PLASTIC by Kenneth Emson
by Poleroid Theatrespoken-word-and-live-literature, theatre
By award-winning television and screen writer Kenneth Emson, a blistering new play about the moments in our youth that define our lives.
about the production
A shitty little town in Essex. A summer’s day. Amid the prefect badges and empty B&H packets, a secret lurks that will send shivers down the spine of a small community. By award-winning television and screen writer Kenneth Emson, PLASTIC is an extraordinary, heady mix of drama and performance poetry, a dynamic new verse play looking at the musicality in the everyday; the first moments of adulthood, the hard edge of school abuse, the creation of urban folklore and the seemingly random moments that come to define our adult lives. "Today’s the day Yes it is Reebok Classic of a day today Yes. It. Is."
about the artist
Poleroid Theatre are pioneers of Artist Development. We discover, curate and give a platform to fast-rising emerging writers, actors and directors from across the UK. Our collaborative method gives writers the vital time and space to work practically alongside a director and professional actors to create bold, current, high-quality new theatre work which pushes the boundaries of form and style. And we bring this work to areas of low cultural engagement across the nation. In 2014 our production of FREE FALL by acclaimed TV and stage writer Vinay Patel (Murdered By My Father) was nominated for three OffWestEnd Theatre Awards.
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stage dimensions
width: 5 metres
height: 3 metres
depth: 5 metres
We will require access to the venue to get in from 10am on the day of a first performance, and the actors require access to the stage at least an hour before each performance to warm up. We need:
- Minimum playing space of 5m wide x 5m deep
- The ability to fly or hang lighting equipment and masking as the show and venue sightlines require
- The ability to provide a complete blackout onstage
- 2 dressing rooms
A venue technician will be required from the start of the get-in until the get-out. We will provide one Company Technician who will relight and operate lighting and sound.
The play will have a wide appeal for audiences with an interest in theatre, new writing and/or live spoken word; and we will also target local young people who may not currently be regularly engaged with theatre but would be interested in the themes and style of this piece. The production is highly adaptable so can also be considered for performances in schools, community centres etc as well as standard receiving venues.
"An extraordinary piece of theatre"
"touching and beautifully written"
"Poleroid are an energising force and have a big future ahead of them as provocateurs, alchemists, creatives and producers. Amongst a new wave of companies exploring new ways of making and presenting theatre, Poleroid stands out as an innovator with the ideas and the passion to shake things up and make things happen."
The production is a static, end-on performance so would be fully accessible, providing that the space itself is accessible to disabled users. We can also look at additional accessibility offers including captioning and touch tours.
We will provide outreach activity including post-show discussions, a new play competition to encourage up-and-coming young writers, and interactive workshops for local school/drama groups - please contact us to discuss further details.
Negotiable at this stage, but we are provisionally seeking guarantees of at least £600 per performance, ideally against a Box Office split.
