Royal Court Theatre will re-open with socially distanced performances in November

Photo credit: Helen Murray

The Royal Court in London will re-open with socially distanced live performances, inspired by The Federal Theatre Project during the Great Depression from 12 November.

Six editions of a ‘living newspaper’ will be presented around the building, each one created and edited by a collective of writers. They will include "satire of the week’s events, alongside long-form think pieces, as well as weekly dating columns, cartoons, the world in pictures, a sports section and a surprise theatre supplement"

Artistic Director of the Royal Court Theatre, Vicky Featherstone, said: "I first learnt about the Federal Theatre Project when I was 18. It galvanised me then about theatre as a force for change and stuck with me over the years.

"One day during lockdown I remembered it and how vital it had been not only for saving the theatre industry after the Great Depression but for encouraging those previously underrepresented and for speaking truth to power with celebration and joy."

"As ever at the Royal Court we turn to our diverse community of writers whose ideas, perspectives, experiences can challenge us, surprise us and can make us imagine the impossible.

"The aims of Living Newspaper are quite simple, to give as many people as possible work, to bring our theatre back to life and to create something which is urgent, dynamic, political and disruptive - acknowledging the hugely changed and changing times."

Performances will be held at several times throughout the day from 11am-11pm, between Thursday-Saturday, until 19 December 2020 and will also be made available online.

For more information, please click here.