Current Work
GLOBAL RESEARCH EXPEDITION
MOROCCO – BRAZIL – INDIA – BANGLADESH – NIGERIA
“I feel privileged to be here, to begin to understand by seeing, meeting and listening.” Bridget Fiske
Red Forest is devised from material gathered on a global research expedition. Our researchers delved into the relationship between climate change and forced migration to raise awareness on the plight of climate refugees around the world.
Natalia Kaliada, Nicolai Khalezin, Bridget Fiske and Andrew Crofts travelled to Morocco, Brazil, India, Bangladesh and Nigeria, where they met with locals and members of NGOs. Throughout their journey Andrew Crofts and Bridget Fiske documented their experiences in a blog, which you can read on our website.
Buy Your Tickets For Red Forest Here
House an Actor
Do you have a spare room? Do you live in London? If so you could help us!
Giving one actor accommodation for a week is the equivalent of a £500 donation. In return we would offer you two tickets to the show as well as thanks in the programme.
We need accommodation from:
7- 11 of June, to perform Red Forest at The Young Vic.
13-21 September, to perform Price of Money at The Albany
News from Belarus
We lost our home in Belarus
In 2013 the authorities forced us out of the space where we performed for almost six years. In the face of threats, blackmail and harassment from the KGB we still managed to conduct a hugely successful underground tour, and have been performing every week in the woods, peoples living rooms and secret venues. However, not having a permanent home for our theatre has caused a tremendous strain on the company, finding rehearsal space is difficult and expensive.
The KGB are still threatening our company. Our General Manager, Svetlana Sugako, may face a jail sentence, Kirill Konstantinov and Sergey Kvachonok are wanted for investigation by the police for a controversial art project. The KGB also shut down our adaptation of Chekhov's 'The Seagull' by Maria Saznova, on the grounds that anti—governmental theatre is prohibited.
Despite prohibitions against our company we are able to work with our actors, across borders, on Skype. Nicolai and Natalia worked with students in Belarus via Skype, on a new urban art project called "Colour Gait Over the Gray" , and Vladimir Shcherban directed "Elizabeth Bath at Ivanov’s Christmas Tree" on Skype.
The Belarusian authorities need to realise the more they take away our freedom to perform, the more we will fight and continue to use our theatre as a tool to incite change.
Supporting Undiscovered Artists
ICCD
The International Contest of Contemporary Theatre (ICCD) was created by BFT to encourage new writing and promote Belarusian cultural identity on an international stage. In previous years it has been held underground in Belarus. 2014 will be the first time the ICCD will be held in a free country.The prizes were presented by Laura Wade at The Young Vic on the 3rd of March. The winning plays are now available to buy from Oberon Books,
Crossing the Borders
We have chosen four talented theatre makers to take part in our participatory programme, and learn the unique methodology behind Belarus Free Theatre. We will work with these participants over one year to help them become Universal Artists. For more information on our artistic method and the Universal Artist click HERE.
Congratulations to Patricia Ariza who has been honoured by The League of Professional Theater Women with the Gilder/Coigney International
Theatre Award. Congratulations also to Jill Greenhalgh, who was one of the 21 nominees from around the world.
