One Million Tiny Plays About Britain Media Release

WORLD PREMIERE

This Spring, the Citizens Theatre will present the World Premiere of One Million Tiny Plays About Britain, adapted from Craig Taylor’s popular column in the Guardian newspaper. Recently published as one book, each scene is an insightful window into 21st century life - revealing all its triumphs, disasters, prejudices, horrors and joys – and here for the first time, these vignettes are given life on stage.

This production is adapted and directed by Ros Philips, the Citizens Theatre’s current Trainee Director.  It is her second production, following on from the acclaimed production of My Name is Rachel Corrie in March this year.  Ros is a movement director, acting teacher, actress and director with a 14 year portfolio of theatre practice working in rep theatre, touring companies, drama schools and universities. 

Drawing inspiration from everyday situations and all walks of life, these brilliantly funny and at times heart-breaking snapshots from across the country are adapted into a high energy theatrical montage.

Taking a glimpse at subjects as diverse as knife crime, arranged marriage and getting on the property ladder, through to the price of organically grown tomatoes, this is a portrait of the real issues and frivolities that make up the culture of 21st century Britain, and questions what it is to be a patriot.   

The production will feature an original soundscape, created from a mix of atmospheric recordings and authentic soundbites from cities and towns around the UK including Bristol, Manchester, Pilton, Lichfield and of course, Glasgow. 

The many characters of the piece will be realised by performers Sushil Chudasama, Mark McDonnell and Pauline Turner.  Sushil’s theatre credits include Testing the Echo (Out of Joint) and The Kindness of Strangers (Liverpool Everyman) but he is perhaps best known for TV appearances including Corontation Street, where he played series regular Scooter, and Blue Murder.  He will appear in the forthcoming feature film Late Bloomers, which stars William Hurt, Isabella Rossellini and Hugo Speer.

Mark McDonnell has appeared in Trumpets and Raspberries (Lyceum, Edinburgh), The Bones Boys (Oran Mor), The Sundowe (Eden Court/Cameron MacIntosh) and The People Next Door (Traverse).  His other appearances include Ideal, Velvet Soup, Revolver, and feature film Festival (Film 4). 

Pauline has previously appeared at the Citizens in Top Girls, as well as in Phaedra and Lavender Blue (Lyceum, Edinburgh) and The Unconquered (Stellar Quines).  Film and TV appearances include Young Adam (Warner Bros/Hanway), Goodnight Mr Tom (ITV/Carlton) and Martin Chuzzlewit (BBC).

ENDS


For more details, images or to arrange an interview contact:
Cat McNaught: 0141 418 6233 / cat@citz.co.uk

OR speak to my colleagues in marketing – Alison Martin 0141 418 6235 / alison@citz.co.uk or Helen Black 0141 418 6272 / helen@citz.co.uk


NOTES TO EDITORS
1. One Million Tiny Plays About Britain was first published in the Guardian newspaper in November 2006. It was later published as a collection by Bloomsbury Publishing in January 2009.
2. One Million Tiny Plays About Britain © 2009 by kind permission of Craig Taylor.
3. The Citizens Theatre has launched a Flickr competition to coincide with the production, called A Snapshot of Britain.  Entries can be viewed here - citz.co.uk/about/a_snapshot_of_britain/ and the winner will be announced week beginning Mon 10 May. 

CRAIG TAYLOR
Craig Taylor’s non-fiction has appeared in the most prominent newspapers in three countries: the Guardian, the New York Times and the Globe and Mail. His fiction has appeared in the Mississippi Review. Between 2006 – 2009 he wrote One Million Tiny Plays About Britain for the Guardian’s Weekend magazine. Three of these plays were printed on handbags and given to winners at the Cannes Film Festival. He publishes his own photocopied magazines, including The Review of Everything I’ve Ever Encountered and Dark Tales of Clapham. His first book, Return To Akenfield, was published by Granta in 2006 and his second, One Million Tiny Plays About Britain was published by Bloomsbury in 2009.  He is at present working on a book about London for Granta.

ONE MILLION TINY PLAYS ABOUT BRITAIN
Directed by Ros Philips
Designed by Jason Southgate
Lighting Design by Kai Fischer
Sound Design by Alisdair McGregor

Cast: Sushil Chudasama, Mark McDonnell and Pauline Turner. 

LISTINGS
One Million Tiny Plays About Britain
Circle Studio
Tues 18 May – Sat 5 June, 7.45pm
Previews: Tues 18 & Wed 19 May
Prices: £12 standard (concessions available)
Tuesdays £7; Previews: £4

PRESS NIGHT: Thursday 20 May, 7.45pm

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