After the success of the inaugural Chain Play fundraising event earlier this year, the Almeida theatre has invited a sextet of leading authors to pen its sequel for 2008. Stephen Adly Guirgis, Richard Bean, Neil LaBute, Abi Morgan, Mike Poulton and Tanya Ronder will have three months to write Chain Play 2, which will be performed for one night only on 29 February 2008 at 19:30.
The participating playwrights will once again be given two weeks to add a scene of between 10 and 15 minutes before passing the script on to the next writer. The production will be directed by Indhu Rubasingham and casting will be announced shortly. The Almeida’s principal sponsor Coutts & Co will once again be supporting the Chain Play event.
Each of the participating artists has a strong personal connection to the Almeida. Stephen Adly Guirgus (The Last Days Of Judas Iscariot) and Mike Poulton (Rosmersholm) both have productions opening there in 2008, while Richard Bean, Neil LaBute and Tanya Ronder have all had productions at the Almeida in recent years. Abi Morgan is currently under commission from the theatre. In 2004 Indhu Rubasingham directed Another America: Fire – an opera, presented as part of the PUSH04 Season at the Almeida.
The first Almeida Chain Play was written by Samuel Adamson, Moira Buffini, David Hare, Charlotte Jones, Frank McGuinness and Roy Williams. Tom Cairns directed Michelle Austin, Jenny Jules, Alastair Mackenzie, Danny Sapani, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Jodie Whittaker who performed the piece as the Almeida’s major 2007 fundraising event.
Tickets from £150 upwards can be reserved via the Almeida’s Development Department on 020 7288 4930.
TB