Open Theatre presents a season of Digital Theatre
Open Theatre presents a season of Digital Theatre
Responding to the difficulties of closed theatres, social distancing and lockdown, LUU Open Theatre have created a series of new Digital productions for 2020 comprising of four radio plays and a film.
The Old Lie
In the year 2063, after failing to prevent the now irreversible effects of climate change, the world finds itself in a third world war in pursuit of the last remaining oil and other such energy left on earth. In a working-class household in England, a country allied with other Western powers against the Middle East and China, a family conflict arises when the younger of two brothers, Sam, decides he wants to go and fight in the war. Positing family values against nationalism, and having already lost their father in the war, older brother Dominic tries to convince Sam to stay.
The Assassination of Julius Caeser by Ejiro Raye
“Beware The Ides Of March! Beware!”
… In the great empire of Ancient Rome, 44 BC, a villainous group of assassins, who call themselves ‘the liberators’, plan to kill the most powerful man in the world, Julius Caesar. Through a tale of deception, scheming and downright farcical anarchy, this ballsy group of villains must topple the chaotic ladder of Roman society and take down this great ruler. Do the ends justify the means? Do daggers cut both ways? And is good and evil both sides of the same coin? Inspired by ‘The Thick Of It’, ‘The Death Of Stalin’ and ‘Veep’, The Assassination Of Julius Caesar is a brand new and exciting satirical comedy.
The Resurrection Men by Izabelle Chappell
Premiere Mon 14th Dec
As a fog sweeps the graveyard, lit only by the moon, five brave souls wander the liminal space between life and death. With corpses far closer than comfort allows, and the night air whispering secrets untold, it is the perfect place for a good old-fashioned ghost story. The absurdity of life, the inevitability of death, and the unending terror that fills the interim; all will be explored by those who come to steal fresh corpses away. Whilst two policemen try to prevent this grave robbery, they find themselves entangled within this morbid farce. You will certainly laugh, you might even cry, but remember, dear children, that you too shall die...
Rocketman
Premiere Mon 14th December
Neil spends his days doing the same sort of stuff - working hard, struggling with technology and trying desperately to contact his kids. One problem: he’s stuck, imprisoned on the moon. The year is 2122. Global corporations have monopolised space, exploiting prison labour for profit. Everything changes by the arrival of Amy, a small time crook who believes she is wrongfully imprisoned. Will the two escape their bonds and return home? Or will they be confined to the system?
This show mixes comedy, drama and science fiction, with the intention of creating a memorable, character-driven piece of radio, full of twists, turns and crucially heart.
1+1=3
Premiere Tue 15th Dec 7.30pm
1+1=3 is a satirical play on conspiracy theory, pseudoscience and the people who believe in them. Following the journey of exploration of one new believer, it examines the thought processes and inner workings of these communities, through the lens of a new truth they have uncovered: that one plus one is actually three.
From setting up their own YouTube channel to debating with mathematicians, follow the protagonist’s progress from tentative discoverer to leading theorist as they deal with the strange world of alternative mathematics, including the dark depths of comment sections, the chaos of conspiracy Twitter, the disbelief and hostility from the public, the nuances and divisions within their own community, and the worst enemy of all: actual maths.
Come and see the theory for yourself, make up your own mind, and enjoy the freedom of thought expressed in this new play from Open Theatre.