20 December 2018
Newsdesk
Fuel Director, Kate McGrath today confirmed the programme of work for 2019. She said: “Understanding the world we live in seems more complex than ever. Imagining a positive future requires new levels of optimism. Coming together in a theatre is a way to do these things, and have a good night out. Brilliant artists create a space for a temporary community to come together and seek to understand and to imagine. Fuel’s job is to identify those living artists and bring their urgent and brave work to life for people to experience. As we approach our 15th birthday, we reflect on what has changed in the world since 2004, where we find ourselves today, and what 2034 might hold for us all. Our 2019 season celebrates our common humanity: how we all connect to the earth and to each other.
Fuel will also co-produce two new commissions by Inua Ellams in 2019. Firstly in a co-production between Fuel, Kiln and Birmingham Rep, The Half God of Rainfall a contemporary saga that weaves poetry with storytelling in a majestic, chaotic journey across mythologies that transports us from a tiny village in Southern Nigeria to the further reaches of our galaxy and beyond. The production will be directed by Nancy Medina (Yellowman, Young Vic). Then in the autumn Inua Ellams returns to the National Theatre with a new play, Three Sisters, after Chekhov. Directed by Nadia Fall, Theatre Royal Stratford East Artistic Director, Three Sisters transports the play to 1960s Nigeria, before, during and after the Biafran Civil War. The play was originally commissioned by Metta Theatre. Hundreds of tickets for every performance will be available at £15.
Barber Shop Chronicles, Inua Ellams’ acclaimed play (co-produced by Fuel, the National Theatre and Leeds Playhouse) about the melting pot world of the male barber shop, has completed two sell-out seasons at the National Theatre and a hugely successful tour of Australia and New Zealand and is currently touring America and Canada. As previously announced the production will embark on a UK tour which begins in Manchester on March 7th at the Royal Exchange.
David Greig and Tom Morris’ critically acclaimed adaptation of Joe Simpson’s huge international best-seller Touching the Void will tour to Edinburgh, Perth, Inverness and Hong Kong. It tells the terrifying story of Joe and Simon Yates' successful but disastrous and nearly fatal climb of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes in 1985. It was made into an award-winning film in 2003 and here is adapted for the stage for the first time. Touching the Void is a co-production between Fuel, Bristol Old Vic, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Royal & Derngate Northampton.
On Monday 10th December Fuel announced a major new collaboration entitled Fly The Flag to mark the 70th birthday of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. A new flag for human rights has been designed by Ai Weiwei, commissioned in response to the real and present dangers of a world changing at break-neck speed, to offer hope and to educate generations to come about the absolute importance of universal human rights. This grassroots moment of creative awareness and activism will be led – jointly and uniquely – by arts organisations and human rights charities.
The flag will be available to schools and care homes, town halls and office blocks, hospitals and libraries across the UK, with everyone invited to Fly The Flag for Human Rights six months from now between 24 – 30 June in events across the country, more information on which will be released in due course. Wherever flown, both physically and digitally, by groups or individuals, big or small, the flag will mark the value of human rights in everyone’s daily lives.
Fly The Flag is co-produced by Fuel (Lead Producer), Amnesty International, Donmar Warehouse, Human Rights Watch, Liberty, National Theatre, Sadler’s Wells and Tate Art Galleries.
The Dark, a new play by poet Nick Makoha will tour the UK in Spring 2019 beginning at Tara Arts on January 8th. It tells the harrowing and uplifting auto-biographical story of how he and his mother escaped from Idi Amin’s Uganda in 1978. Two performers play multiple characters in this exploration of memory which is directed by the award-winning Roy Alexander Weise (Nine Night).
Written and performed by sound designer Lewis Gibson, The Day I Fell Into A Book is an immersive storytelling adventure for families and school groups that explores the magic of reading and the vitality of young imaginations. Using binaural sound recordings, intricate lighting technology and projection, the audience is taken into a lost world of classic tales. The production will tour the UK throughout 2019 opening at the Southbank Centre on February 19th.
The Kids Are Alright is an Encounter Productions creation, co-commissioned by Fuel and The Place. Directed and choreographed by Jennifer Malarkey and written by Lee Mattinson it brings together new writing, dance and sound installation in two performances on one stage. An adult narrative wading through parental grief and an immersive audio experience for primary aged children full of hope for the future.
Today will also see the launch of Fuel’s partnership with Coombe Farm Studios, Devon on a programme of residencies for producers and artists. Residencies will focus on supporting artists exploring stories about place, migration, climate change and human rights. In 2019 our resident artists will include Will Adamsdale, Heather Adjyepong and Slung Low. Fuel also confirmed Producer Farm, their ground-breaking residency for producer development, a collaboration with Bristol Ferment, Dance Umbrella and In Between Time, will return in 2019, with an open call for applications to come in January.
Birmingham Repertory Theatre
13 April – 20 April 2019
7.45pm (except 16 April at 7pm)
Tickets: From £15
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk
0121 236 4455
Kiln Theatre
25 April - 17 May 2019
7.30pm / 2.30pm (Wednesday and Saturday)
Tickets: £10-£32.50
www.kilntheatre.com
020 7328 1000
A National Theatre and Fuel co-production
Three Sisters
By Inua Ellams
National Theatre, Lyttelton Theatre
Autumn 2019
Tickets: Hundreds of tickets for every performance available at £15.
www.nationaltheatre.org.uk
020 7452 3000
Fuel, National Theatre and Leeds Playhouse present
Barber Shop Chronicles
Tour supported by Arts Council England.
