World Theatre Day: Celebrating shows with a difference
World Theatre Day lands on Thursday 27 March.
To celebrate, we’re shining the light on three innovative shows that bring something different to HOME audiences.
From unusual audience participation to exciting new stage layouts, let’s explore three bold productions that aren’t afraid to bring something new onto stage.
We spoke to HOME’s assistant theatre programmer Saffron to learn more…
Nation
Written and performed by Sam Ward, Nation is a dark, brutal fable about the political power of stories, about the nation as an act of imagination, about the violence of community and those we choose to let in.
What makes Nation different?
Saffron: “Nation is performed in the round, giving audiences a different theatrical experience. Growing up, I saw most theatre at the Royal Exchange and so always thought that performances in the round were the norm, whereas the reality is that this is rarer than one may think.
Our studio was designed to be flexible, and so to reconfigure the space like this is something I’m really excited to do; offer audiences a different perspective.
Theatre in the round is a very specific skill for the company performing; thinking about how one is perceived from all angles, and what that says to the audience in terms of narrative is something that must be properly considered."
How will this add to the experience of watching Nation?
Saffron: “For Nation, I think it almost encases Sam, the performer, in the world that he is building. As there is no set, the show relies on his skill as a storyteller, and the capacity to build this imagined world, and the audience almost become the edge of that.
The viewer becomes part of the community in this town that he is describing, which is further reinforced by the consistent use of the collective ‘we’. The audience almost becomes part of the set – alongside always being able to see the actor, you are able to see the other townsfolk seated on the periphery of the action."
Troubled
Troubled is an extraordinary tale of love, loss and human connection - told with tea and biscuits. Blending storytelling, projection and audience interaction, Troubled reckons with the past, offering us renewed hope for the future.
What makes Troubled different?
Saffron: Troubled is unique in many ways – for example, audience members will receive a cup of tea as you settle into the performance. This absolutely obliterates the fourth wall from the moment the audience enters the space.
How will this add to the experience of watching Troubled?
Saffron: “The story is hard; it is emotional and it is vast and it covers not only an array of topics, but a great expanse of time. We are told, through the use of a cup of tea and a Tunnock's tea-cake, to settle in.
We are told to get comfortable. We are invited to be told this story in a space that feels warm and welcoming and this is smart. From the beginning you are rooting for the character, you like her, you want her to succeed. You identify with what it is to feel safe, to feel loved, and to feel held.”
Mrs Dalloway
The must-see adaptation of Virginia Woolf's masterpiece novel.
What makes Mrs Dalloway different?
“This production of Mrs Dalloway fuses theatre, live music and film together to capture the complexity of human consciousness in real time.
In Woolf’s novel, rather than relying on traditional plot and dialogue, she captured the inner lives of her characters through a stream of conscious technique. This production aims to embody this technique through the use of projected images on screen, which will bring that rapid, random, and haphazard way we think to life.
Director Jen Heyes is known for a cinematic approach to theatre, crafting productions that combine striking visuals, emotional depth, and distinctive storytelling”.
How will this add to the experience of watching Mrs Dalloway?
“Like the novel, this technique focuses on the internal – the random, fluctuating thoughts that pass through Mrs. Dalloway’s mind as she navigates her day. The use of film, projection, and music brings her internal thought process and mood much closer to the surface – helping us to not only experience an internal monologue like never before, but also to deeply connect and empathise with the character.
As director Heyes says: “We’ve mixed theatre, film and bold reinterpretations to create something alive, surprising, moving and entertaining. My hope is that people leave the theatre carrying the story with them long after the lights go down.”
Learn more about Mrs Dalloway here.