Preview: MONEY the game show on NE tour

MONEY the game show

Written and directed by Clare Duffy

Designed by Rhys Jarman Lighting Design by Richard Godin.

Sound Design by Matt Angove. Original Music by David Edwards

An Unlimited Theatre and Bush Theatre co-production

MONEY the game show is a playful journey through the madness of the financial system from Leeds-based Unlimited Theatre and London’s acclaimed new writing venue the Bush Theatre.

Casino and Queenie used to be hedge fund managers. Before the financial crisis of 2008, that is. Now, in an inspired - or desperate - career move, they’ve turned to performance art to share their stories of how to make (and lose) billions from economic downturn.

Playing with £10,000 in real pound coins, you are invited to bet long, short and hedge, as game show hosts Casino and Queenie challenge you to play a series of high stake games that show how the world’s economic system came to the brink of collapse.

Risk takers to the front, risk averse to the back. Welcome to MONEY the game show.

The Bush Theatre teams up with Unlimited Theatre to take a playful and politically sharp look at the roots of the 2008 financial crisis and its ongoing impact in 2014, as well as tackle the bigger questions: What is money? What is it worth? And what happens when we stop believing in it?

MONEY the game show was first developed as part of the Platform 18: New Directions Award, supported by The Arches, Traverse Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland. It was fully produced by Unlimited Theatre and the Bush Theatre, with the full production receiving its world premiere in Feb 2013. The Autumn 2014 tour is presented as part of REACH, a project bringing new theatre to the North East, managed by ARC Stockton and Dep Arts Ltd and funded by Arts Council England.

Clare Duffy is a founding member of Unlimited Theatre, a freelance playwright and has recently completed a PhD by practice in writing for performance at Glasgow University. Her first full length play, Crossings, was commissioned by Sgript Cymru, won a Pearson award and a year-long residency at the West Yorkshire Playhouse where she wrote A Good Man. She has co-written most of Unlimited's work, including Neutrino, Zero Degrees and Drifting, Tangle, The Moon The Moon, Mission to Mars and The Giant and The Bear. Other works include Local Reality Expo (CCA, Unity Theatre / Homotopia, Chapter Arts Centre), The Fall (BBC Radio 4), Black Tonic (The Other Way Works, national touring) and Ana (Stellar Quines and Imago Theatre, Montreal). In 2011 Duffy was awarded the Platform 18: New Directions Award to begin work on MONEY the game show (Traverse, The Arches).

Based in Leeds UK, Unlimited is what happens when the artists Clare Duffy, Jon Spooner and Chris Thorpe make new work together. This work is always co-created with equal partnership in the creative process and in collaboration with an expanding pool of associate artists, scientists, technologists and educators. At its heart is a sincere engagement with its audience both in the process and moment of (co)creation. Unlimited formed in 1997 and is currently the resident company at West Yorkshire Playhouse. Recent shows include The Noise, The Giant & The Bear, Mission To Mars and The Ethics of Progress and recent awards for the company include Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Achievement in Space Education and Outreach 2011; National Charity Awards 2011 (Arts, Culture and Heritage); and WISE Champion Award 2011.

On The Web:

Trailer: http://vimeo.com/93383644

Website: www.unlimited.org.uk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/untheatre

#moneygameshow

Tour Dates:

Bishop Auckland Town Hall – 22 September

Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham – 24 & 25 September

Saltburn Community Theatre – 26 September

Seaton Delaval Arts Centre – 27 September

The Customs House, South Shields – 29 & 30 September

Arts Centre Washington – 2 October

Alnwick Playhouse – 3 October

ARC Stockton Arts Centre – 8 & 9 October

Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre – 10 & 11 October

For booking information see: http://www.unlimited.org.uk/performance-calendar/