The Tin Forest Theatre Festival Featuring Fanfiction Comedy

Massive Company and FanFiction Comedy are among ten youth theatre groups from around the Commonwealth which have been selected to participate in the National Theatre of Scotland’s most ambitious project to date, The Tin Forest.

Both groups will travel to Glasgow this month and perform at locations across Glasgow including the iconic South Rotunda which has been newly transformed for the festival.

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Media Release

The National Theatre of Scotland, in association with Scottish Youth Theatre, presents,

THE TIN FOREST INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL FEATURING AUCKLAND BASED THEATRE COMPANY, FANFICTION COMEDY

TICKETS NOW ON SALE
FOR GAMES-TIME PROGRAMME OF EVENTS

Tickets now available for International Theatre Festival performances
Created by young people from across the Commonwealth
Performances in July 2014 at the South Rotunda, Glasgow
Part of the Festival 2014 Programme

Produced in association with Scottish Youth Theatre and supported by Glasgow Life, Creative Scotland, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Homecoming Scotland and Arts & Business Scotland.

Tickets are now on sale for one of the National Theatre of Scotland’s largest international youth projects to date, The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival. The youth theatre festival will see ten established youth theatre companies from around the Commonwealth come together for a seven day festival created by international young theatre-makers, as part of the Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme and Auckland basedFanFiction Comedy has been selected to be part of this incredible project.

FanFiction Comedy, under the direction of Heidi O’Loughlin, provides a combination of stand-up comedy, improvisation and spoken word all rolled into one. The brightest young stars of the New Zealand comedy scene tackle the popular internet phenomenon of 'fanfiction', by writing and performing their very own irreverent and original stories based on their favourite works of popular culture. The group has already had great success at the New Zealand International Comedy Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as being featured in a BBC documentary called Mum, I'm Off to Melbourne for a Laugh. The group, which features young theatre makers aged between 23-25 years old, will perform their specially devised piece, FanFiction Comedy, inspired by the concept of “near nowhere…to somewhere” from The Tin Forest story, on Monday 28th July at Glasgow’s South Rotunda.

All of the groups involved in the project will create and perform a piece in their home country before presenting it to audiences in Glasgow from Thursday 24th to Monday 28th July at the South Rotunda. They will also take part in a residential theatre course, working closely with established, professional theatre-makers, engaging in cultural exchange and building on their existing skills and knowledge.

The youth theatre companies participating in The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival are: Manifesto Jamaica from Kingston, Jamaica;Hotel Echo from Bristol, England; theatrEX Bangladesh from Dhaka, Bangladesh; Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre from Malta; YUVA EKTA:Youth Unite from New Delhi, India. The Scottish companies are Urban Fairytale Theatre Company from Glasgow; Collision Youth Theatre from Buckhaven, Fife; APA Youth Theatre from Aberdeen and Physical Theatre Scotland from Edinburgh.

As well as the International Theatre Festival, a specially commissioned Tin Forest International Performing Company - an ensemble of 90 young theatre makers drawn from the 71 nations and territories of the Commonwealth – will flood the city with site-responsive theatre, responding to the themes of The Tin Forest and a selection of iconic Glasgow locations. Directed by Scottish Youth Theatre Associate Artistic Director Fraser MacLeod, they will perform on the city’s streets, bridges and public transport, and in parks, “stalled spaces” and public places from 21st – 23rd July. The locations for the International Performing Company performances include Barrowland Park, the Waterbus Terminal, Tradeston footbridge,Custom House Quay, Riverside Museum and a final performance involving all 90 theatre makers will be held in the courtyard of the South Rotunda.

Performance highlights from The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival and The Tin Forest International Performing Company will be captured by TFTV (Tin Forest TV): a youth-created, youth- focussed broadcast channel/magazine programme and will provide an open access, all areas approach to filming the action behind the scenes and at the daily master classes.

The TFTV crew, which will feature students from the Creative Industries course at Glasgow Clyde College, will work with a lead producer and an assistant producer who will guide them through the process of creating a 4 minute package to be filmed, created, edited and broadcast online daily throughout the international youth festival and on screens at the venue during the evening International Theatre Festival performances.

The Tin Forest will breathe new life into the currently vacant South Rotunda building on the Clydeside. Built between 1890 and 1896 by the Glasgow Tunnel Company, the South and North Rotundas gave Glasgow commuters access to three passageways under the Clyde – two for horses and carts and one for pedestrians. As well as The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival and The Tin Forest International Performing Company performances, there will be a range of community events held across Glasgow, in Govan, Springburn, South West and East End, which will involve local communities who have been working together for the last six months to create site-specific theatre events. Also, from 24th July to 3rd August, within the walls of a transformed South Rotunda, National Theatre of Scotland Associate Director Graham McLaren will direct his own adapted version of The Tin Forest, teaming up with celebrated puppet maker Gavin Glover and Glasgow School of Art Digital Design Studio.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop says:
“The Tin Forest Festival promises to be a great opportunity to experience an exciting mixture of theatre, music, poetry and much more, showcasing some of what Scotland has to offer. In the year where Scotland takes centre stage, welcoming the world to join us in the celebration of the second year of Homecoming, and as the host of the Commonwealth Games and the Ryder Cup, it is also a time for Scotland and the Commonwealth to reach out and share our great cultural traditions as well as our contemporary creativity.”

