedoms become challenged in the wake of a scandal. This production contains some strong language and adult themes and is recommended for those aged 12 and over.

The Rights Of Others is at The Marlowe Theatre from Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 July. Performances are 6pm and 1pm and 6pm on Saturday. Tickets, priced £7 (concessions available; booking fee applies), are available from the Box Office on 01227 787787 and marlowetheatre.com.

There will be a free, post-show discussion on Friday, lead by Andy Dawson and featuring celebrated playwright Anders Lustgarten (writer of Lampedusa), international development expert Mary Martin, of the London School Of Economics, and Kosovan theatre director Kushtrum Koliqui.

The Rights Of Others is developed with the support of The Kobler Trust, Furley Page Solicitors and The Marlowe Theatre Development Trust.

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