Open House 2006

ROYAL COURT OPEN HOUSE DAY 25th March 2006 Welcome to The Royal Court Theatre. Do you come here often? Or perhaps you pass here every day but have never been inside? We love the Royal Court and we want everyone around us to love it too. So, as part of our 50th Anniversary celebrations, we are flinging open our doors to you, the public. If you've ever wondered what goes on here, this is the day to find out. Every available space in the Royal Court's Sloane Square building will be animated with vibrant exhibitions, performances, workshops, backstage tours, live theatre and more. DROP-IN EVENTS Animation of the Building To celebrate our 50th Anniversary we have animated the interior of the building with visual and aural references to the past. Take yourself off on a trail of the building and uncover photographs, video clips and sound bites on your way. Performances in Promenade Short extracts from four iconic scenes from Royal Court plays will make their impact in different spaces around the building. From 11am to 11pm, from the Balcony Bar to the Cloakroom, if you are in the right place at the right time, youll find yourself in the play. See the Stage Take a wander into the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs auditorium and at regular intervals throughout the morning you can stumble upon the opening sequence from the Royal Court's latest whilst watching the technical team run their cues. Mask Exhibition An exhibition of Roddy Maude-Roxbys exquisite masks which were used in rehearsals in the fifties by George Devine. Roddy was an original member of the English Stage Company and also a founder member of the legendary mask and improvisation group Theatre Machine, with Keith Johnstone. Street Theatre As you rush in through our open doors, the theatre will literally come spilling out in the opposite direction, right onto the street. Stop, look, and listen as Sloane Square becomes the setting for a piece of heart stopping outdoor performance. Undercroft Cafe Throughout the day we will be serving heart-shaped pizzas in our Undercroft Caf as well as coffees, teas, cakes and a wide selection of beverages. Drop in for our £4 lunch or supper and catch some live music while you eat. TOURS Uncover historical, artistic and architectural facts about the Royal Court in this fascinating theatre tour. 5 tours: 11am; 11.30am; 12pm; 12.30pm; 1pm Each tour has 20 places. To book a place, please contact the Box Office on 020 7565 5000. All tours are free. WORKSHOPS These have limited places so you may wish to book in advance through the Box Office on 020 7565 5000. All workshops are free. Play in a Day 11am-9pm Wannabe playwrights can sign up for a whirlwind creative journey, starting with an introductory writers course on how to write a play, leading to a rough first draft, a tutorial where your play is developed and out the other side with a script-in-hand performance by professional actors all in one day. Come with nothing but an open mind, some passion in your heart, and something to write with, and leave with a memorable performance of the world premiere of your play. There are 12 places (no under 12s). Here By Masks Two workshops: 10-11.30am; 4pm-5.30pm A collection of masks wait to play. You may come wanting to wear masks, you may wish to watch. What happens will come from letting the masks interact. Roddy Maude-Roxby returns to the Royal Court with a set of masks once used by George Devine to lead an interactive workshop where the audience will be invited to participate, put on masks and take on their personas. There are 40 places for each workshop. Lighting & Sound Workshops Two workshops: 12pm-1pm; 6pm-7pm Led by Royal Court lighting and sound designers, these introductory behind-the-scenes workshops will be a practical, inside look at some of the techniques and trickery used by the Royal Court production department. There are 25 places for each workshop. Play on Words 12pm-1.20pm Youre never too young to start writing plays. This workshop for young people aged 8-11 will include drama games, improvisation and other practical exercises designed to inspire children to write a short play. Led by practitioners from the Royal Court Young Writers Programme. There are 15 places. All events are free. If you have any questions about any of the events, please contact Nina Lyndon on 020 7565 5050. The Royal Court Open House Day is sponsored by "+Pemberton Greenish +": www.pglaw.co.uk/