ANITA SULLIVAN playwright

New Perspectives Theatre's 50th year show

 

A new commission celebrating New Perspectives' long and proud history of rural touring and inclusive theatre.

 

A model village rebels and the ‘bigs’ have to intervene. But should the historic village stay in 1930’s England, or move forward? The audience decides. 50th year anniversary show for New Perspectives Theatre Company Nottingham.

 

The play was inspired by Bekonscot Model Village, Oxfordshire, researched with the help of their model-making team. The play moves between two scales,  two eras. It explores what it means to be a community: how  to adapt while holding onto core values, how face the future without erasing the past. It played to local art centres and village halls, places where these issues are live and real.

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The show had active participation, with audio interviews from the communities featuring in the play, and song that was taught to local groups who performed it as a 'flash mob' at the end of the show. The audience also got to choose the ending for 'their' village: go forward or go backward. All but one village chose to go forwards.

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Model Village was commissioned by New Perspectives Theatre, directed by Angharad Jones, performed by Duane Hannibal, Abbey Pidgeon and Lee Rufford.  toured widely from Leicestershire to Dorset autumn and winter 2023. Read the 'making of' here. 

Show photo © Lamar Francois