A collection of short political plays in response to warnings that artists shouldn’t be political
A series of rapid political responses, Cutting the Tightrope: the divorce of Politics from Art brings together award-winning playwrights with radically different voices to form an urgent response to the creeping repression of the arts. It is an urgent and immediate reaction to widespread political unrest and a news agenda that brings with it uncertainty as well as fear.
With the Arts Council England’s guidance that political statements made by individuals linked to an organisation can cause reputational risks, Cutting The Tightrope: The divorce of Politics from Art is a timely and necessary look at how these ongoing threats to freedoms are influencing our lives.
The collection of short plays brings together UK-based writers from activists to comedians, Russian to Iraqi heritage, Jewish to Muslim background with a guttural reaction to the politics of today. Although the playwrights’ names are advertised, who wrote which play will remain unknown so the artists feel there can be freedom of expression without fear.
It includes work from Hassan Abdulrazzak, Mojisola Adebayo, Phil Arditti, Sonali Bhattacharyya, Nina Bowers, Roxy Cook, Ed Edwards, Afsaneh Gray, Dawn King, Ahmed Masoud, Nina Segal, Sami Abu Wardeh, Nina Bowers, Roxy Cook, Ed Edwards, Afsaneh Gray, Dawn King, Nina Segal and Sami Abu Wardeh.
There will be post-show panel discussions with guest speakers from activism, journalism, politics and the arts who will dissect a different, related topic after each performance including “Censorship around the world: lessons we can learn in the UK” & “Palestine: how Middle East politics plays out/or not on our stages.”
★★★★★ – British Theatre Guide on Walking the Tightrope
“What serious theatre is for” – The Independent
Cutting the Tightrope: the divorce of Politics and Art: 10th May – 18th May 2024
Venue: Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, London E8 3DL
Tickets: Cutting the Tightrope: the Divorce of Politics from Art