Three decades in the future, when Donald Trump has bought the UK, all that remains is one giant golfing resort. This terrifying dystopian picture is the one drawn by new thriller The Open, which begins its run at The Space this week. Take a look at the trailer, then book your tickets.
Written and directed by Florence Bell, the new drama runs at the Isle of Dogs venue from 24 September to 12 October 2019.
It’s 2050 and Arthur, an obsessive jobsworth, and Patrick, a depressed romantic, are stranded on the GBGC (Great British Golf Course) owned by Donald Trump. As they battle tedium Jana, an immigrant rebel, crashes into their world. Will she be the key to their survival or the catalyst of their downfall?
National identity, human rights and the endurance of love are pushed to the limit as three friends form and break allegiances, wrestling with the possibility of escape and the rise of the far right. The Open is a gripping new play about who owns the land, who closes the borders and how we remember who we are in order to fight back.
Bell is a writer, director and performer whose credits include TV dramas Wolf Hall, The End of the F*cking World and Clink. The Open is the debut production from her fledgling company FIASCO, a multidisciplinary production house dedicated to reflecting the dark and absurd times we live in.
Florence Bell on The Open
Here’s my full sass interview on @theopentheplay. First night is 24th September, less than two weeks! @SpaceArtsCentre 🎟️ https://t.co/edJekWXWQV #interview #theatre #newplay #newwriting #writer #writerscommunity #director #future #sass @TomGabrielBlake @niemi_heidi @EmmaAust1n pic.twitter.com/KQdnTtPOsn
— Brave New Word (@Bravenew_word) September 13, 2019
Priyank Morjaria, Tom Blake, Heidi Niemi and Emma Austin star in the production. Tom Craig designs the set, with lighting by Simisola Majekdunmi, music by Liam Lever and photography/video by Kit Dambite.