The Big Idea: Birdland

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THE BIG IDEA: BIRDLAND

The Big Idea continues at the Royal Court Theatre, with a talk by philosopher Angie Hobbs on Saturday 10 May, Plato on Fame and Status and a new short play by Chris Thorpe, in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs on Saturday 10 May.

The Big Idea: Birdland
Saturday 10 May 1pm & 6pm
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre
Tickets £5 (or free with a ticket to Birdland)

Plato on Fame and Status: a talk by Angie Hobbs

Professor Angie Hobbs from the University of Sheffield discusses Plato’s writings on fame, status and honour and how these ideas find expression in modern society’s obsession with celebrity.

followed by:

You’re Not as Tall as You Look by Chris Thorpe

“It’s not bad to copy a celebrity-god. No! That’s what they’re there for.”
Celebrity stylist, Rachel Zoe

A new play inspired by Plato and Rachel Zoe about how meeting your heroes isn’t the same as taking them home.

AlixPartners support The Big Idea at the Royal Court Theatre

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For more information, please contact Anna Evans on 020 7565 5063 annaevans@royalcourttheatre.com

Notes to Editors:

The Big Idea: Birdland
Saturday 10 May 1pm & 6pm
Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre
Tickets £5 (or free with a ticket to Birdland)
www.royalcourttheatre.com Box Office 0207 565 5000

Biographies

Angie Hobbs is Professor of the Public Understanding of Philosophy at the University of Sheffield. Her chief interests are in ancient philosophy and literature, ethics and political theory, and she has published widely in these areas, including Plato and the Hero.

She engages in a variety of public and political work in the UK, promoting the role of philosophy in schools and adult education and advising on academic public engagement. She contributes regularly to radio and TV programmes (including In Our Time with Melvyn Bragg and Private Passions on Radio 3), newspaper articles and philosophy websites; she lectures and gives talks around the world.

Chris Thorpe was a founder member of Unlimited Theatre and still works and tours with the company. He is also an Artistic Associate of live art/theatre company Third Angel as well as working closely with, among others, Forest Fringe, Slung Low, Chris Goode, RashDash, Belarus Free Theatre and Portuguese company mala voadora for whom he has just completed a trilogy of new plays. He has an ongoing collaboration with poet Hannah Jane Walker, and their shows The Oh Fuck Moment and I Wish I Was Lonely are published by Oberon Books.

As a playwright Chris has written radio and stage drama, as well as translating the work of Ugljesa Sajtinac (the play Huddersfield is also published by Oberon), Belarus Free Theatre, and Ze Maria Mendes.

Birdland
by Simon Stephens
directed by Carrie Cracknell
Until Saturday 31 May 2014
Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London, SW1W 8AS

_”Everything can be quantified. All worth can be quantified. Artistic worth. Human worth. Material worth. Everything. Some food is simply better than other food. Isn’t it? Some clothes are better than other clothes. Aren’t they?”
The last week of a massive international tour and rock star Paul (Andrew Scott), is at the height of his fame. Everybody knows his name. Whatever he wants he can have. He can screw anybody he wants to. He can buy anything he desires. He can eat anything. Drink anything. Smoke anything. Go anywhere._

As the inevitability of the end of the road looms closer, and a return home becomes a reality, for Paul, the music is starting to jar.

A piercing new play looking at empathy, money and fame.

AlixPartners support The Big Idea at the Royal Court Theatre

The Royal Court offer radical thinkers and provocative voices a home, wherever they come from. The Big Idea series brings this to life by engaging the public in debate and discussion about civic, political, domestic and international issues. As a leading global business advisory firm of results-oriented professionals who specialise in creating value and enhancing performance, we share in this conviction to challenge pre-conceived standards and generate new ideas. AlixPartners is delighted to support the Royal Court in this exciting new programme.

Coutts is the Royal Court Theatre Innovation Partner

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 its diverse range of ground-breaking performances.