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, in partnership with Contact
March 7th – 23rd 2019
www.royalexchange.co.uk
www.contactmcr.com
Leicester Curve
April 3rd – 6th 2019
www.curveonline.co.uk
Bristol Old Vic
May 1st – 18th 2019
www.bristololdvic.org.uk
Sheffield Crucible
May 22nd – June 1st 2019
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Leeds Playhouse
September 4th – 21st 2019
www.leedsplayhouse.org.uk
Oxford Playhouse
October 9th – 12th 2019
www.oxfordplayhouse.com
Nuffield Southampton Theatres
November 13th – 17th 2019
www.nstheatres.co.uk
A Fuel, Bristol Old Vic, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, and Royal & Derngate, Northampton co-production
Touching the Void
Based on the book by Joe Simpson
Adapted by David Greig
Directed by Tom Morris
Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh
24 January – 16 February 2019
7.30pm / 2pm (Wednesday and Saturday)
Tickets: £10 - £32
www.lyceum.org.uk
0131 248 4848
@lyceumtheatre #TouchingTheVoid
Hong Kong Arts Festival, City Hall
21 – 23 February 2019
26 – 28 February 2019
1 – 2 March 2019
8pm / 3pm (Saturday and Sunday)
Tickets: HKD450.00 – HKD280.00
www.hk.artsfestival.org
852 2824 2430
@hkartsfestival #TouchingTheVoid
Perth Theatre
6 – 9 March 2019
7.30pm / 2pm (Saturday 9 March) / 3pm (Sunday 10 March)
Tickets: £10 - £23
www.horsecross.co.uk/venues/perth-theatre
01738 621031
@horsecrossperth #TouchingTheVoid
Eden Court Theatre
14 – 16 March
19.30/14.30 (Friday and Saturday)
Tickets: £14 - £32
www.eden-court.co.uk
01463 234 234
@edencourt #TouchingTheVoid
Bristol Old Vic
19 – 23 March
Tickets from £12.50
www.bristololdvic.org.uk / 0117 987 7877
@BristolOldVic #TouchingTheVoid
Fuel, Amnesty International, Donmar Warehouse, Liberty, Human Rights Watch, National Theatre, Sadler’s Wells, Tate Art Galleries present
Fly The Flag
For more information about Fly The Flag visit flytheflag.org.uk
Read the full Universal Declaration of Human Rights here
Fuel presents
The Dark
Written by Nick Makoha
Directed by Roy Alexander Weise
Designed by Rajha Shakiry
Starring Michael Balogun and Akiya Henry
Supported by Arts Council England, Cockayne – Grants for the Arts, London Community Fund, The Garrick Charitable Trust and Ovalhouse as part of the FiRST BiTES series.
Tara Theatre
8 – 10 January 2019
7.30pm
9 January 2019 – Post show Q&A (To be confirmed)
Tickets: Standard £10 - £17.50
www.tara-arts.com
020 8333 4457
The North Wall Arts Centre
15 – 16 January 2019
8pm
16 January 2019 – Playwriting Masterclass, 3PM
Tickets: £14 - £16 / Members: 15% off
www.thenorthwall.com
01865 319450
Theatre Royal Bath – The Egg
18 – 19 January 2019
18 January 2019 - Post show Q&A with the cast
8pm
Tickets: £13.50 - £16.50
www.theatreroyal.org.uk/your-visit/the-egg
01225 448844
Pontio
23 – 24 January 2019
7.30pm
Tickets: £10 – 12
www.pontio.co.uk/Online
01248 382828
Aberystwyth Arts Centre
26 January 2019
7.30pm
Tickets: £10 - £12
Promocode package: DARK19 for 23 drama students discounted tickets (price TBC)
10% off for group booking 10+ people
www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk
01970 62 32 32
Chichester Festival Theatre – Minerva Studio
28 – 29 January 2019
7.45pm
Tickets: £5 - £14
www.cft.org.uk
01243 781312
Lighthouse, Poole - Studio
31 January 2019
8pm
Tickets: £12 - £15.75
www.lighthousepoole.co.uk
01202 280000
Traverse Theatre
12 – 13 February 2019
8pm
Tickets: £5 - £15
www.traverse.co.uk
0131 228 1404
Tron Theatre
15 – 16 February 2019
7.45pm
Tickets: £12 - £17
www.tron.co.uk
0141 552 4267
The Day I Fell Into A Book
Written and performed by Lewis Gibson
Supported by Arts Council England and Southbank Centre, London
Age recommendation: For 8-12 year olds and their grown ups
Southbank Centre
19-23 February 2019
Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday 10.30 & 15.30; Wednesday and Friday 10.30, 13.00 & 15.30
Tickets: £12 (£9 concessions)
www.southbankcentre.co.uk
020 3879 9555
Arts Depot
1 & 2 March 2019
Friday 10.00, 12.20 & 14.40; Saturday 11.00 & 13.30
Tickets: From £9
www.artsdepot.co.uk
020 8369 5454
The Day I Fell Into a Book will also tour to Southampton, Salisbury and Corsham in Summer 2019.
The Kids Are Alright
By Encounter Productions
Co-commissioned by Fuel and The Place
Supported by Arts Council England, The Albany, Quarterhouse Folkestone
Age recommendation: 16+
The Place
9 - 10 April 2019
Times: 7.30pm
Tickets: £13 - £17
www.theplace.org.uk
020 7121 1100
The Albany
11 - 13 April 2019
Prices: £10 - £14
www.thealbany.org.uk
020 8692 4446
Further dates in Autumn 2019 to be announced shortly.
Coombe Farm Studios
www.coombefarmstudios.com
01803 722352
Please visit the website for further information about the residencies
