Armed with a live band & a single group of performers & theatre-makers, four exciting writers present four world premieres in an extraordinary pop-up performance environment within the Theatre.

From now until 10th September.

Presented in two double bills, a single group of performers, theatre-makers and a live band deliver these funny, scary and moving plays for today.

Double Feature 1

Edgar & Annabel
by Sam Holcroft
Directed by Lyndsey Turner

A young married couple prepare dinner in a smartly furnished kitchen. Annabel is composed, intelligent, in love. Edgar is professional, successful, assured. She’s chopping vegetables, he’s brought the wine. But something isn’t right. In a city not so different from our own capital, a group of freedom fighters attempt to stand up to an Orwellian establishment in increasingly perilous circumstances. Sam Holcroft’s ingenious new play paints a picture of a police state in crisis. The story that unfolds brings into question relationships, identities and the very nature of reality itself…

The Swan
by DC Moore
Directed by Polly Findlay

In a decaying pub in South London, preparations are being made for a wake. The beer is warm, the rain is falling, and tempers are running close to breaking point. Denise has lost a father – and Jim has missed his own son’s funeral. With only an hour before their guests arrive, a fractured family begin to settle their accounts. The ghosts of lives lived and opportunities missed are laid to rest as new and ancient betrayals are confronted and forgiven. DC Moore's touching and very funny new play examines the ties that hold us all together.

Double Feature 2

Nightwatchman
by Prasanna Puwanarajah
Directed by Polly Findlay

Abirami is English. And Sri Lankan. And a professional cricketer. Tomorrow she makes her debut for England against Sri Lanka, but tonight she faces a relentless bowling machine in a one-on-one session to prepare her for the innings of her life. As the night  draws on, she challenges our preconceptions of politics, sport and national pride as harshly as she challenges her own. Prasanna Puwanarajah’s new play, coarse, funny and provocative, is a vivid exploration of the search for the meaning of home.

There Is A War
by Tom Basden
Directed by Lyndsey Turner

In another country, in another time, civil war rages. The Blues and the Greys have been fighting each other for as long as they can remember. Soldiers, priests and scavengers roam a landscape scorched by years of battle and decay. Anne, a young medical officer, finds herself abandoned and useless, unable to locate the hospital or even the war she was promised. A journey into the dark heart of a strange and surreal conflict, Tom Basden’s miniature epic explores the mad savagery of war with biting black comedy.

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SPECIAL OFFER: All tickets £20! Book now and get a free pre-show drink in The Paintframe bar. Just call 020 7452 3000 and quote ‘Run Riot’. Valid for performances until 13th August. Subject to availability.