Angel Theatre Company will present a new and unique piece of theatre titled Eavesdropping at Barons Court Theatre in July 2016.

A note from Caroline – Before we go into more detail about this piece I wanted to say a few words. The reason I have been delighted to be asked to be involved with this production, is this type of unique piece is the epitome of why I started my site. New writing to encourage and support both emerging talent, creativity and authors is something I’m hugely passionate about. So read on and please support.

Angel Theatre Company is an organisation dedicated to providing recent graduates with the opportunity to perform professionally within their first year of leaving drama school. They aim to produce challenging, character driven plays, selected specifically to showcase actors’ individual talents. Cast members work under the guidance of experienced industry professionals and are given a rewarding first taste of a career in the theatre.

The Company’s first production, Can’t Stand up for Falling Down, played at the New Wimbledon Studio Theatre in July 2015 to great critical acclaim, achieving 4 star reviews. Top industry professionals attended the performances and each cast member found the experience the perfect opportunity to make the transition from training to working!

Their latest offering, Eavesdropping, is an original piece of theatre consisting of a variety of scenes, each varying in length. Most plays are either scripted or devised but Eavesdropping is unique in sitting somewhere between the two! The piece is created by the company of actors, spending several weeks covertly recording real people, engaged in genuine conversations. These recordings are then scripted and explored through rehearsal to find their dramatic potential. Those that they feel work as pieces of theatre are then shaped and polished. In working on the pieces (which have no link other than they are all real dialogue) the creative team follow certain rules, including:

• The people recorded must be complete strangers to the company and unaware they are being recorded.

• Any names must be changed to ensure the anonymity of those who were recorded.

• The actual recorded words are not to be altered in any way.

• In shaping the scenes, the creative team may change the location of action, characters, relationships, add pauses/silences etc to enhance the theatricality of the scene.

The concept for the production comes from experienced actor and director, John Patterson, Artistic Director of Angel Theatre Company. He said, “In piloting the idea over the past few weeks, we have been fascinated at our findings. The pieces we have so far explored range from the deeply moving to the hilarious! These raw, revealing observations of real life are more genuinely reflective of the world around us than much conventionally scripted drama! Each vignette is a miniature work of art in itself, but when presented as part of a sequence, the piece promises to take its audience on a unique, entertaining, emotional and amusing journey.”

Ron Phillips, Artistic Director of Barons Court Theatre added, “This is one of the most original concepts for a theatrical piece we have ever heard of and it promises to be a fascinating production.”

For their latest venture, the company has grown from three actors to ten and includes recent graduates from Arts Ed, GSA, Italia Conti, ALRA, Drama Studio and The Poor School. An intensive two week rehearsal process in June will be followed by the company opening for their run at Barons Court Theatre, 5th – 16th July 2016.

If you’d like to book or know more here is Angel Theatre Company’s website link: Angel Theatre Company