DITCH Closes at the Old Vic Today, June 26

HighTide and The Old Vic announce the transfer of DITCH by Beth Steel from the HighTide Festival 2010 to The Old Vic Tunnels from Thursday 13 May until Saturday 26 June.

DITCH, Beth Steel's debut play, is set in Britain in the near future when much of the country is underwater and the government has been reduced to a group of fascist strongmen, the men patrol the moors for illegals in a rural outpost of the state. As their numbers dwindle, they struggle to retain a semblance of civilisation in the face of the inevitable onset of global war. Stark and imperative, but shot through with a sense of warm humanity, Ditch is a clear-eyed look at how we might behave when the conveniences of our civilisation are taken away, and a frightening vision of a future that could all too easily be ours.

The cast is Gethin Anthony (Cling to Me Like Ivy (Birmingham Rep) & What Fatima Did (Hampstead)), Craig Conway (Our Friends in the North, Bodies & 1984 (Northern Stage)), Matti Houghton (Caucasion Chalk Circle (Shared Experience) & Burn/Chatroom/Citizenship (National Theatre), Dearblha Molloy (Loot (Lyric Hammersmith)), Paul Rattray (Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland)) and Danny Webb (The Philanthropist (Donmar Warehouse)), with Richard Twyman directing, following his triumphant Royal Shakespeare Company production of Henry IV Part II which won Olivier Awards for Best Revival, Best Ensemble and Best Costume.

DITCH stands testament to the importance of young writers responding to and challenging the world and community they find themselves in. Writer Beth Steel draws inspiration from theatrical antecedents William Shakespeare, Edward Bond, Harold Pinter and Sarah Kane. Her play is realised through a design by takis, inspired by Hieronymus Bosch, Francis Bacon and Pina Bausch.

HighTide who last year successfully transferred the highly acclaimed STOVEPIPE from their annual festival, now bring this hugely exciting production to the newly launched Old Vic Tunnels, a brand new venue that will house a series of innovative and surprising events. Since forming four years ago, HighTide have pioneered a form of theatre that marries new writing with ambitious and strong narratives with the evocative site-specific locations that can realise the dramatic potential of these plays. As a company, the first port-of-call is always to find the space that serves the text most powerfully and immerse the audience within the environment of the play.

DITCH is directed by Richard Twyman, with lighting by Matt Prentice, Sound by Christopher Shutt and music by Tom Mills.

Performances will take place May 13 through June 26. Monday through Thursday at 7:45pm, Fridays at 6pm and 9pm, Saturdays at 2:30pm and 7:45pm. Tickets are £20-£25 and are available online at www.hightide.org or by calling 0-207-566-9767.

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