TROJAN HORSE Extends UK Tour

Following a hugely successful run at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018 and 2019 national tour, LUNG's bold verbatim drama Trojan Horse has extended its run into 2020. Drawing on over 200 hours of interviews conducted with teachers, students, parents and governors, Helen Monks (Raised By Wolves, Inside No. 9 and Upstart Crow) and award-winning playwright and director Matt Woodhead uncover the truth behind the local story which made national press, accusing 'hardline' Muslim teachers and governors of plotting extremism in Birmingham schools.

With conversations around religion and education continuing to dominate headlines, Trojan Horse is the strikingly pertinent story of a community torn apart by racial division, 'British values' and the culture of Prevent. Originally developed with Leeds Playhouse, the multi award-winning drama (Scotsman Fringe First, Amnesty Freedom of Expression Award) examines the media storm which saw Birmingham schools facing high levels of press scrutiny.

Helen Monks and Matt Woodhead said, "We want this play to be opening up a conversation. When we first started researching Trojan Horse we thought we were going to be writing about something historic - an event that had happened in the past. But it soon became clear that the trauma Trojan Horse caused has not left the city of Birmingham. So much is still left unresolved for the people it most affected. The play tells the story of what happened from multiple angles, using the real voices of the people involved, with the aim of giving the teachers and governors in Alum Rock the fair trial they never had.'

Matt Woodhead is the Artistic Director of LUNG and is an award-winning playwright and theatre director. He has co-written and directed The 56, E15 and Chilcot. All have been published by Oberon Books and have toured with Battersea Arts Centre. In 2016, The 56 was adapted for BBC Radio 4 and was shortlisted for Best Adaption in the BBC Radio Awards 2017. Matt trained on The National Theatre Studio Director's Programme. He was the Trainee Director at West Yorkshire Playhouse, has won the Director's Guild Award for Best Newcomer in 2015, received the John Fernald Award and an award from the Peggy Ramsay Foundation.

Helen Monks is an actor, writer and the creative director of LUNG. Her acting roles include Germaine in Raised by Wolves (Channel 4), Susanna in Upstart Crow (BBC2), Amy in Election Spy (Channel 4), Collette in Inside No. 9 (BBC2), Rose in Maxx (channel 4), Maja in Genius (National Geographic Channel), and Lucy in No One Will Tell Me How To Start A Revolution (Hampstead Theatre). Her writing credits include One Day (BBC Radio), The Chicken Salad of a Troubled Mind (Wireless Radio Company), Pillow Talk (Tacchi Morris Arts Centre), Dolly Wants To Die (LUNG), and E15 (LUNG) which she co-wrote with Matt Woodhead.

Tour Dates

29 Jan Hat Factory Arts Centre, Luton

65 - 67 Bute Street, Luton, LU1 2EY

7.30pm | £13.45 (concs £11.25 - £6)

www.culturetrust.com/venues/hat-factory-arts-centre | 01582 878100

30 - 31 Jan Curve, Leicester

Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB

7.45pm | £14 - £10

www.curveonline.co.uk | 0116 242 3595

4 Feb Sheffield Theatres

55 Norfolk St, Sheffield, S1 1DA

7.45pm | £13 (£11 concs)

www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk | 0114 249 6000

6 - 7 Feb Oldham Coliseum

Fairbottom Street, Oldham, OL1 3SW

7.30pm | £12 (£7 students)

www.coliseum.org.uk | 0161 624 2829

11 - 12 Feb Traverse Theatre

10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED

8pm | £15 (£12 - £5 concs)

www.traverse.co.uk | 0131 228 1404

13 - 15 Feb Tron Theatre

63 Trongate, Glasgow, G1 5HB

7.45pm | £17 - £11

www.tron.co.uk | 0141 552 4267

19 Feb Exeter Northcott

Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QB

7.30pm | £18.50 - £14

www.exeternorthcott.co.uk | 01392 72 63 63

21 Feb The Place, Bedford

Bradgate Road, Bedford, MK40 3DE

7.30pm | £12 (£10 concs)

www.theplacebedford.org.uk | 01234 354321

22 Feb Derby Theatre

15 Theatre Walk, St Peter's Quarter, Derby, DE1 2NF

8pm | £12 (£10 Under 26)

www.derbytheatre.co.uk | 01332 59 39 39

25 - 26 Feb The North Wall, Oxford

S Parade, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7JN

8pm | £13 (£11 concs)

www.thenorthwall.com | 01865 319450

27 - 28 Feb Warwick Arts Centre

University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL

7.45pm | £14 (£12 concs, £6.50 Under 26)

www.warwickartscentre.co.uk | 024 7652 4524

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