The Bridge Company Returns with LANDMINES at Brighton Fringe

Drawing from two events that occurred within 48 hours of each other last June - Michael Sandford's attempt to assassinate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Las Vegas and the tragic murder of the politician Jo Cox - The Bridge Company's new commission highlights the exasperation and rage caused by an era of misinformation overload and the peddling of hate. Following last year's premiere of Leo Butler's DECADES, Phil Davies' new play follows the success of his Hampstead Theatre production Firebird, which transferred to the West End.

With the unstoppable rise of the fictional alt-right media outlet The Altar, Landmines questions the consequences of the ease of accessing horrific content online. As the outlet seeks to increase its audience through the livestreaming of tragic events, sensationalised reporting and disregard for the facts, it pays little heed to the destruction it inflicts on an already fragile and divided society.

Playwright Phil Davies said "We started with a blank page, a roomful of ideas and pretty quickly it became clear we were all concerned about one thing: a sense of hopelessness. In an age where people - especially young adults - felt increasingly unable to rise up against the dominant right-wing agenda, we were incited to create something that investigates the effects of one person's attempts to hit back."

The Bridge Company is made up of recent graduates from the BRIT School for performing arts, and equips company members with professional experience and skills to launch them into the theatre industry. The Bridge aims to create groundbreaking theatre that challenges its audience through the use of innovative performance techniques and disciplines, offering an authentic voice to explore the attitudes and experiences of young people today, confronting stereotypes to create exceptional theatre. Their work has previously been performed at the Southwark Playhouse, The Yard, Edinburgh Fringe, Brighton Fringe, and Plymouth Fringe.

The BRIT School is one of only two free performing arts schools in the UK and provides free education and vocational training for performing arts, media, art, design and technology for 14-19 year olds. Their list of alumni includes Amy Winehouse, Tom Holland, Adele, Leona Lewis, Kate Tempest, Jessie J, Cush Jumbo, Ivanno Jeremiah and Katy B.

Phil Davies is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter who is currently under commission to Endor Productions to write a 6-part drama series, as well as Minnow Films/Sky to create a police drama based on the hugely successful BBC documentary The Detectives. Phil trained at the Royal Court Young Writers Programme where he developed his first script Adjusted which won the Rod Hall Memorial Award and gained him an attachment with Paines Plough.

Emma Higham specialises in creating devised and autobiographical contemporary performance. Her recent work includes Made in China's Double Double Act at the Unicorn Theatre, Associate Director on the Old Vic's summer performance Rise and a sold-out run of The Happiness Project (Edinburgh Festival and The Roundhouse) exploring well-being with a company of young people, academics and scientists. Over the past twelve years Emma has combined the strands of participatory and professional theatre-making with companies such as The Gate, The Roundhouse, Company 3, The Old Vic Theatre, Unicorn, Synergy Theatre Project, David Rosenberg/Glastonbury Festival and Slunglow whilst creating her own work.

30 - 31 May The Warren, St. Peter's Church (as part of Brighton Fringe)

Brighton, BN1 4GU

6pm | £9 (£7.50 - £4.50 concs)

www.otherplacebrighton.co.uk | 01273 987516

6 - 24 June Ovalhouse, London

52-54 Kennington Oval, London SE11 5SW

7.30pm | £7.50 (£5 concs)

www.ovalhouse.com | 020 7582 7680

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