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I AM GAVRILO PRINCIP
by
Oliver Yellop
I am Gavrilo Princip is the story of one of histories greatest unknowns: Gavrilo Princip, the young assassin who shot the Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, the event that kick started the First World War.
The play finds Gavrilo in purgatory watching the blood and carnage of the 20th century unfold. It is his punishment to watch the consequences of his actions over and over again, as time loops over the last century. History has not been kind to Gavrilo Princip. He has either been overlooked, misrepresented or misunderstood.
But this is not a story about the colossal impact of his actions. This is a story about a young man trying to find his place in the world. A young man who sacrificed so much and got so little in return. About wanting so desperately to belong, to be remembered that violence became his only course of action.
We are often taught that history is a story of kings and queens, of very important people doing very important things. But it is not so in case of Gavrilo Princip... Much ink has been spilt discussing the legacy of Princip's contribution to history. Weather he was a freedom fighter or a terrorist will continue to be debated long into the future. However what I wanted to do, was to create a narrative on the man himself: his thoughts, his feelings, his reflections on the world he lived in, and the one he watched unfold. The idea for this show was to give a voice to someone who so often has had others speak for him.
The play finds Gavrilo in purgatory watching the blood and carnage of the 20th century unfold. It is his punishment to watch the consequences of his actions over and over again, as time loops over the last century. History has not been kind to Gavrilo Princip. He has either been overlooked, misrepresented or misunderstood.
But this is not a story about the colossal impact of his actions. This is a story about a young man trying to find his place in the world. A young man who sacrificed so much and got so little in return. About wanting so desperately to belong, to be remembered that violence became his only course of action.
We are often taught that history is a story of kings and queens, of very important people doing very important things. But it is not so in case of Gavrilo Princip... Much ink has been spilt discussing the legacy of Princip's contribution to history. Weather he was a freedom fighter or a terrorist will continue to be debated long into the future. However what I wanted to do, was to create a narrative on the man himself: his thoughts, his feelings, his reflections on the world he lived in, and the one he watched unfold. The idea for this show was to give a voice to someone who so often has had others speak for him.
International VoicesInternational Voices is an ongoing, evolving project for Presence Theatre in which we aim to bring communities together in London, to explore national theatrical repertoires, and to work toward a greater understanding of the world’s diverse theatre and storytelling cultures. We aim to rediscover the best in classic and contemporary international writing, whilst honouring the spirit and cultural context in which the plays were written.
In July 2017 we presented a reading of They Have Given Us the Land, You Don’t Hear Dogs Barking and Luvina from The Plain in Flames by the Mexican writer Juan Rulfo at the Chalton Gallery in London. Previous staged readings include The Deep by Jón Atli Jónasson at the Embassy of Iceland. "Powerful theatre in a non-theatrical setting ... an impressive achievement." British Theatre Guide on The Deep Photos: David Secombe.
*If you are interested in International Voices please contact Anna Mors @ annamors@gmail.com |
THEY HAVE GIVEN US THE LAND,
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THE DEEP
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EMPEROR FUKUSHIMA
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NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL MUSIC
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THE RETURNINGS
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THE HOLY GHOSTLY
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THE WAR IN HEAVEN
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THE ANIMAL (YOU) conceived by Jack Tarlton Created by Jack Tarlton and Simon Usher using material from Nightwalk, Rolling Thunder Logbook, Hawk Moon, Motel Chronicles, Cruising Paradise, Slave of the Camera, Great Dream of Heaven and Day Out of Days by Sam Shepard Directed by Simon Usher Music by Ben Kritikos Design and Costume: Carmen Mueck Lighting and Projection: Arnim Friess Sound Design: Paul Bull Cast: John Chancer, Valerie Gogan, Ben Kritikos & Jack Tarlton Worship the animal. The animal. You. A drive through the landscape of Sam Shepard's poetry and prose, played loud to the standard rock and roll progression of C, A minor, F, G chords. Many of the themes that stalk his work for theatre are laid bare in the tales that Sam Shepard has been writing over the last forty years. From the kid driving a stolen car to Mexico to his unstintingly honest look at his relationships to women and alcohol, through to the older man of today with the "constant swirling chatter" inside his head, they capture the universality of a man trying to find his place in the world. CHORALE marks the premiere of The Animal (You) after its successful preview at Latitude Festival. "A rolling interior monologue with the irresistible pull of the road at its heart in a piece of beguilingly poetic rock and roll theatre." The Herald "Beautifully compiled ... Shepard’s fragmented rhythms are transporting." Time Out "Memorably intense performances ... a fine, sustained reflection on the forces that drive Shepard's male characters onto the road, on the legendary landscape through which they pass, and on the truth that however deep they travel into America's wild places, they can never escape themselves." The Scotsman Top photograph: Stephanie Königer |
SAVAGE/LOVE
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TONGUES WORKSHOP
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HERONS! LIVE
Music by Ben Kritikos
CHORALE's composer and musician Ben Kritikos plays the music of his band Herons! a self-styled mix of punk, folk, classical, jazz and good old fashioned pop, from their albums So Long! and Some Things Run Wild. Born in New York, Ben has toured extensively across Europe and the UK, fronting Herons! and supporting and playing with the likes of John Cooper Clarke and hermes. “[So Long!] is one of the most incredibly passionate, satirical, bad ass, politically righteous and tellingly honest albums I’ve ever heard. Its message breaks down barriers and [Ben Kritikos'] voice is unforgettable.” Wallis Bird Photo: Izzy Gibbin |
IF SO, THEN YES
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PERKIN WARBECK
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WARM by Jon FosseTranslated by May-Brit Akerholt Directed by Simon Usher October - November 2008 - Theatre503 A house. A pier. An ocean. Two men lingering at the edge of the sea. They wait for the woman they can barely recall but will never forget. As forgotten memories and secret desires once more float to the surface, so too does a love story in all its beautiful and heartbreaking forms. A play of tender precision, stripped down to its emotional essentials by Europe's most prolific and performed living playwright, hailed in his native Norway as the greatest playwright since Henrik Ibsen. "Simon Usher is an adventurous director ... the haunting text is spare, poetic." ★★★★ Time Out 
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UNCLE VANYA
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THE WAR IN HEAVEN
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Presence Theatre is a Company Limited by Guarantee
Registered in England & Wales no. 6315043
Registered Charity no. 1132900
Registered in England & Wales no. 6315043
Registered Charity no. 1132900
