What's on at the Arcola Theatre for the autumn 2019 season?
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| By
Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels
It's a season of significant milestones for the Arcola Theatre with its newly announced autumn programme set to feature six plays written and/or adapted by women, including Maxine Peake's acclaimed biographical play on Beryl Burton. The autumn season at the Arcola will bring its first co-production with the Royal Shakespeare Company entitled #WeAreArrested, a provocative piece based on the true story of journalist and dissident Can Dündar that explores the price you pay to speak the truth in a world so full of lies and fake news.
See below for a detailed summary of what's on at The Arcola this autumn!
The Arcola Theatre brings fantasy, fairytales, political commentary, and psychological thrillers together in a unique, mixed-genre season filled with plays written or adapted by women.
What is playing at the Arcola Theatre this autumn (2019)?
Anna Bella Eema by Lisa D'Amour
🕒 When it's on: 11 Sep — 12 Oct 2019
📕 What it's about: Written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Lisa D'Amour, Anna Bella Eema follows a young girl named Annabella who learns to walk the earth amongst werewolves, vampires, and monsters. As her strange mother, Irene, becomes desperate to save their home from demolition, Annabella creates a girl out of mud, who then springs to life.
❓ Why see Anna Bella Eema: It's a unique coming-of-age fairytale packed with enough goons and goblins for the Halloween season.
🎟 Book your Anna Bella Eema Arcola Theatre tickets from £15.
Meet Me At Dawn by Zinnie Harris
🕒 When it's on: 9 Oct — 9 Nov 2019
📙 What it's about: Inspired by the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice and fresh from a critically-acclaimed run at the 2017 Edinburgh International Festival, Meet Me At Dawn tells the gripping tale of a boating trip gone horribly wrong. When Robyn and Helen swim to the far-away shore of a distant island after their boat crashes, the two friends, now castaways, quickly become strangers.
❓ Why see Meet Me At Dawn: It's a modern mystery of love, grief, and fantasy that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
🎟 Book your Meet Me At Dawn Arcola Theatre tickets from £12.
Beryl by Maxine Peake
🕒 When it's on: 16 Oct — 16 Nov 2019
📘 What it's about: Black Mirror actress Maxine Peake brings her highly-praised Beryl play to the East London stage. Based on the life of British cycling legend, Beryl Burton, who won numerous world titles despite her hear-weakening illness, Beryl: A Love Story On Two Wheels will warm your heart and soothe your soul.
❓ Why see Beryl: Everyone loves a modern success story complete with the various hurdles and obstacles along the way and Beryl is no different.
🎟 Book your Beryl Arcola Theatre tickets from £15.
#WeAreArrested by Can Dündar
— adapted by Pippa Hill and Sophie Ivatts
🕒 When it's on: 13 Nov — 7 Dec 2019
📙 What it's about: The editor of an esteemed newspaper is given a flash drive with evidence that the Turkish government has been engaged in the illegal smuggling of weapons. Despite risks of war and political turmoil, the editor publishes the story, sending him in a whirlwind of arrest, incarceration, and family separation. Will he get a fair trial?
❓ Why see #WeAreArrested: Given the chilling events of the Khashoggi murder, this cause-and-effect tale about Can Dündar dares to question just how far we should be willing to trust our own government keeping secrets.
🎟 Book your #WeAreArrested Arcola Theatre tickets from £12.
Hunger by Knut Hamsun
— adapted by Amanda Lomas
🕒 When it's on: 20 Nov — 21 Dec 2019
📘 What it's about: Norweigian author Knut Hamsun's own experiences of upwards mobility manifest in this highly regarded tale of a young man moving to a big city to become a writer.
❓ Why see Hunger: This story of a starving artist struggling to make his big break in a city that doesn't want or even need him will touch your heart.
🎟 Book your Hunger Arcola Theatre tickets from £15.
One Under by Winsome Pinnock
🕒 When it's on: 10 Dec — 21 Dec 2019
📗 What it's about: Cyrus, the Tube train driver, is in for a rude awakening when Sonny jumps in front of his train one fateful night. Determined to find out the cold hard truth behind the "one-under" suicide, Cyrus soon discovers that all roads lead to him.
❓ Why see One Under: The bone-chilling play will be innovatively staged to include creative captioning and audio description for every performance in order to evoke significant discussion on mental health and invisible disabilities. It will be unlike any production on in London Theatreland this year. Don't miss it.
🎟 Book your One Under Arcola Theatre tickets from £12.