The Static - Riverside Studios
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
THE STATIC, by Davey Anderson, will visit Riverside Studios on October 19 and 20, 2012, as part of a UK tour.
The Static is presented by award-winning company ThickSkin, who combine bold Frantic Assembly inspired movement work with sharp, edgy theatre.
The show, which wowed critics during its world premiere run at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe, is a kinetic coming-of age story about desire, guilt and mind over matter, and follow up to ThickSkin’s critically acclaimed Blackout, also written by Anderson.
Combining a striking mix of multi-media, movement and text, The Static is described as a visually arresting and fast-paced new play which explores the ugly flipside to positive thinking – the terrifying idea that our darkest fantasies could come true.
The play focuses on Sparky, a bright but volatile 15-year-old boy, who is written off at school as a disruptive influence and lost cause. When he falls in love with classmate Siouxsie his thoughts become telekinetic. How will he use his newfound superpower – to win Siouxsie’s heart, or to take revenge on his classmates and teachers?
Continuing their tradition of developing and showcasing emerging talent alongside established artists, ThickSkin is reunited with 21-year-old Brian Vernel, who won over 2010 Fringe audiences with his compelling performance as young skinhead offender James, the lead character in Blackout, his first professional production.
One of a cast of four, Vernel again takes centre stage as Sparky. He is joined by Nick Rhys, Pauline Lockhart and Samantha Foley.
The Static is directed by Neil Bettles, co-founder and Artistic Director of ThickSkin, who recently worked as Associate Director on The Bacchae and Blood Wedding (Royal & Derngate, Northampton). He was previously Associate Director on the tour of Frantic Assembly’s Lovesong (2011) and will tour with the company as Associate Director for Beautiful Burnout this autumn.
The Static is ThickSkin’s second production and the first time the company has commissioned a playwright. The collaboration between Davey Anderson and ThickSkin builds on the success of the company’s 2010 Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut with Blackout for which it won the Arches Brick Award and was shortlisted for the Holden Street Theatre Award.
Davey Anderson is a playwright, director, musician and composer based in Glasgow. In 2005, he won the Arches Theatre New Directors Award, giving him a platform to stage his debut play Snuff. The following year, he became Director in Residence with the National Theatre of Scotland. He was also an Associate Playwright with the Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland from 2010 – 2011. For more information, visit www.daveyandersontheatre.com.
NB: The Static contains some strong language and is therefore suitable for ages 14+.
Running Time: 65 minutes (no interval).
Times: 7.30pm (also 2pm on October 20).
To book, call 020 8237 1111 or visit www.riversidestudios.co.uk.
In London, the tour will also visit The Albany (October 9 and 10, 2012).