Interviews

Five Reasons To See … Trading Faces

Following last year’s critical success of Work, the Actors Ensemble now bring Trading Faces to Camden’s the Lion and Unicorn Theatre in association with Giant Olive Theatre. An engaging and funny look at how people try to get what they want, Trading Faces tells the story of three couples, three complications and one on the way.

Written by Richard Bevan and directed by Sam Rumbelow, Trading Faces opens tonight (21 October 2010, previews from 19 October) at the Lion and Unicorn Theatre where it continues until 6 November. The Actors Ensemble give us their five reasons to see the show.


1. The story that examines the battle between modern love and a culture of self-gratification

In a world of mobile phones and emails, affairs aren’t always easy to hide from loyal partners. In a society that encourages everyone to have it all, are we in danger of losing sight of what’s really important? Trading Faces is a challenging, thought-provoking and perceptive exploration of modern day relationships and will definitely strike a chord.

2. This is our first collaboration with an established playwright

Following the success of Work which ran in late 2008 and was a devised play evolved from techniques and methodology practised by the company in regular workshops and classes, Trading Faces represents the Actors Ensemble’s first collaboration with an established playwright, and is Richard Bevan‘s first commissioned stage play.

3. The show has a fantastic cast

These are talented actors who act for the love of drama, to produce intimate, fervent and inspiring theatre, all following the motto “each to their potential and to the potential of all”.

4. Sam Rumbelow is a highly-acclaimed director

Sam Rumbelow comes with 25 years experience in the industry. Having been teaching and coaching for ten years, he is now established as the prominent method practitioner in the UK. Sam has recently been highly praised for his collaboration with Turner Prize-winning artist, Gillian Wearing, on her debut feature film, Self Made, which recently showed at The London Film Festival and received excellent reviews. Wearing says of Rumbelow: “He really stood out because he was able to be empathetic as well as being very instructive at the same time and to get a performance out of people. He is just very intelligent and also very intuitive, which I really loved about him… I put my faith and trust in him and he did a fantastic job.”

5. The play is only on for three weeks, so don’t miss it!

Trading Faces only runs at the Lion and for a limited run from 21 October, (previews from 19 October) until 6 November 2010 so make sure you don’t miss it!