PRESS RELEASE: BENEVERUNERSTOOST ANNOUNCED

ON ELECTION EVE THE ROYAL COURT THEATRE STAGES NICK GILL’S SATIRE OF POLITICAL RHETORIC

Nick Gill’s new short play: beneverunerstoost, directed by Artistic Director Vicky Featherstone, is to be given a one-off script-in-hand reading at the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs on Wednesday 6 May 2015.

Playwright Nick Gill has dismantled, mangled and welded back together the words of our would-be leaders David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband to create a new play about the language of politics. It will be performed script-in-hand on the set of The Twits on the eve of one of the most closely-run elections in history.

Vicky Featherstone, Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre said:

“Even before we were drowning in the current political rhetoric and searching for the truth behind the proclamations, Nick Gill was developing this razor sharp explosion of language and promises from our party leaders. It seemed too good an opportunity to miss, putting the work of this brilliant young playwright into the election mix and giving the audience an opportunity to be part of the development of this new play and thrilling new voice.”

Commenting on the inspiration for beneverunerstoost playwright Nick Gill said:

“I wanted to look at the break between political language and political intention, whether our rulers really do think they’re working in society’s ultimate best interests, where the dishonesty starts to creep in, where the hypocrisy comes from, and what relationship political discourse has with reality.”

They want all the power they can have. What will they say to get it? And how will you react at the ballot box on Thursday?

In a culture of loopholes, misused statistics, and refusals to be held accountable, the words of David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband are dismantled, mangled and welded back together for your entertainment.

The script in hand staging of beneverunerstoost, will take place Wednesday 6 May, 5.30pm in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs. Cast to be announced.

ENDS

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For more information, please contact Anoushka Hay on 020 7565 5063 or email anoushkahay@royalcourttheatre.com

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Notes to Editors:

Nick Gill’s previous work for the Royal Court includes Heaven, A Kingdom (rehearsed readings) and Sand (Surprise Theatre). Other theatre credits includes The Trial (Young Vic), Mirror Teeth (Finborough) and Fiji Land (Burton Taylor / Southwark Playhouse). Music for theatre, film, radio and live performance includes Thrown (Royal Court), In Eldersfield: Chapter 2 (Kings of England), One Million (Tangled Feet), Knock Out (Deutschlandradio Kultur) and Blasted (The Other Room).

Artistic Director of the Royal Court Vicky Featherstone directs. Since she started at the Royal Court, her credits have included Dennis Kelly’s The Ritual Slaughter of George Mastromas, Abi Morgan’s The Mistress Contract, Molly Davies’s God Bless the Child and Zinnie Harris’s How To Hold Your Breath. She opened her first season at the Royal Court with Open Court – a festival of plays, ideas and events, chosen by over 140 writers. At National Theatre of Scotland, her credits included Enquirer (co-directed with John Tiffany), Appointment With The Wicker Man and 27. Prior to National Theatre of Scotland, Vicky was Artistic Director of Paines Plough.

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Listings Information:

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beneverunerstoost
by Nick Gill
directed by Vicky Featherstone
Wednesday 6 May, 5.30pm
Running time 45 minutes
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs
Age Guidance 14+

Tickets £5 for a ticket and a drink (free bottle of San Miguel beer or a soft drink) or free for those attending another performance at the Royal Court on Wednesday 6 May
Coutts is the Royal Court Theatre’s Innovation Partner

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Coutts is the wealth division of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group. Coutts has a long history of supporting the arts going back 200 years, having looked after the financial affairs of many famous clients connected with the arts such as Bram Stoker, Charles Dickens and Chopin. In 1816, Thomas Coutts married Harriot Mellon, a popular actress of her day, and together they became partners of a number of London Theatres, including the Drury Lane and the Royal Opera House. Coutts has even featured in a number of artistic works including The Gondoliers by Gilbert and Sullivan, and Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic story Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. In the new millennium, this tradition has continued not only through Coutts managing the finances of many of today’s top writers, actors and musicians, but also through our arts sponsorship programme. We are delighted to support The Royal Court and it’s diverse range of ground-breaking performances. For further information please visit coutts.com