Galas: Mark Rylance’s Survival, Sonnet 155 Album

Myriad stage stars will be celebrating tribal peoples and Shakespeare sonnets over the coming Sundays.
Fresh from his Olivier success for Jerusalem, Mark Rylance has created and will direct WE ARE ONE – a celebration of tribal peoples, a performance of tribal prose and poetry from an anthology of the same title, which will take place at 5pm on Sunday 18 April 2010 at the West End’s Apollo Theatre, where Rylance is currently appearing in Jerusalem the other six nights of the week.

The fundraising evening is in aid of Survival International, a human rights organisation that campaigns for tribal peoples, helping them to protect their lives, lands and futures. The book We Are One, edited by Jo Eede, was recently published to mark the organisation’s 40th anniversary.

Rylance, an ambassador for Survival, commented: “As a child, I was enriched and inspired by the lives and stories of the world’s tribal peoples. As an adult, I have also been inspired by the ceaseless work of the organization Survival International, and their movement to protect these tribes – from the rainforest of the Amazon to the icy reaches of the Arctic.

Amongst the other actors Rylance has enlisted to take part in the evening are: Gillian Anderson, Julie Christie, Sinead Cusack, Colin Firth, Emilia Fox, Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Sophie Okonedo, Mark Rylance, Danny Sapani, John Sessions, Kevin Spacey, Juliet Stevenson, Ken Stott, Zoe Wanamaker, James Wilby and Jerusalem co-star Mackenzie Crook.

Tickets for WE ARE ONE – a celebration of tribal peoples range from £20 to £100 and can be booked on 0871 297 0741 or at www.nimaxtheatres.com.

Further ahead, at the Almeida Theatre for three successive Sundays on 2, 9 and 16 May 2010 at 7pm, actors including Richard Briers, Janet Suzman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Lisa Dillon, Paul McGann and Hattie Morahan will take part in Sonnet 155, a performance of singer-songwriter and composer Tim Arnold’s new studio album.

When researching ideas for the album, Arnold asked renowned Shakespearean actors Ian McKellen, Derek Jacobi, Pete Postlethwaite, Richard Briers, Janet Suzman and Emma Thompson to identify a single theme from Shakespeare’s works. He received many considered and heartfelt responses, which he has re-imagined through classical and rock music and spoken word. The live production merges acting performance with a rock band, string quartet and opera singers. Deborah Bruce directs.

Tickets for Sonnet 155 cost £18 and can be booked on 020 7359 4404 or at www.sonnet155.com.