Incredible cast announced for the premiere of THE GLOBAL PLAYGROUND by Theatre-Rites
Photo credit: Tristram Kenton
Casting has been announced for Theatre-Rites’ The Global Playground, which will premiere at the Manchester International Festival and online from 2-18 July.
The cast is comprised of acclaimed dancers Jahmarley Bachelor (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Annie Edwards (A Kate Prince Company; ZooNation), Kennedy Junior Muntanga (Phoenix Dance Theatre; Chotto Xenos) and Charmene Pang (Iceland Dance Company; Isadora Now: A Triple Bill). They are joined by puppeteer and actor Sean Garratt (A Christmas Carol) and renowned percussionist Merlin Jones (Birmingham Symphony Orchestra).
The Global Playground follows a group of dancers who meet to make a film with their nervous and chaotic director but things get wonderfully weird when the camera takes on a life of its own. Mixing dance, music, theatre and puppetry, The Global Playground examines how a camera’s gaze often reveals more than we bargained for. It will be presented both in person and online - digital viewers will gain a unique insight as the camera itself becomes a character on stage.
Throughout lockdown, human relationships have both grown and become more disjointed through digital connections. We can now connect with anyone in person and on screen – but is the camera our friend, our playmate, or something else entirely? The Global Playground explores the magic of our first encounters and is perfect for children and families. Audiences are invited to celebrate who we are and who we cherish, reflecting on a society where our digital and real selves coexist in discord or cohesion.
The Global Playground will be directed by Theatre-Rites’ Artistic Director, Sue Buckmaster, with choreography from acclaimed South African dancer Gregory Maqoma, design by renowned scenographer and artist Ingrid Hu, composition by Ayanna Witter-Johnson, sound by Nick Sagar, and lighting by Guy Hoare.
Director Sue Buckmaster said: “As Theatre-Rites turns 25 I have been reflecting on the importance of the connections we have developed with artists and our audiences, how it is our responsibility to nurture and empower both. As a company we have always been driven by the child's needs and we know that young people’s futures will be a fluid experience of online and real adventures. The Global Playground, with its exceptional cast, is our gift to our audience of young people and to their carers; a chance to reflect on how they can be fully present, wherever they are and however they are connecting. A truly fitting way to celebrate our exciting return to Manchester International Festival and to live theatre.”
To mark their 25th anniversary, Theatre-Rites will be publishing a book celebrating the company and the incredible artists they have worked with. The book will also tell the fascinating story of Artistic Director Sue Buckmaster, who lives with ME, and her puppeteer father who inspired her work. The book will be published on 29 July and has been co-written with Dr Liam Jarvis, Theatre-Rites board member and lecturer at Essex University.
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