THE DEPARTMENT OF DISTRACTIONS Will Embark on UK Tour

The Department of Distractions embarks on a UK tour!

A show about an organisation so clandestine you won't have heard of them. Until now. The Department says its job is to plant stories in the world "to make life more interesting." Others would argue that it's as much about stopping us looking in certain directions: a single glove in the street, a torn up love letter in a Metro carriage, a pair of shoes hanging from a telephone wire or a phone box that rings as you walk past...

Created with the lightness of touch, dark humour and ferocity for detail that Third Angel has become renowned for, this 'play within a play' is full of clues - and red-herrings - that invite the audience to figure out what is going on - in the plot, and in the world around us. At a time when 'fake news' has become an all too familiar term, this show asks, what are we paying attention to, and who is trying to influence what we notice (and what we don't)?

The show explores the ever elusive 'Department' just as things are beginning to unravel for the team, as a story they started has become out of control, and they're in danger of being exposed. Unpicking the snags in the fabric of everyday life, The Department of Distractions may leave you with more questions than answers.

Alexander Kelly, Co-artistic Director of Third Angel, explains how the show explores some ongoing fascinations and obsessions of the company: "I've loved detective stories since I was a teenager - starting with both Raymond Chandler and Moonlighting. Several of our shows and projects have hinted at them, but this is the first time we've done a full-on detective story.

"We've been developing The Department of Distractions since 2014. In that time it has been fascinating, compelling and depressing to see some of the ideas it explores become more pressing."

Tour Dates

ARC Stockton Arts Centre

Dovecot Street, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1LL

Wednesday 4 March 2020

7pm | Pay What You Decide

Box office: 01642 525199 | https://arconline.co.uk/

Aberystwyth Arts Centre

Aberystwyth University, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DE

Friday 6 - Saturday 7 March 2020

7.30pm | £16 (£13)

Box office: 01970 62 32 32 | https://www.aberystwythartscentre.co.uk/

Exeter Phoenix

Bradninch Place, Gandy Street, Exeter, EX4 3LS

Tuesday 10 March 2020

7pm | £12 (£10)

Box office: 01392 667080 | https://www.exeterphoenix.org.uk/

The Civic Barnsley

Hanson Street, Barnsley, S70 2HZ

Thursday 12 March 2020

7.30pm | £12 (£10/£8)

Box office: 01226 327000 | https://www.barnsleycivic.co.uk/

Traverse Theatre (Scottish premiere)

10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED

Thursday 19 and Friday 20 March 2020

7.30pm (post show discussion on 19 March) | £15 (£12)

Box office: 0131 228 1404 | https://www.traverse.co.uk/

Cambridge Junction

Clifton Way, Cambridge, CB1 7GX

Thursday 26 March 2020

7.30pm | Pay What You Feel

Box office 01223 511 511: | https://www.junction.co.uk/

Royal Exchange (The Studio)

St Ann's Square, Manchester, M2 7DH

31 March - 2 April 2020

7.30pm (& 2.30pm matinee Thursday 2 April) | £13 (£11)

Box office: 0161 833 9833 | https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Touring Production - Top 3

1. Hadestown

10.7% of votes

2. Hamilton

8.7% of votes

3. Les Misérables

8.7% of votes

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