This cheekily titled show was initially inspired by the phenomena of theatre shows being ‘live streamed’. It’s a kind of playful kick back against the monopolistic tendency of the behemoth organisations that tend to stream. It addresses the ‘anti-theatre’ of such streamings. It is also about everyday life on the streets of this nation viewed by CCTV cameras seen as also streamed live theatre.
The show explores how smartphones have changed how we communicate and relate, how they collapse distance whilst allowing us to conduct our lives whilst existing further from each other.
We spent an intensive four days working together in February, then the cast did some more fragments of work together, sometimes aided by their lecturer Rosie Garton, before a final intensive seven days led to the final performances.
Credits
Devised and performed by:
Shivani Parmer, Anita Ellis, Claire Burley
Ryan Knight, Rebecca Smith, Samantha Giles
Ryan Powell, Chidochashe Masawi, Cameron Chesters
Elisha Prendergast, Lauren Williams, Joanna Smith
Chantel Sakarombe, Chloe Kerwin, Olivia Musangi
Emily-Mae Stewart, Courtney Lewis-Harvey
Backstage:
Lighting by: Alexander Lobo Moreno
Sound by: J’Nai Toney
Technical support by (& much thanks to): Craig Appleby
Directed by: James Yarker with Jack Trow, some Craig Stephens and a bit of Rosie Garton.
Commissioned by: De Montfort University
From the orignal programme notes by Roise Garton
James Yarker, Director of Stan’s Cafe, set a series of tasks for the performance group. This performance is a culmination of the group’s responses, curated by the Stan’s Cafe creative team into a theatre piece that explores relationships conducted via screens.
Live from the National Theatre explores a trending fascination with watching live events as virtual images, such as surveillance and streaming of live theatre events. Phones, laptops and television screens illuminate the performers as they step between realities and worlds of lost signals and buffering downloads.
We live in a time where we post our lives online and surveillance watches unblinking in every corner, where live theatre is streamed to screens around the world. We mis-communicate through text messages and try to patch things up with emojis. We are losing signal. In ‘Live from the National Theatre’, the performers are live here for you now, questioning what it means to be together but simultaneously apart.
Tour Dates
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10 & 11 May 2018
Leicester
