Told By An Idiot Announces 2017-18 Season

Building upon the company's reputation for collaboration, innovation and artistic ambition, Told by an Idiot's Artistic Director Paul Hunter today announced plans for the company in 2017/18. These include a tour to China, the premiere of a new work, a residency at the Barbican and a major educational initiative with one of the UK's leading drama schools.

The season highlights include the return of the highly acclaimed GET HAPPY which will tour to China in Autumn, the world premiere of NAPOLEON DISROBED directed by Kathryn Hunter in a co-production with Theatre Royal Plymouth and London's Arcola Theatre and, as part of Sky Arts Art 50 initiative, