Royal Court Theatre Announce Living Archive Vol 1 – Two Weeks of Live Work and Events Interrogating The Notion Of Archive

Living Archive aims to reject the historical notion of what an archive is, it is a new portal that reimagines the history of The Royal Court Theatre in order to redefine its future. It encourages radical thought and imagination. It aims to resist the idea of 'canon' and instead bring attention to work which has been erased or not been brought to the attention of our audiences and writers.

It is a cumulative experiment and an ongoing commitment to digitising our work and making it fully accessible.

Living Archive Vol. 1 isthe first enquiry in what will be an ongoing series. For two weeks across June and July, Living Archive Vol 1 will present live work and events seeking to find an alternative archival lens. Both universal and specific to The Royal Court Theatre, it will be fun, interactive, exploratory and conversational.

All questions and learning will inform the development of a new digital Archive.

Each event will have a different 'Guest Archivist' who will use their personal perspective to inform the focus through which the work is captured.

Living Archive: Human Highlights

Wednesday 29 June 2022, 7.45pm

Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

A coming together and sharing of stories from the people who made the shows of the Royal Court's past.

Living Archive: New

Thursday 30 June 2022 & Friday 1 July 2022, 7.45pm

Thursday 7 July 2022 & Friday 8 July 2022, 7.45pm

Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

Two double-bills of specifically commissioned plays by Zia Ahmed, Anchuli Felicia King, Joel Tan and Selina Thompson.

All the writers began with questions around what archive means to them, and what it could be.

Directors include Alessandra Davison, Myah Jeffers, and Izzy Rabey.

Joel Tan and Selina Thompson: Thursday 30 June 2022 & Friday 1 July 2022, 7.45pm

Zia Ahmed and Anchuli Felicia King: Thursday 7 July 2022 & Friday 8 July 2022, 7.45pm

Living Archive: Re-Balance

Saturday 2 July 2022, 7.45pm

Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

A reading in celebration of Under the Sun by Sylvia Wynter, acquired by The Royal Court Theatre in 1958.

Directed by Jasmine Lee-Jones.

Living Archive: Investigate

Wednesday 6 July, 7.45pm
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

Asking questions about representation and awareness of different communities in the public consciousness.

This work-in-progress sharing will be informed by research from Tom Manders, exploring how derogatory representations of the GRT (Gypsy, Romani and Traveller) communities are held in the public consciousness.

Created and Performed by Tom Manders.

Directed by Alessandra Davison.

Living Archive: Imagine
Saturday 9 July, 7.45pm
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

Highlights, snippets and surprising archival material from Royal Court plays that don't exist, but that writers wish did.

Living Archive: Conversations

Tuesday 5 July, 2022

Round table: Living Newspaper's design collective discuss the ideas of archive past and future.

Tobi Kyeremateng Curates: talks and discussions around the ideas raised by Living Archive.

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