National Theatre's Brexit play comes to the Playhouse
My Country; a work in progress is a new play inspired by the EU Referendum and Brexit. Written by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy and directed by Rufus Norris, the play is a collaboration between the National Theatre and eight UK arts organisations.It comes to the Liverpool Playhouse from April 11 to 15 as part of a nationwide tour following its run at the NT’s Dorfman Theatre in London.In the days following the Brexit vote, a team of interviewers spoke to spoke to people around the country – from Leicester to Derry/Londonderry and Merthyr Tydfil to Glasgow, aged 9 to 97, to hear their views. In a series of interviews, they heard opinions that were honest, emotional, funny and sometimes extreme. These testimonials have been interwoven with speeches from political leaders to create My Country.Britannia (Penny Layden) calls a meeting to listen to her people: Caledonia (Stuart McQuarrie), Cymru (Christian Patterson), East Midlands (Seema Bowri), North East (Laura Elphinstone), Northern Ireland (Cavan Clarke), and South West (Adam Ewan).Artistic Director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris, said: "One of my ambitions for the National Theatre is to make it truly national and through collaboration, embrace the creativity and opinion around the UK. "The Brexit vote unleashed a host of questions about our country, way beyond the issue of Britain's role in Europe. It articulated a deep disaffection. Those elements provoked a need and opportunity to create a piece of theatre that responds to that palpable sense of frustration and disillusionment."Art has always responded to what is happening now and it's what I hope we achieve with My Country."My Country: a work in progress has been created in collaboration with; Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, Curve, Leicester, Derry Playhouse, Live Theatre, National Theatre Wales, Sage Gateshead, Salisbury Playhouse and Strike A Light Festival in association with Cusack Projects Limited. For tickets and more information on the Liverpool Playhouse dates, see their website.
