CAST ALSO CONFIRMED FOR NEW PLAY ABOUT WELSH RUGBY LEGEND GARETH THOMAS THAT LOOKS AT THE MAN AND THE TOWN THAT MADE HIM – BRIDGEND
National Theatre Wales and Out of Joint are pleased to announce the full tour of Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage – a new, verbatim play directed by Max Stafford-Clark, which will tour Wales and England in Spring 2015.
“I was doing something nobody had done before, and if you’re the first to do something, you have to be prepared to take the sh*t for it.”
On the eve of one of the most important games of his career, Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas received a warning: The Sun newspaper was going to “out” him as gay.
This is the story of two Welsh names bruised, but not beaten, by media speculation; Gareth “Alfie” Thomas, 100 caps for Wales, once its captain, now the world’s most prominent gay sportsman; and his hometown, Bridgend.
Working with Alfie himself, and young people in Bridgend, two of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies – National Theatre Wales and Out of Joint – have teamed up to tell a great story about sport, politics, secrets, life and learning to be yourself.
The all-Welsh cast has also been confirmed as: Patrick Brennan, Katie Elin-Salt, Daniel Hawksford, Lauren Roberts, Rhys ap William and Bethan Witcomb.
Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage will open at the Sherman Theatre, Cardiff, in February 2015, and tour venues across Wales and England – full tour listings below.
Writer Robin Soans is celebrated for his documentary, verbatim plays based on interviews with real people, including Out of Joint’s acclaimed shows Mixed Up North, A State Affair and Talking to Terrorists, which was nominated for Best Play at the TMA awards and has been performed overseas including in Tehran. Others include Life After Scandal about Christine and Neil Hamilton, and The Arab-Israeli Cookbook, which also spawned a book of recipes. His most recent play was the fictional drama Perseverance Drive, which played to great praise at the Bush Theatre in 2014.
Director Max Stafford-Clark co-founded Joint Stock Theatre Group in 1974 following his Artistic Directorship of The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. From 1979 to 1993, he was Artistic Director of The Royal Court Theatre, after which he founded Out of Joint. His work as a director has overwhelmingly been with new writing, and he has commissioned and directed first productions from writers including Sue Townsend, Stephen Jeffreys, Timberlake Wertenbaker, Sebastian Barry, April de Angelis, Mark Ravenhill, Andrea Dunbar, Alistair Beaton, David Hare and Caryl Churchill. Additionally he has directed for the RSC, Sydney Theatre Company, New York’s Roundabout Theater and most recently The Seagull for Culture Project, New York. His books are Letters to George, Taking Stock and Journal of the Plague Year.
Listings Information
National Theatre Wales, Out of Joint & Arcola Theatre with Sherman Cymru present
CROUCH, TOUCH, PAUSE, ENGAGE
Written by Robin Soans
Directed by Max Stafford-Clark
Designer Angela Davies
Lighting Designer Katy Morison
Sound Designer Dyfan Jones
Assistant Director Rachael Boulton
The cast includes: Patrick Brennan, Katie Elin-Salt, Daniel Hawksford, Lauren Roberts, Rhys ap William and Bethan Witcomb.
Recommended for ages 14+
Tour Dates & Venues
Wales
Venue: Sherman Theatre, Cardiff
Dates: 19th Feb-7th March (Mon-Sat)
Times: 7.30pm (and 1.30pm matinee on Wed 4th March)
Box Office: www.shermancymru.co.uk
Tel: 029 2064 6900
Venue: Aberystwyth Arts Centre
Dates: 10th-14th March
Time: 7.30pm
Box Office: www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk
Tel: 01970 62 32 32
Venue: Pontio Presents @ Neuadd Ogwen, Bethesda
Dates: 17th-20th March
Time: 7.30pm
Box Office: www.pontio.co.uk
Tel: 01248 382828
Venue: The Coliseum, Aberdare
Dates: 24th-25th March
Times: 7.30pm (and 1pm matinee on Wed 25th March)
Box Office: coliseum.rct-arts.org
Tel: 08000 147 111
Venue: Sony Theatre, Bridgend College, Bridgend
Dates: 26th and 28th March
Times: 7.30pm (and 1.30pm matinee on Sat 28th March)
Box Office (sold through Sherman Cymru): https://uk.patronbase.com/_ShermanCymru/Productions/CTPB/Performances
Tel: 029 2064 6900
England
Venue: West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds
Dates: 31st March-4th April (except Fri)
Times: 7.45pm (and 2pm matinees on Thurs 2nd and Sat 4th)
Box Office: www.wyp.org.uk
Venue: Watford Palace Theatre, Watford, Herts
Dates: 8th-11th April
Times: 7.30pm (and 2.30pm matinees on Thurs 9th and Sat 11th April)
Box Office: www.watfordpalacetheatre.co.uk
Venue: Hull University
Dates: 14th-18th April
Times: 7.30pm (and 2.30pm matinees on Wed 15th and Sat 18th)
Box Office: www2.hull.ac.uk/fass/dramamusicandscreen/drama/whatson.aspx
Venue: Liverpool Playhouse
Dates: 21st-25th April
Times: 7.30pm (5.30pm Wed 22nd, and 2.30pm matinee on Thurs 23rd and 2pm matinee on Sat 25th)
Box Office: www.everymanplayhouse.com
Venue: Felsted School, Essex
Date: 27th April
Time: 7.30pm
Box Office: 01371 822619
Venue: Stahl Theatre, Oundle School, Peterborough
Dates: 28th-29th April
Times: 7.45pm
Box Office: www.stahltheatre.co.uk
Venue: The Leys School, Cambridge
Date: 30th April
Time: 7.30pm
Box Office: www.theleys.net/boxoffice
Venue: Lincoln Performing Arts Centre
Date: 1st May
Times: 7.30pm
Box Office: www.lpac.co.uk
Venue: Exeter Northcott Theatre, Exeter
Dates: 5th-9th May
Times: 7.30pm (and 1.30pm matinee on Thurs 7th May and 2.30pm matinee on Sat 9th May)
Box Office: www.exeternorthcott.co.uk
Venue: Arcola Theatre, London
Dates: 20th May-20th June (except Sundays)
Times: 7.30pm (and 3pm matinees every Sat)
Box Office: www.arcolatheatre.com
