Following five-star sell-out successes at Edinburgh Fringe 2016 and an acclaimed run at London's Ovalhouse, Theatre Témoin's The Marked will tour the UK's regional homeless 'hotspots', using mask, puppetry and physical theatre to navigate a haunting, mystical world inspired by real-life stories of homelessness. Performances will run from Friday 31st March to Wednesday 14th June 2017.
As a boy, Jack lived in a world of monsters and invisible guardians, as he fought to protect the people he loved. Now grown up, his life on the streets of London is less fantastical. But when a ghost from his past turns up, Jack must harness the power of forgotten myths to defeat her.
At its heart, The Marked is a story about the link between trauma in childhood and homelessness in adulthood, exploring the vivid internal landscapes that we create and discover through pain and healing.
In 2016, Government street counts estimated around 4,134 people sleeping rough on any one night across England. Since 2010, homelessness has increased nationwide by 55%, with an unprecedented 100% increase in rough sleepers in London. With ongoing cuts to services, this trend is expected to continue. Theatre Témoin feel that it is vital that the most vulnerable in our communities have a voice on stage.
The Marked was developed alongside community consultants with experience of homelessness from St. Mungo's Recovery College and Cardboard Citizens, who participated in Mask Theatre workshops delivered with the generous support of Big Lottery's Awards for All scheme.
Theatre Témoin has an engagement-centred approach to devising, working with community partners and consultants at every stage of the process. Devising Director Ailin Conant comments, While researching The Marked and listening to the stories of people experiencing homelessness, it became increasingly clear to me that for some people fantastical beliefs are a matter of urgency, of vital necessity. When you have lived through powerful experiences, you need an equally powerful language and framework to describe those experiences.
The Marked has been developed in co-production with Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, with support from The Wellcome Trust, Arts Council England, Awards for All, The Pleasance Islington, Queen Mary University of London, and Camden People's Theatre.
IF YOU GO:
THE MARKED
Running time: 1 hour
Tickets are available via www.theatretemoin.com.
Cast: Dorie Kinnear, Tom Dawze, Bradley Thompson
Creative Team:
Director Ailin Conant
Associate Director Will Pinchin
Dramaturg Patrick Collier
Assistant Director Alfie Sowden
Mask Design Grafted Cede Theatre
Puppet Design Peter Morton
Puppet Development Alfie Sowden
Set/Costume Design Zahra Mansouri
Sound Design/Composition Filipe Gomes
Lighting Design Pablo Fernandez Baz
Scenic Painter Emily Adamson
Costume Assistant Olwen Morrey
Script Consultant Sarah Macguire
Stage Manager Ina Berggren
Production Managers Chris Montague, Ina Berggren
Voiceover Artist Jack Veal
Creative Producer Patrick Collier
Participation Officer Ciara Brennan
Note: Ages 12+, contains some swearing
TOUR DATES:
31st March The Newcastle Puppetry Festival, Northern Stage, Newcastle, 8pm
http://www.northernstage.co.uk/
4th May Courtyard Theatre, Hereford, 7.30pm
11th - 13th May Tobacco Factory, Bristol 8pm (2pm matinee on Fri 12th)
https://www.tobaccofactorytheatres.com/
19th May Hat Factory, Luton, 7.30pm
http://www.lutonculture.com/hat-factory/
20th May The Lowry, Manchester, 8pm
4th June The Hub, Salford, 5pm
https://www.salford.gov.uk/council-buildings-and-venues/
7th June Norwich Playhouse, 7.30pm
http://www.norwichplayhouse.co.uk/
13th - 14th June Mini Midi Maxi Festival, Norway
http://www.teatersenter.no/mmm/norsk/
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