National Theatre of Scotland Artistic Director Laurie Sansom says:
“The National Theatre of Scotland is delighted to announce such an exciting programme of events for The Tin Forest Festival at the South Rotunda. We can’t wait to welcome audiences from Glasgow, Scotland and all over the world to such an iconic building for a celebration of culture, regeneration and Glasgow itself, featuring hundreds of performers from all over the Commonwealth.”

The Tin Forest director Graham McLaren says:
“This year the world is watching Scotland, this summer the Commonwealth comes to Glasgow and at the heart of Glasgow the National Theatre of Scotland will be creating The Tin Forest in the South Rotunda. I cannot think of a more important time to be living and working in Scotland.”

Scottish Youth Theatre Associate Artistic Director Fraser MacLeod says:
“The Tin Forest is a fantastic opportunity for Scottish Youth Theatre to work in association with the National Theatre of Scotland. The International Performing Company promises to showcase the very best of talent from across the Commonwealth and bring the city to life in the lead up to the games.”

International Theatre Festival producer Gillian Gourlay says:
“The Tin Forest International Theatre Festival is a fantastic opportunity, not only for the 100 young performers coming from all over the Commonwealth to share skills, culture and performances with each other , but also for the people of Glasgow who will be able to experience ten new performances created by these young, exciting theatre makers. For so many reasons, 2014 will be a summer not to be forgotten.”

A wide range of video, photographic and blog content documenting The Tin Forest project to date can be found atwww.thetinforest.com. Content available to share on request – contact Katie.mackenzie@nationaltheatrescotland.com for further info.

BOX OFFICE INFORMATION

All tickets for The Tin Forest events £5/£3 conc.

Available online at www.thetinforest.com or on 0141 552 4267
No booking fee

Exceptions are: The Tin Forest Govan and The Tin Forest International Performing Company, which are free, unticketed events.

Listings information

THE TIN FOREST INTERNATIONAL PERFORMING COMPANY

Wednesday 23rd July
The South Rotunda, 2.30 – 3.15pm

THE TIN FOREST INTERNATIONAL THEATRE FESTIVAL

Venue: The South Rotunda
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Via doors either side of Box Office, on Govan Road side of building
Duration: Each show last approx. 45 minutes
Stage reset: The auditorium will be cleared between performances each night, to allow the stage to be reset for the next group
Date/Time: 24 – 28 July 2014
Daily, 7.30pm + 9.15pm
Seating: Seating is unreserved
Tickets: One show per evening: £5/ £3 (no booking fee)
Two shows per evening: £8/ £6 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
BSL and Captioned performances:
Age guide: Suggested age guide 16+
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)

Thursday 24th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: Physical Theatre Scotland from Edinburgh present A Bridge to Nowhere
9.15pm – 10.15pm: theatrEX Bangladesh from Dhaka, Bangladesh present Dokkhina Sundari

Friday 25th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: YUVA EKTA: Youth Unite from New Delhi, India present Shoonya se Shikar: a Journey of Transformation
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Hotel Echo from Bristol present Wild Men

Saturday 26th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: Aberdeen Performing Arts Youth Theatre from Aberdeen present Bubble Wrap
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Teatru Manoel Youth Theatre from Valletta, Malta present CLUB

Sunday 27th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: Collision from Buckhaven, Fife present Fragile State of Mind
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Manifesto Jamaica from Kingston, Jamaica present SomeNoWhere

Monday 28th July
7.30pm – 8.30pm: FanFiction Comedy from Auckland, New Zealand present TBC
9.15pm – 10.15pm: Urban Fairytale Theatre Company from Glasgow present Hiraeth

THE TIN FOREST SHOW:
A PUPPET THEATRE EXPERIENCE

Venue: The South Rotunda
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Audience members to gather at Box Office on Govan Road side of the South Rotunda
Duration: 30 minutes approx. (no interval)
Promenade event: This is a promenade performance, requiring audience members to walk through a series of spaces and to stand; seating will be available for older/infirm audience members unable to stand throughout the performance
Date/Time: Thursday 24 July – Sunday 3 August 2014
Daily, 2.00pm – 6.00pm (except Tue 29 July)
Performances start every 10mins
Audience Groups: Audience members will walk through the performance in groups of 10;
Our front of house team will do their best to ensure that you and your accompanying friends/family members are kept together in the same group.
Tickets: £5/ £3 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
BSL performances: Saturday 26th July, Friday 1st August
Pre-recorded audio description available by request online from Wednesday 23rd July, and from the venue box office
Captioning: a booklet will be available at box office on request
Age guide: For everyone over 8 years old not afraid of enclosed spaces and puppets in close proximity
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)

