Theatre News

Frantic Assembly announces plans for 25th anniversary year

The company will present a brand new show co-directed by Kathy Burke and Scott Graham

Scott Graham and Kathy Burke
Scott Graham and Kathy Burke
© Natasha Krstic-Howe

Theatre company Frantic Assembly will celebrate its 25th anniversary later this year with new work and schemes.

The company will present the world premiere of Sally Abbott's I Think We Are Alone, co-directed by Kathy Burke and Scott Graham. Exploring fragility and forgiveness within communities, the piece has design by Morgan Large with lighting by Paul Keogan and sound by Ella Wahlström. Co-produced with Theatre Royal Plymouth in association with Curve, the show will open in Plymouth on 3 February 2020 before touring to Liverpool Playhouse, Theatre Royal Stratford East, The Lowry, Nuffield Southampton, Bristol Old Vic, Oxford Playhouse, Northern Stage and Curve.

At Latitude Festival and the National Theatre's River Stage festival the company will present Phil Porter's Sometimes Thinking. Co-directed by Graham and Simon Pittman and featuring a soundtrack by Underworld, the show is about all the hours we spend daydreaming. At the River Stage the company will also present a "Frantic Megamix", with performances and workshops based on work including The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Fatherland.

Further to this the company will continue its free nationwide training programmes under the umbrella name of Ignition, to help young practitioners. The company will create The Assembly, a group that meets quarterly to discuss new visions.

From July 2019 the company will present the Frantic Assembly podcast, with guests including writers Anna Jordan and Sally Abbott, casting director Sarah Hughes, actors Imogen Stubbs, Paapa Essiedu, Karl Queensborough and Joe Layton and directors Steven Hoggett, Neil Bettles, Jessica Williams and Sophie Shaw.