Royal Court Theatre Announces Two New Plays from Graduates of its Writing Programmes
Published on Thu 3 Mar 2011PRESS RELEASE
Friday 4 March 2011
ROYAL COURT THEATRE ANNOUNCES TWO NEW PLAYS FROM GRADUATES OF ITS WRITERS PROGRAMMES
The Royal Court Theatre announces two new plays today, both from writers who attended Royal Court writers’ programmes. The Acid Test by Anya Reiss and The Village Bike by Penelope Skinner will play in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs this Spring.
The Acid Test (13 May – 11 June, press night 23 May) is the second play from Anya Reiss, whose play Spur of the Moment premiered at the Royal Court in July 2010, winning her the award for Most Promising Playwright at both the Evening Standard and Critics Circle awards. Anya completed the Young Writers Programme at the Royal Court and wrote her first play when she was 17.
‘This has been the worst day of my life. So can you please get drunk with me?
Dana, Ruth and Jess down shots to console the heart-broken, to comfort the anxious and just pass the time. Kicked out from the family home Jess’s dad, Jim, invades the party with just as much recklessness as the girls. As the night passes and vodka bottles are emptied, Friday night in becomes high drama.
An unruly new comedy asking if age equals maturity.
Simon Godwin will direct. His credits at the Royal Court include Wanderlust by Nick Payne, Faith Healer and Far Away at Bristol Old Vic, The Winter’s Tale for Headlong and the Nuffield Theatre Southampton, Mister Heracles at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. As Associate Director of the Royal and Derngate Theatres in Northampton under Artistic Director Rupert Goold, Simon directed seven main stage shows. He also directed work as part of the Royal Court 2008 and 2010 International Residencies.
The Acid Test will be designed by Paul Wills, with lighting by Malcolm Rippeth.
The Village Bike, which previews from 24 June and runs until 23 July (press night 1 July) is the Royal Court debut from Penelope Skinner. Also a graduate from the Royal Court’s writing programmes, her credits elsewhere includes a collaboration with Moira Buffini, Matt Charman and Jack Thorne on Greenland at the National Theatre, Eigengrau at the Bush Theatre, Scarlet’s Circus for Hampstead Theatre’s Heat & Light Group and Fucked, at the Old Red Lion in 2008 and at the 2009 Edinburgh Festival.
‘Isn’t she gorgeous? Hardly been ridden. She’s been in the garage just gathering dust’
Becky’s pregnant and frustrated. But her husband is more interested in the baby manual than her new underwear so she turns to the porn stash under the bed. As the summer heats up, a brief encounter sends her speeding downhill towards reckless abandon.
A provocative and darkly comic look at fantasy and romance..
Age18+. Contains scenes of a sexual nature.
Joe Hill-Gibbins directs. At the Royal Court, his credits include The Girlfriend Experience, The Family Plays, Bliss, and A Girl In A Car With A Man. He is Deputy Artistic Director of the Young Vic Theatre, where has directed The Glass Menagerie, The Beauty Queen of Leenane and A Respectable Wedding.
The Acid Test and The Village Bike are both part of the Royal Court’s Jerwood New Playwrights programme, supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation
– ends –
(04/03/11)
Notes to Editors
Listings information
The Acid Test
By Anya Reiss
Directed by Simon Godwin
13 May – 11 June 2011
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS
Monday – Saturday 7.45pm
Thursday matinees 3.30pm (from 2 June), Saturday matinees 3.30pm (from 28 May)
Press night Monday 23 May 7pm
Post-show Talk Tuesday 31 May
Captioned Performance 8 June 2011
Tickets £20 Mondays all seats £10 (all seats £10 available on the day of perf from 9am online, 10am in-person, and in advance to Friends and Supporters.)
Concessions £15* (avail. in advance until 21 May 2011 incl. and all mats. For all other perfs, avail. on a standby basis on the day)
School and HE Groups of 8+ £10 (avail. Tue-Fri and mats)
Access £12 (plus a companion at the same rate)
- ID required, not bookable online. All discounts are subject to availability.
The Village Bike
By Penelope Skinner
Directed by Joe Hill-Gibbins
24 June – 23 July 2011
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS
Monday – Saturday 7.45pm
Thursday matinees 3.30pm (from 14 July), Saturday matinees 3.30pm (from 9 July)
Press night Friday 1 July 7pm
Post-show Talk Tuesday 12 July
Captioned Performance Tuesday 19 July
Tickets £20 Mondays all seats £10 available on the day of perf from 9am online, 10am in-person, and in advance to Friends and Supporters
Concessions £15* (avail. in advance until 2 July 2011 incl. and all mats. For all other perfs, avail. on a standby basis on the day)
School and HE Groups of 8+ £10 (avail. Tue-Fri and mats)
Access £12 (plus a companion at the same rate)
- ID required, not bookable online. All discounts are subject to availability.
Coutts & Co is the Principal Sponsor of the Royal Court Theatre
Coutts & Co is the UK private banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is one of the world’s largest banking groups.
The first Coutts & Co regional office to be opened was Eton in 1961. Today, Coutts & Co has regional offices in Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Eton, Exeter, Guildford, Hampshire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Sheffield and Tunbridge Wells.
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Coutts & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Coutts & Co Registered in England No 36695 Registered Office 440 Strand London WC2R 0QS.
Calls may be recorded.
The Acid Test and The Village Bike are both part of the Royal Court’s Jerwood New Playwrights programme, supported by the Jerwood Charitable Foundation.
The Jerwood Charitable Foundation is dedicated to imaginative and responsible revenue funding of the arts, supporting emerging artists to develop and grow at important stages in their careers. The aim of their funding is to allow artists and arts organisations to thrive; to continue to develop their skills, imagination and creativity with integrity. They work with artists across art forms, from dance and theatre to literature, music and the visual arts. For more information visit www.jerwoodcharitablefoundation.org
For further information please contact Anna Evans in the Royal Court Press Office on
020 7565 5063 or e-mail annaevans@royalcourttheatre.com.