Two projects bringing together young directors with final year students from two London drama schools to explore contemporary European plays.

Programme 1:

Iphigenia by Pauline Mol (The Netherlands), translated by Rina Vergano
Directed by Brenda Murphy 

It is prophesied that the daughter of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra is to be sacrificed to pacify the gods and bring fortune to the Greek army. Iphigenia – ‘strong-born’ – is bought to her father to complete the sacrifice.
In this beautifully straight forward and lyrical reworking of Euripides’ tale, we see how even the most powerful of families will unravel under the pressure of Fate.


This Child by Joel Pommerat (France), translated by Nigel Gearing
Directed by Dan Sherer 

This Child is played out through a series of vignettes – glimpsing into the dense thicket of family life. From all kinds of angles, we get the chance to peer through the tangled branches and roots of the family tree, following fathers, daughters, sons and mothers as they push for understanding between each other in this tense and powerful piece.

 
Design by: Charlie Damigos
Lighting Design by: Aideen Malone

Performed at ALRA throughout the week of Feb 1, 2010 followed by a schools tour.

Programme 2:

Tattoo [a tragedy] by Dea Loher (Germany), translated by Michael & Michael
Directed by Jens Peters 

While scratching at the epidermis of abuse and peeling away the scabs that cover their disturbing existence, a family reveals the disease that infects their love for each other.

"I stick / my needle into your flesh / again and again / a tattoo / which you'll keep / my signature / for life / a mark / indelible."

Colörs  [a comedy] written and translated by Peca Stefan (Romania)
Directed by Dan Barnard & Rachel Briscoe (Fanshen)

A rude and wild satire set in New York and Bucharest - a Romanian playwright is accused of terrorism; a drug addict comes back from the dead; an old cop tries to regain his ex-wife’s heart; a group of friends go to Eastern Europe to get rich. This extremely funny play mocks those who would mock new Europe.

Performances at Tristan Bates Theatre 30 April – 8 May, 2010.

[Colörs and This Child first performed in the UK as a rehearsed staged reading at Theatre Cafe Europe (2007)]