Out Of The Forest Theatre Wins 2019 Alchymy Company Award

The North Wall today announces Out Of The Forest Theatre as the winner of the inaugural 2019 Alchymy Company Award for their production Call Me Fury. The award was judged by journalist Lyn Gardner; co-Directors of The North Wall, Ria Parry and John Hoggarth; and Alchymy Festival producer, Ellie Keel.

The company receives £1500 and a full residency at The North Wall Arts Centre, before performances at the Alchymy Festival.

Sasha Wilson, Artistic Director of Out Of The Forest Theatre, today said 'We are thrilled to be part of Alchymy 2019 - to work closely with the North Wall is a unique experience that will not only develop this piece, but the company as a whole'

Ria Parry and John Hoggarth today said "We are delighted to announce Out of The Forest as the winner of the North Wall Alchymy Company Award. We love their ambition and sense of ensemble and can't wait to work with them in Oxford."

Call Me Fury is about The Witch Trials. Sort of. It's a ferocious exploration of womanhood in a world where the people around you, the legal system, the whole social order don't seem to give a damn. Sound familiar?

A group of women charged with witchcraft await trial and inevitable execution in a dungeon. There is no escape - except through their imagination, memory and humour, which in defiance are wild and boundless. The gallows loom just above them as a constant and physical reminder of the patriarchy, those that believe "when a woman thinks alone, she thinks evil."

Using folk songs and stories from witch trials across the world - from England, Colonial America, Scandinavia, Africa and beyond - their individual yet shared experiences are unified by the common thread of men silencing what they don't understand. But they will not be confined to this dungeon; they will not be confined to history.

An ensemble-based company that seeks to redefine traditional narrative structure with an eye to blending music, movement and storytelling, with hopes of shining a spotlight on women, weirdos and way-begotten characters of history and our bizarre modern society. Because strange and wonderful things hide in plain sight and they should be explored and celebrated.

Sarah Wilson is the company's Artistic Director. Her writing credits include Bury The Hatchet (Out Of The Forest Theatre's debut production), On Your Head Be It: A Cautionary Tale (co-written with Joseph Cullen for The London Horror Festival). Her acting credits include Romeo and Juliet (Southwest Shakespeare Company), Macbeth (Theatre One-Oh-One), Julius Caesar (The V&A Museum). She graduated from LAMDA in 2014.

Joseph Cullen is Artistic Associate. He won the VAULT Festival's Best Newcomer award 2017 for his stand-up show You Having Olaf?. His acting credits include The Game's Afoot (Les Enfants Terrible).

Claire Gilbert is Producer. She is an independent theatre producer with a focus on new and political theatre. She is also Producer for Squint Theatre who present unique perspectives on the most talked about stories, and for BEZNÃ Theatre who are a company committed to activism through theatre in artistic/educational environments across Romania and the UK. Previous work includes Complicité's The Encounter, A Pacifist's Guide to the War on Cancer and Lionboy; and Wayward Productions' Grief is the Thing with Feathers.

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