ANIMALS to Play Theatre503, 8 April - 2 May

Theatre503 presents Animals by Emma Adams at Theatre503, The Latchmere, 503 Battersea Park Road, London SW11 3BW. Wednesday 8th April - Saturday 2nd May 2015, 7:45pm Press night: Monday 13th April, 7:45pm.

Imagine a world where everyone over 60 is tossed on the scrapheap, children are hothoused and being a "burden on society" is the ultimate crime. Everybody is given a permit that displays their economic value to society and inspectors are out to get the worthless...

Animals, a dark satire by Yorkshire-based writer Emma Adams, conceives an ultra-capitalist world where limited resources dictate that there is only room for the smart, healthy and well-adjusted. Neither the old nor inept will fit as human cogs in 'The Utility's' consumerist machine.

It begins as an average day when 77-year-old Norma (Marlene Sidaway) can't finish her crossword and Joy (Sadie Shimmin) keeps stealing her recliner. Of course, Helen (Cara Chase) next door has gone and twisted her ankle falling from a weather balloon. They've run out of Class A drugs and the 'Utility' Inspector just popped round to see if it's time for her involuntary euthanasia. A world of bubble-wrapped children, bribery and compulsory public ignorance unravels.

Perhaps closer to reality than we'd like to believe, Animals is a politically-fuelled, surreal new drama which explores the morality of capitalism and the extent to which the authorities will go to keep society in the dark.

Animals will be Associate Artistic Director, Lisa Cagnacci's first in-house production for Theatre503. She comments: I'm delighted that Theatre503 is presenting Emma Adams's dark, brilliant, wickedly funny and political play and it's a particular thrill to be directing this as my first full-length in-house show as Associate Artistic Director. Running alongside this production will be a community playwriting project that we've developed for local over-60s. While we've run several playwriting projects for young people, this is our first community project for over-60s and I can't wait to see what they write.

Animals sits as part of the groundbreaking season of new writing at Theatre503 and marks the start of the theatre's journey to collaborate with creatives UK-wide.

This production is generously supported by Arts Council England, The Royal Victoria Hall Foundation and Wandsworth Council Arts Fund.