Julie Walters and More Set for The Old Vic's 'Voices Off' and 'One Voice' Series

The Old Vic today announces new performances in its Voices Off and One Voice series as well as Christmas Storytelling as part of its programme for families.

The Science of Generosity, part of Voices Off, will take place on 14 December, with Christmas Storytelling on 16 December, and One Voice returns in January 2018 with an exciting collection of new monologues performed by renowned actors.

---

VOICES OFF

Voices Off is a series of talks, conversations, debates and workshops given by leading figures in the arts, media, science and politics, which explore the themes raised by the productions on the main stage.

The Science of Generosity
In Association with Mishcon de Reya LLP
Thu 14 Dec 2017, 5pm, Auditorium Tickets: £6

Christmas is a time for good cheer, warm wishes and generous giving. And that's good news because, as Scrooge finds out in A Christmas Carol, giving may really be good for us - recent research has shown that altruism has a positive and measurable effect on our health. Doing things to care for others can help us to feel less isolated, release endorphins to make us happier, reduce stress and even help us to live longer - but why?

Discover more about the science behind generosity - why our evolution might influence the way we work together and how we give both on an individual and international scale.

FAMILIES

Christmas Storytelling
In Association with BookTrust
Sat 16 Dec 11.30am, Auditorium
Tickets: £6 children, £12 adults

'For it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas' Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol Welcome in the festive season with a morning of storytelling for all the family on stage at The Old Vic - the perfect setting for a cosy Christmas tale.

Authors and performers will read short stories from their own work and from their childhood Christmas favourites. The line-up includes Michael Rosen reading from Bah! Humbug!, his unforgettable new retelling of Dickens' A Christmas Carol - and, if we ask him, he might tell us about that 'Chocolate Cake'!!!

Running time: approx. 50 minutes. Age Recommendation: 5+

ONE VOICE
Funded by the TS Eliot Estate
Fri 12 Jan 2018, 5pm, Auditorium Tickets: £15

'All I have is a voice' W H Auden

One Voice is a series of monologues, funded by the TS Eliot Estate, celebrating the rawest of theatre forms - a single voice on a stage without scenery, and with nothing to rely on but words. The programme of specially commissioned one-off performances includes:

The Hardest Rain written and performed by Zawe Ashton, directed by Jo McInnes
Renewed by Deirdre Kinahan with Julie Walters
Have You Ever Engaged In Genocide? by Tamsin Oglesby
John Speed by Chris Terrio

Further casting to be announced.

Contact the Box Office at 0844 871 7628 or online at oldvictheatre.com. The Old Vic is located at 103 The Cut, London SE1 8NB.

---

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Zawe Ashton's credits as a writer and director include short films The Place We Go to Hide, Happy Toys and Lighthouse. Her writing for theatre includes Dream Factor (National Youth Theatre), Have a Butchers, Sweetness and Light, Edible Flowers (DryWrite at Latitude Festival) and Girls Aloud (Clean Break Theatre). Zawe's first play Harm's Way was shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award (2007). Her acting work includes The Maids (Trafalgar Studios), Fresh Meat, Not Safe for Work and Guerrilla for television, and feature film Nocturnal Animals.

Deirdre Kinahan is a Dublin-based playwright and theatre producer. Her credits include Wild Sky (Bewleys Theatre, Dublin), Rise (The Old Vic), Spinning (Dublin Theatre Festival), Piigs (Royal Court), Halcyon Days (Smock Alley Theatre, Dublin/Edinburgh Festival Fringe), 66 Books (Bush Theatre), and Moment (Bush Theatre/Project Arts Centre, Dublin/Irish Arts Centre, New York). Deirdre is a member of the Board of The Abbey Theatre and is published by Nick Hern Books.

Jo McInnes's recent directing work includes The Same Deep Water as Me (Guildhall School of Music and Drama), Powerplay (a site specific piece at Hampton Court Palace), Valhalla (Theatre 503), 36 Phone Calls (Hampstead Theatre), Another Place (Theatre Royal Plymouth), I Can Hear You & This Is Not an Exit (Midsummer Mischief Season, RSC Stratford/Royal Court Theatre), Carpe Diem (New Views/National Theatre); Vera, Vera, Vera and Red Bud (Royal Court Theatre), Marine Parade (Animalink/Brighton Festival) and Christmas (Brighton/Bush Theatre). In 2007 Jo directed The Verdict for RDF Media/BBC2 and Simon Stephen's Pornography for Coming Up/Channel 4 in 2009. Jo is Associate Director of the Hackney Showroom. In 2006 she held the position of Artistic Director of New Writing South and she has directed workshops and rehearsed readings of new work for The Royal Court Theatre, The Old Vic and Hampstead Theatre, amongst others. Jo is currently working on a film version of her acclaimed production of 36 Phone Calls with Fearless Minds. She is working with Zawe Ashton on Zawe's new play For All The Women Who Thought They Were Mad. Jo has also worked extensively as an actor.

