FLIP! Will Embark on UK Tour Beginning in October

Fuel’s Director & CEO Kate McGrath has announced the World Premiere of FLIP!, a new play from Racheal Ofori directed by Emily Aboud examining the relationship between two young Black women and an obsession with social media. The play will embark on a UK tour later this year, opening Alphabetti in Newcastle (10-28 Oct), before Summerhall in Edinburgh (30 Oct - 4 Nov) and Soho Theatre in London (7-25 Nov).

Meet Carleen and Crystal. The influencers with cultural commentary that will have you in stitches! Love them or hate them, there’s no stopping their fast-growing online following.

Offline, Carleen has her reservations about their cyber personas, but she idolises Crystal and would follow her anywhere...even to FLIP!, the new social media giant that has everyone hooked – and Carleen and Crystal are no exception; especially when it seems that their videos could make them famous.

Superstardom, followers, fame, influence, money: it’s all just one click away. FLIP! is the answer to everything they’ve ever dreamed of. But is it too good to be true?

 

FLIP! is a powerful new satire written by critically-acclaimed writer Racheal Ofori (Black Ops, Portrait, I Used To Be Famous) and directed by Evening Standard Future Theatre Award winner 2021 Emily Aboud (SPLINTERED, Pink Lemonade). It probes what it means to live freely under the shadow of social media encroaching on every aspect of our lives, and asks how can we be our authentic selves in a world of algorithms intent on proving just how disposable we all are?

“Are we afraid of being cancelled? We eat that sh*t for breakfast!”

Fuel’s Director and CEO, Kate McGrath says: "Hot on the heels of the successes of Hannah Lavery's Protest and Russell Tovey and Neil Bartlett's BLUE NOW, we are thrilled to be premiering Racheal Ofori's sparklingly fresh and brilliantly funny new play FLIP!.”

Writer, Racheal Ofori says: “FLIP! is my response to our ever changing relationship to the internet. I have my own love/hate relationship with it and I love using this space as a place to discuss the doors social media has opened as well the darker sides, all through provocative and poetic humour.”

Director, Emily Aboud says: “FLIP! is undoubtedly a hugely exciting play, written by one of the most exciting young playwrights in Britain. It's an honour to direct this vital production about the commodification of women's bodies as well as the rise of surveillance capitalism, influencer culture and AI. More vital than that even, it is a charming, fast-paced and hilarious play that sucks you in and spits you out. I also count myself lucky to direct a production that will tour the UK - I think regional theatre is essential.”

Summerhall’s Chief Executive, Sam Gough says: “We couldn’t think of a better way to launch our new year-round performance programme, in our dedicated year-round theatre space than by presenting FLIP! here in Edinburgh. We love the work that Fuel does and share their ethos around presenting exciting and diverse new writing from innovative and brilliant artists. This production marks Summerhall’s move into a year-round programme of performance and supported artist development.”

Soho Theatre’s Director of Theatre, David Luff says: “We’re thrilled to host the premiere of Racheal Ofori’s stunning play FLIP! as part of our Soho Theatre autumn season. We’re delighted to continue the relationship with Racheal following her run of So Many Reasons which led to the co-commission of FLIP! with Fuel”.

FLIP! is co-commissioned by Fuel and Soho Theatre, as part of Soho Six. Supported by the Cockayne Foundation - Grants for the Arts and The London Community Foundation, Arts Council England, Fenton Arts Trust, the Noel Coward Foundation, and the Leche Trust.

 Tour Dates

Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle: 10-28 October: www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk
Summerhall, Edinburgh 30 October - 4 November: ​​www.summerhall.co.uk
Soho Theatre, London 7-25 November: www.sohotheatre.com