UNKNOWN
A play about homelessness by Dougie Blaxland
BIG ISSUE FOUNDATION JOINS FORCES WITH AWARD WINNING THEATRE COMPANY TO HIGHLIGHT THE EVER-GROWING PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS IN THE UK
Big Issue Foundation is delighted to announce that a critically acclaimed theatre production commissioned as part of Big Issue’s 30th anniversary celebrations will be staged across the UK during a month-long tour this Autumn.
“This is a seriously important piece of work" The Greenwich Visitor
UNKNOWN - a play about homelessness - which has been created with support from The Arts Council was developed and produced in partnership with Roughhouse Theatre whose 2021 drama N17 won The National Campaign for The Arts 2021 Best Arts Project Award.
Moira Hunt - Director of Roughhouse Theatre - describes UNKNOWN as “a deeply compelling drama that tells the painfully true and profoundly moving story of a young man’s struggle to survive living on the streets of Britain today.” She also believes that it “should be seen by everyone who has ever crossed the road when approaching a homeless person in the street.”
First performed as a radio play in October 2020 and developed as a stage drama for a short tour in 2021, UNKNOWN has already received widespread acclaim - including being listed by The Guardian as one its readers’ favourite plays of 2020.
“Intimate, extremely moving and wonderful performances.”
The Guardian
“Harrowing stories eloquently told - all the more shocking because we know them to be true.”
Filmmaker Ken Loach
“This is a seriously important piece of work that deserves as wide – and as angry – an audience as possible”
The Greenwich Visitor
Announcing the forthcoming tour of Unknown, Tracy Griffin - CEO of Big Issue Foundation - said that “with the exponential increase in homelessness over the last three years there has never been a more important time to raise awareness of the issues and the reality of life on the streets in the UK today. It is in this context that we are working with Roughhouse Theatre to bring their compelling drama to as wide an audience as possible.”
THE BACKGROUND TO UNKNOWN
In just two years from 2017 to 2019, more than 800 people died living and sleeping rough on the streets of the UK - a significant number of them have never been identified or named. UNKNOWN is a poignant and powerful dramatisation of the tragic but true story of one young person's journey from an abusive childhood to a life on the streets of Bath - one of the most affluent cities in the UK.
Supported by Arts Council England and Big Issue Group, UNKNOWN has been written by award winning playwright Dougie Blaxland with the assistance of six people who have recent experience of homelessness on the streets of Bath and Bristol: Sammy Clark, Nathan Dempster, Ian Duff, Paul Jones, Lloyd Rusdale and Anthony Williams.
UNKNOWN is directed and produced by RoughHouse Theatre.
PERFORMANCES OF UNKNOWN
Oct 11th 2022 South Street Studio Reading
Oct 12th 2022 Ben Travers Theatre Charterhouse Godalming
Oct 13th 2022 Old Joint Stock Theatre Birmingham
Oct 14th 2022 Old Joint Stock Theatre Birmingham
Oct 15th 2022 Derby Theatre Studio
Oct 17th 2022 Town and Gown Theatre Cambridge
Oct 18th 2022 Greenwich Theatre
Oct 19th 2022 Greenwich Theatre
Oct 20th 2022 Greenwich Theatre
Oct 21st 2022 Greenwich Theatre
Oct 22nd 2022 Greenwich Theatre
Oct 25th 2022 Vesta Tilley Studio Swan Theatre Worcester
Oct 26th 2022 Vesta Tilley Studio Swan Theatre Worcester
Oct 27th 2022 Salford Arts Greater Manchester
Oct 28th 2022 Salford Arts Greater Manchester
Oct 29th 2022 Angles Theatre Wisbech
Nov 1st 2022 The Egg Theatre Royal Bath
Nov 2nd 2022 Everyman Theatre Studio Cheltenham
Nov 3rd 2022 Everyman Theatre Studio Cheltenham
Nov 4th 2022 The Core at Corby Cube
Nov 5th 2022 Mill Studio Yvone Arnaud Guildford
Reviews for previous work by RoughHouse Theatre and Dougie Blaxland
Getting The Third Degree
Play of the Year 2019 (Salford Star)
“Perfectly paced, impressively assured.” The Bath Magazine
“Beautifully written…this puts football in its social context.” The Telegraph
The Long Walk Back
“A remarkable piece.” The Guardian
“Taut, probing and beautifully structured.” My Theatre Mates
When The Eye Has Gone
**** (4 stars) “Brimming with charisma and honesty.” The Stage
“What makes Blaxland’s piece so compelling is that Milburn’s is a universal tale.” The Telegraph
FOR MORE INFORMATION & TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS WITH THE CREATIVE TEAM BEHIND UNKNOWN CONTACT:
Find out more about Big Issue Group and Big Issue Foundation here:
Meet The Team
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