THE TIN FOREST LAUNCH EVENT

Venue: The South Rotunda Courtyard
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Via box office on Govan Road side of building
Duration: 90 minutes (no interval)
Date/Time: Tuesday 22 July 2014, 7.30pm
Tickets: £5/ £3 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
BSL: some aspects of performance will be BSL interpreted
Age guide: Suitable for all
Outdoor Event: Please dress accordingly. Sturdy footwear advised for cobbled courtyard.
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)

DEAR GLASGOW

Venue: The South Rotunda
Finnieston Street by the Squinty Bridge (Clyde Arc)
G51 1PQ
Entrance: Via doors either side of Box Office, on Govan Road side of building
Duration: 3 hours, with breaks
Audience Interaction: This is an audience interactive event – we welcome your contribution, but nobody will be compelled to contribute, nor ejected/tarred/feathered for lack of contribution
Date/Time: Thursday 31st July 2014
7.30pm – 10.30pm
Seating: Seating is unreserved
Tickets: £3 (no booking fee)
Box office: Online: thetinforest.com
Phone: 0141 552 4267
Accessibility: Event is wheelchair accessible – please advise box office when booking
Age guide: Suggested age guide 12+
Public Transport: Bus (23, 26); Rail (Exhibition Centre, 10min walk)
Car Parking: None on site; nearest car park at Finnieston Street (8min walk)
Toilets: On site
Refreshments: Nearest bars/restaurants – Congress Way / SECC Precinct (5min walk)

Further information at:
www.thetinforest.com
www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
www.facebook.com/NationalTheatreScotland
www.twitter.com @NTSonline #TinForest
Notes to editors:
• Since its launch in February 2006, The National Theatre of Scotland has been involved in creating 189 productions in 162 different locations. With no building of its own, the Company takes theatre all over Scotland and beyond, working with existing and new venues and companies to create and tour theatre of the highest quality. It takes place in the great buildings of Scotland, but also in site-specific locations, airports and tower blocks, community halls and drill halls, ferries and forests. The Company has performed to over one million people across four continents. www.nationaltheatrescotland.com
• Scottish Youth Theatre – giving young people in Scotland the opportunity to explore and to reach their creative potential through a quality theatre arts experience. Using the youth theatre/drama process to develop not only creativity and performance skills but also transferable skills in participants, Scottish Youth Theatre puts particular emphasis on each individual’s personal and social development.
• The Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme is a key part of the Games experience for spectators and visitors. Running until the end of August 2014, it will showcase the best of Scottish culture alongside creative work from across the Commonwealth and be a nationwide celebration of the Games, reaching its peak as Glasgow bursts into life at Games time. There are two strands: a Scotland-wide programme called Culture 2014; and a Games-time celebration in Glasgow running alongside the sporting action called Festival 2014. The Glasgow 2014 Cultural Programme is a partnership between the Glasgow 2014 Organising Committee, Glasgow Life and Creative Scotland.
• The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is an international charitable foundation with cultural, educational, social and scientific interests. Based in Lisbon with offices in London and Paris, the Foundation is in a privileged position to support national and transnational work tackling contemporary issues. The purpose of the UK Branch is to bring about long-term improvements in well-being, particularly for the most vulnerable, by creating connections across boundaries (national borders, communities, disciplines and sectors) which deliver social, cultural and environmental value. We support innovative projects and partnerships within time-limited and purposeful strands of activity. For more information about the work of the Foundation in the UK visit Partnerships and Initiatives at www.gulbenkian.org.uk

• Homecoming Scotland 2014 Scotland will welcome the world in the Year of Homecoming 2014 - providing a year-long programme of events alongside the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games. The Year of Homecoming Scotland will run from 31 December 2013 to 31 December 2014 throughout the length and breadth of the country. Visitors from around the world are invited to join in a celebration of the nation’s food and drink, active pursuits, cultural heritage, nature and ancestral heritage. Homecoming Scotland 2014 is a Scottish Government initiative being led by EventScotland and VisitScotland, supported by numerous partners. To find out more visitwww.homecomingscotland.com

• The New Arts Sponsorship Grants scheme incentivises businesses to sponsor the arts in Scotland. It is funded by the Scottish Government and administered by Arts & Business Scotland. An arts organisation receiving an eligible business sponsorship can apply for £1 of funding for every £1 of sponsorship. The funding goes towards additional arts activity, for which the sponsor receives additional business benefits. www.aandbscotland.org.uk
• The Guardian reviews The Tin Forest by Helen Ward: “Some children's picture books are real works of art and this is one of those. The very best books for both adults and children often take you deep into the unconscious or show you the world as if through a prism. This, again, is one of them. Austere and yet visually rich, needing few words and yet saying so much, this is a wonderful fable about making something from nothing, seeing the beauty lurking among the junk, and about reaping what you sow.” www.guardian.com - 22nd July 2008

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