International Not Beckett Festival Kicks Off At Jermyn Street Theatre

Not Beckett is an international "rolling world premiere" presenting 5 new short plays in conversation with Samuel Beckett's work, written by femme-identifying and non-binary playwrights of diversified Irish descent across the globe. The company's intention is to use the inspiration of these contemporary classic plays to create a new canon, while challenging audiences to expand their idea of what Irishness looks and sounds like.

The project is led by Chicago-bred playwright and Irish citizen Jennifer Barclay (MacDowell Fellow & National New Play Network Associate Artist, currently based in DC), London-based Irish-Palestinian playwright Hannah Khalil (playwright in residence at the Globe & Creative Fellow at the Samuel Beckett Research Centre), and London-based Creative Producer Alison Holder.

With Jennifer and Hannah as Creative Directors and writers for Not Beckett, and Alison as Creative Producer, the team will work in collaboration with multiple producing theatres, and the Samuel Beckett Research Centre at Reading University, along with 3 additional writers of Irish descent living around the world: Olwen Fouéré, Felispeaks and Nicola McCartney. The new plays created will not be adaptations but loosely inspired by a seed from the Beckett canon.

The new plays will then be produced at each of the partner theatres over a span of several months, with different actors and directors in each venue. Together, the five 5-20 minute plays will make up one complete evening of theatre.

Not Beckett will launch in Fall 2024 at the Jermyn street London on 17 October and run for one calendar year at other partner venues on selected dates. With support and funding from the University of Maryland (Jennifer) and the Samuel Beckett Research Centre (Hannah), the team travelled to London, Dublin and Paris for in-person meetings with potential collaborators in producing, directing, dramaturgy and playwriting. Our committed commissioning and producing partners include: The Samuel Beckett Research Centre, December 2024 (Reading, UK), Irish Repertory Theatre, Feb 2025 (New York, US), Villanova University, Fall 2025 tbc (Philadelphia, US), Fishamble New Play Company with the Lir Academy, March 2025 (Dublin, Ireland), Jermyn Street Theatre, 17 Oct 2024 (London, UK) and The Centre Culturel Irlandais, Irish Embassy of France and the Sorbonne, Feb 2025 (Paris, France).

For the most up to date information on the writers, plays and venues visit www.notbeckett.com