Tamsin Oglesby's credits include Future Conditional, which opened Matthew Warchus' inaugural season at The Old Vic in September 2015 and is currently under commission at the theatre. Other credits include the adaptation of Russell Hoban's The Mouse and His Child (RSC), Georges Feydeau's Every Last Trick (Royal and Derngate Northampton), Really Old, Like 45 (National Theatre), The War Next Door (Tricycle), US and Them, and My Best Friend (Hampstead Theatre). Her first play Two Lips Indifferent Red was produced at the Bush Theatre.

Michael Rosen is one of the best-known figures in the children's book world, renowned for his work as a poet, performer, broadcaster, professor and author of classic books such as We're Going on a Bear Hunt. He was Children's Laureate from 2007-2009 and is Professor of Children's Literature at Goldsmiths, University of London.

Chris Terrio made his feature screenwriting debut with the film Argo, which earned him an Academy Award, as well as a WGA Award, an L.A. Film Critics Award, and Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. He has written numerous screenplays, most recently Warner Brothers' ensemble Justice League. Next year, he will direct his film adaptation of Adrian Nicole LeBlanc's book Random Family for Netflix. Chris has also written a number of experimental works for the stage, produced through his ad hoc theatre collective, Industrious Blind, based in New York's East Village. He is currently writing the screenplay for Star Wars: Episode IX with director JJ Abrams.

Julie Walters is a multi-award winning actress who came to international recognition through her performance in the film Educating Rita. Subsequent film credits include Paddington 2, Harry Potter (seven of the eight films), Brave, Mamma Mia!; Paddington, Calendar Girls, Billy Elliot, Buster and Personal Services. Upcoming film work includes Country Music, Mary Poppins and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. For television, her recent work includes National Treasure, Indian Summer, The Hollow Crown, The Jury, Victoria Wood's Mid-life Christmas, Mo Mowlan, A Short Stay in Switzerland, Ahead of the Class, The Canterbury Tales: The Wife of Bath, Murder, Strange Relations and Dinnerladies. Her theatre credits include: Last of the Haussmans (National Theatre), Acorn Antiques the musical (Theatre Royal Haymarket), All My Sons (National Theatre) for which she won the Olivier Award for Best Actress, Fool for Love (National Theatre / Lyric Theatre), Macbeth (Leicester Haymarket) and Educating Rita (RSC Donmar Warehouse / Piccadilly Theatre). Julie has won two BAFTA Film Awards, four BAFTA TV Awards and received the BAFTA Fellowship in 2014.

BookTrust is the UK's largest children's reading charity. We work to inspire a love of reading in children because we know that reading can transform lives. Each year we reach 3.4 million children across the UK with books, resources and support to help develop a love of reading. Every parent receives a BookTrust book in their baby's first year. Our books are delivered via health, library, schools and early year's practitioners, and are supported with guidance, advice and resources to encourage the reading habit. Reading for pleasure has a dramatic impact on educational outcomes, well-being and social mobility, and is also a huge pleasure in itself. We are committed to starting children on their reading journey and supporting them throughout. For more information visit booktrust.org.uk.

PRESS CONTACTS For production press enquiries:

Jo Allan | E jo@joallanpr.com | M 07889 905 850 | T 020 7520 9392
Kitty Greenleaf | E kitty@joallanpr.com | M 07545 131 539 | T 020 7520 9392 Hannah Stockton | E hannah@joallanpr.com | M 07889 542 245 | T 020 7520 9392

BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

Box Office 0844 871 7628 | oldvictheatre.com Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube @oldvictheatre

The Old Vic, 103 The Cut, London SE1 8NB

VOICES OFF
The Science of Generosity
In Association with Mishcon de Reya LLP

Thu 14 Dec 2017, 5pm, Auditorium Tickets: £6

FAMILIES
Christmas Storytelling
In Association with BookTrust

Sat 16 Dec 2017, 11.30am, Auditorium Tickets: £6 children, £12 adults

ONE VOICE
Funded by the T.S Eliot Estate

Fri 12 Jan 2018, 5pm, Auditorium Tickets: £15

To post a comment, you must register and login.