Cardboard Citizens' CATHY Set to Tour This Autumn

Cardboard Citizens announces a new tour inspired by Cathy Come Home. Fifty years on from the original Ken Loach film highlighting homelessness, the production marks the 25th anniversary of the theatre company that works making theatre with and for homeless people. The production will tour theatres, prisons and hostels across the UK from October 2016 to February 2017.

First broadcast in 1966 on the BBC, Cathy Come Home depicts a young family's slide into homelessness. The first screening of the film led to public outrage at the state of housing in Britain and became a defining cultural landmark, demonstrating the power of art to effect social and political change. The panel discussion that follows this evening will ask what has changed in the fifty years since the film was made and will be held with leading figures from politics and the charity and arts sectors, including BBC journalist Samira Ahmed, the Chief Executive of Shelter, Campbell Robb, Artistic Director and CEO of Cardboard Citizens, Adrian Jackson, Deputy Mayor for Housing, James Murray and singer-songwriter Eska. The public are encouraged to have their say in the conversation using #CathyComeHome on Twitter. The performance and panel forms part of the Institute of Fundraising's annual Fundraising Convention from 4 - 6 July, which brings together 2,500 fundraising professionals to discuss issues facing the charity sector.

In October, Cardboard Citizens will continue their exploration of the state of housing and homelessness with Cathy, a powerful and emotive new Forum Theatre show by award-winning playwright Ali Taylor (Cotton Wool, OVERSPILL), exploring how life might be for a Cathy today. Based like the film on true stories, this timely reflection will look at the social and personal impact of spiralling housing costs and the challenges of the forced relocation out of London experienced by many people on council waiting lists. The production has been researched with the support of housing and homelessness charity Shelter and each performance will end with a debate in classic forum theatre style. The production will begin at the Pleasance Theatre in London on 11 October and will tour the UK with confirmed performances taking place in: Nottingham, Oxford, Peterborough, Colchester, Kent, Exeter, Sheffield, Newcastle, Birmingham, Croydon, Bridport, Warwick and Wakefield. Further venues and performance timings are still to be announced.

#CathyComeHome
Twitter: @CardboardCitz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cardboardcitizens
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/cardboardcitztv
www.cardboardcitizens.org.uk/

LISTINGS INFORMATION:

Cathy Come Home
Tuesday 5 July, 7.30pm
Barbican Hall, Barbican Centre, Silk Street London, EC2Y 8DS
Tickets are sold out but you can watch the live stream on the Guardian Stage website here

Cathy
2016 TOUR DATES:

LONDON, Pleasance Theatre
11-15 October
Tickets on sale soon
Box Office 020 7609 1800
https://www.pleasance.co.uk/

NOTTINGHAM, Neville Studio
18-19 October
Tickets on sale now
Box Office 0115 941 9419
http://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/

OXFORD, Old Fire Station
20 October
Tickets on sale soon
Box Office 01865 263980
http://www.oldfirestation.org.uk/

LUTON, Hat Factory
27-28 October
Tickets on sale soon
Box Office 01582 878100
http://www.lutonculture.com/hat-factory/

PETERBOROUGH, HMP Peterborough
1 November
Tickets will not be on sale

PETERBOROUGH, Peterborough Key Theatre
2-4 November
Tickets on sale now
Box Office 01733 207239
http://www.vivacity-peterborough.com/venues/key-theatre

COLCHESTER, Colchester Mercury Studio
11-12 November
Tickets on sale soon
Box Office 01206 573948
http://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/

KENT, Quarterhouse
15-16 November

Tickets on sale soon
Box Office 01303 760750
https://www.quarterhouse.co.uk/

EXETER, Bike Shed
29 November-3 December
Tickets on sale now
Box Office 01392 434169
https://www.bikeshedtheatre.co.uk/

SHEFFIELD, Sheffield Crucible Studio
10-11 January
Tickets on sale soon
https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/whats-on
Box Office 0114 249 6000

MANCHESTER, Royal Manchester Exchange Studio
12-14 January
Tickets on sale now
https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/
Box Office 0161 833 9833

NEWCASTLE, Northern Stage
16-17 January
Tickets on sale soon
https://www.northernstage.co.uk/
Box Office 0191 230 5151

BIRMINGHAM, Birmingham Mac
19-20 January
Tickets on sale soon
https://macbirmingham.co.uk/
Box Office 01214463232

LONDON, HMP Pentonville
23-24 January
Tickets will not be on sale

LONDON, HMP Thameside
31 January
Tickets will not be on sale

BRIDPORT, Bridport Arts Centre
3 February
Tickets on sale soon
https://www.bridport-arts.com/
Box Office 01308 424 204

WAKEFIELD, Theatre Royal Wakefield
8 February
Tickets on sale soon
http://www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/ Box Office 01924 211 311

Photo Credit: Richard Davenport