Flood drama plays to small audience - in a caravan
25 June 2009
The drama of the devastating 2007 floods will be played to an
audience of 8 people at a time – in a caravan.
Around 25 flood victims were interviewed for the documentary
theatre performance, The Caravan.
It will be shown in a caravan in Witney, Oxfordshire next week
as part of the Playhouse Plays Out series.
The play, will be featuring four actors each will be playing
three characters, will re-enact several of those interviews word
for word, alongside visual and audio footage shown in the
caravan.
Director Ben Freedman said "The company travelled around the UK
speaking to people affected by the floods and a lot of the people
we found were living in caravans, so that was why we decided to
restage those interviews in a caravan.
Throughout their research, Mr Freedman and co-director Mimi
Poskitt recorded 24 hours worth of footage.
More than 2,100 people in Oxfordshire were affected by the July
2007 floods, the worst hit flood areas were in West
Oxfordshire.
Miss Poskitt said Susan and Jonathon's story was similar to many
others they found.
She said, "The riverside burst its bank and they were flooded so
they were living out of their homes for four to five months."
Since the play was first launched at last years Edinburgh Fringe
Festival, it has been performed more than 300 times, each time
within a caravan.
Mr Freedman said: "It's a very intimate experience because you
are sitting with the actors and they are addressing you
directly."
Actors Brett Johal, Rachel Dale, Sanchia McCormack and Davies
Palmer will retell the tales of 12 people affected by the floods
with five performances a day.
Story from Oxford Mail, Flood drama plays to small
audiences - in a caravan, 24 June 2009