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Quarantine Present Entitled at RET Studio

Manchester’s acclaimed theatre company Quarantine are set to present the world premiere of their new show Entitled at the Royal Exchange Theatre next month.

A co-production with the Royal Exchange Theatre – commissioned by Sadler’s Wells and Leicester Curve Theatre – the play is being performed in The Studio from Thursday 7 July to Saturday 23 July 2011 before embarking on a national tour.

Hope, privilege and disappointment are explored in this fascinating new piece. It reveals the usually hidden choreography of transforming a theatre from an empty space for a show - and back again.

Quarantine’s unique theatrical style uses real people with real stories; putting those who have never performed before side by side with virtuosos. Entitled will play on these people's past experiences and their personal dreams.

Quarantine - established in Manchester and now based in Salford - is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading contemporary theatre companies, touring nationally and internationally. Quarantine work with both experienced performers and people who have never performed before; using their personal histories and experiences to invent a theatrical form that’s tailored to each piece – from intimate encounters to epic events.

Entitled has been selected to be part of the British Council’s Edinburgh Showcase in August 2011. Quarantine’s previous work includes Susan & Darren (currently on European tour) and The Soldier's Song (which has just completed a run at West Yorkshire Playhouse).

The performers include Greg Akehurst, Chris Whitwood and Lisa Mattocks - all theatre technicians by trade. Greg has worked with Quarantine for over 10 years both as Production Manager and Sound Designer. Chris is a Manchester based Production and Technical Manager. He regularly works on Clockwork at The National Theatre and Process Festivals 06, 08, 10. Lisa is an independent theatre producer and Production Manager, and currently works with Reckless Sleepers. Lisa is also an artistic collaborator/producer with Trace Theatre and the administrative director of Flare Festival – an international festival of new theatre. Entitled will be Greg, Chris and Lisa’s first speaking roles.

The play also features feature professional dancer and choreographer Jo Fong. She has performed with many major and experimental dance and theatre companies including Rosas, Rambert Dance Company, DV8, Ricochet and Extemporary Dance Theatre. Her performance work has been recognised and awarded by the Critic’s Dance Circle. Manchester born musician John Kilroy trained at the Rambert School of Ballet and worked as a professional dancer until the age of 30 before turning to songwriting. Fiona Wright has been making performances since the 1980s, working in choreography, installation and writing. Recently, Fiona has also been working as a collaborative performer in touring companies across Europe.

As well as writing the text, Sonia Hughes will also perform in the piece as a dancer. Sonia is a theatre maker, who started out as a performance poet and moved rapidly onto writing plays. Weeding Cane, her first full-length play, started life at Greenroom and went on to run at the Royal Exchange Theatre before embarking on a national tour. For Quarantine - Sonia has written Old People, Children & Animals, Make Believe and the award-winning Susan & Darren. Sonia has also appeared at the Royal Exchange with 0.0008 – a solo piece which which wrote and performed.

The Creative team is completed by Richard Gregory (director), Simon Banham (designer), Sonia Hughes (writer), Jane Mason (choreographer), Mike Brookes (lighting), Dr Michael Brady (philosopher) and Swen Steinhauser (dramaturg).

- by Glenn Meads

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