Page 36 - FINAL_Guildhall Media Highlights 2019-2020 Coverage Book
P. 36

1 May 2020


               Guildhall School of Music & Drama

               streams Provok’d: A Restoration in 360°




               By Ben Brown

               Guildhall School of Music & Drama is streaming Provok’d: A Restoration, a piece of
               theatre written and devised by the Company of Guildhall School actors, for free from
               7pm on 1 May until 15 May.


               Online audiences can watch the play in 360° on Guildhall School’s website. It is powered
               by LIVR Player from LIVR; a virtual reality content platform dedicated to theatre.


               The production was premiered in autumn 2019 as part of the first season programmed
               by the school’s new vice-principal and director of drama Orla O’Loughlin.


               The innovative performance combines Restoration Comedies of the 17th Century with
               original rap and hip hop. As a group of actors come together to rehearse period scenes, a
               rising sense of anarchy bubbles up as they question which stories deserve to be retold.


               It is regarded as an important piece of theatre for our time, tackling issues such as
               gender, politics, race and sexuality.


               Brodie Ross, head of acting at Guildhall School, said: “Provok’d is an original production
               in which a group of students take up space and offer their own responses to a vital
               conversation.


                                                                       “It injects both humour and rage
                                                                       into issues of relevance and
                                                                       representation in arts education,
                                                                       and we are proud and excited to
                                                                       be sharing it with this free, 360°
                                                                       streaming.”


                                                                       The performances in December
                                                                       2019 gained wide praise from
                                                                       audience members on social
                                                                       media with a selection of casting
                                                                       directors, artistic directors and
   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41