Derby-based 1623 has been awarded almost £50,000 by Arts Council England for a pilot production of Lear/Cordelia, described by the company as “our most ambitious project to date”.
The double bill combines “Shakespeare, new writing and digital projection-mapping” as well as drawing on the findings of 1623’s research into King Lear and dementia in 2013.
Ben Spiller, 1623’s artistic director, said, “this is brilliant news, a significant milestone for 1623 in our 10th year. The Arts Council funding will give us the opportunity to try out a new piece of work with audiences in studio theatres before planning a national tour for 2017.
“Having the funding makes it possible for us to work with a fantastic team of artists including a playwright, a director, a designer and a digital artist.
“We're excited to be able to develop audiences for Shakespeare and new writing by working with the staff, residents and families at the dementia care homes we visited two years ago as well as new ones in both Derby and Leicester where we’ll test the pilot production.
“There’ll also be accompanying workshops for people living with dementia and their families as well as students and members of the public.”
Lear/Cordelia will be a new adaptation of Shakespeare's King Lear set in a care home followed by a new play that explores the impact of dementia on family life today.
The new play will be written from the perspective of Lear's youngest daughter, Cordelia. 1623 “wants to give this marginalised female character a strong voice to tell her untold story”.
Ben Spiller will adapt and direct Lear while Birmingham REP Foundry playwright Farrah Chaudhry will write Cordelia which will be directed by Theatre de Complicite associate artist Kirsty Housley.
Digital artist Darius Powell, who worked with 1623 on Let Me Not Be Mad in 2013, will design artwork to be projected onto the set which has been designed by Eleanor Field.
Christopher Lydon, 1623 creative producer, added, “Derby Theatre is also supporting the production along with Derby City Council, QUAD and Attenborough Arts Centre in Leicester. While we've toured nationally to non-traditional theatre spaces ever since we started in 2005, we've not developed a new piece of work out of participatory research in this way before and we're thrilled at the prospect of touring studio theatres in a more strategic way.
“Derby Theatre and Attenborough Arts have been very supportive towards the development of the project. We’ll première Lear/Cordelia at Derby Theatre Studio in autumn 2016 before taking it to Attenborough Arts Studio in Leicester, where Pilot Theatre will live-stream one of the performances online. The production will also have dementia-friendly and BSL-interpreted performances at both venues.”
Further information is available at the 1623 web site.