“Forest Forges new production is radical says poetry award nominee”
Wednesday 30th March - Friday 1st April, 7.30pm @ Lighthouse

Forest Forges latest production Peeling, has been described as radical by Kaite O’Reilly, author of the play and recently announced as one of the short listed writers for the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry 2010.  Kaite O'Reilly's darkly comic acclaimed play is about the choices women make and the things they hide. Peeling gives audiences a unique and compelling experience as it cunningly interweaves audio description and sign language.

From 26 March Forest Forge, one of the UK’s leading rural touring theatre companies based in the New Forest, will be touring the production, which gives a unique insight into life backstage at the theatre. Peeling is a dramatic and exciting new production, featuring three actresses who are waiting backstage to appear in a version of The Trojan Women.  As they wait for their cues they chat and share their stories. From health and beauty tips to recipes and on to more serious subjects, the actresses share their lives and experiences with each other.  Gradually we learn more about them as they peel away layers of their stories along with their ridiculous and cumbersome costumes.

Peeling is performed by a disabled cast and uses Signed performance - theatricalised British Sign Language. Also the entire script will be projected onto the back screen. The show was written by Kaite O’Reilly who has this week been short listed for the prestigious Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry in 2010, for her script of The Persians, for the National Theatre of Wales.  The award seeks to recognize excellence in poetry, highlighting outstanding contributions made by poets to cultural life.

Kaite has been working closely with the Forest Forge team on the production, which will tour to rural venues from the end of March. The production features three disabled actresses who audiences may recognise, including Ali Briggs (Freda in Coronation Street), Kiruna Stamell (La Petit Princess in Moulin Rouge) and Nicola Wildin.   It is very unusual for a rural theatre company to tour work such as Peeling and work with actors with disabilities. As Kaite O’Reilly explains:

“I am extremely excited by Peelings rural tour bringing this work and this company to village halls and community venues. The fact large famous London theatres are still casting hearing, non-signing actors in Deaf, signing parts only highlights how quietly radical Forest Forges work is.”

Kirstie Davis, Artistic Director at Forest Forge says:

“From that moment Kaite O’Reilly handed me the Peeling script I have been trying to find the moment for it to come into existence. I was blown away by the power of her writing and these extraordinary characters that she has created.

“I’m very excited about producing Peeling for the rural audiences in our region.  Work of this nature rarely gets shown outside London so it’s fantastic to be bringing a contemporary and such a major piece of theatre to our region.”

Peeling is touring Hampshire and the surrounding region from Saturday 26 March - Saturday 16 April. Details are available at www.forestforge.co.uk  

Tickets are £10 with some discounts available. For bookings please go to www.lighthousepoole.co.uk  or telephone Lighthouse, Poole on 0844 406 8666. To see the dates and venues for this show, click here.