Theatre News

Greenwich and Docklands International Festival announces initial 2017 line-up

New commissions include a production of ”A View from The Bridge” and a virtual reality playground

De Roovers' A View from the Bridge
De Roovers' A View from the Bridge
© Stef Sessel

New commissions for this year's Greenwich and Docklands International Festival have been announced.

The annual outdoor theatre festival is entering its 22nd year, and will feature eight new productions as part of event. It will run from 23 June to 8 July at various venues around Greenwich.

Belgian company De Roovers will present the UK premiere their adaptation of Arthur Miller’s A View from The Bridge. In a new English translation, Miller's story about dock workers in search of the American dream will be set against the backdrop of a modern London riverscape. It will run from 22 to 25 June.

IOU Theatre will bring their bus journey Rear View to the festival. From 29 June to 2 July, the piece features performance poets Cecilia Knapp and Jemima Foxtrot and begins in a life-drawing class before telling the story of a woman's life.

Da Native is an exploration of identity and diversity in a post-Brexit Britain presented by Far From The Norm, who return to the festival following the football-inspired H.O.H. The piece draws on martial arts influences and will run on 24 and 25 June.

Thrill Laboratory will present a piece called VR Playground, in which participants will be invited to put on a virtual reality headset and sit on a playground swing. Designed by Professor Brendan Walker, VR Playground will be held close to the Royal Observatory, and will run on 24 and 25 June as part of Greenwich Fair.

Wild N Beats will bring their game show Bingo Lingo to the festival. A game of chance played on giant bingo cards and the shows hosts Daryl Beeton and Nicola Miles-Wildin will mix disability politics meets cheeky end of the pier humour.

Mark Smith's Deaf Men Dancing will present Corazón a Corazón which commemorates the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, and Luke Jerram will bring his new touring artwork Museum of the Moon to the festival.

French theatre company Compagnie Off will start their national tour of The Colour of Light at this year's festival. The piece has a specially commissioned soundtrack by composer Shri Sriram, and will close the festival on 8 July.

The full line-up for the festival will be announced in due course.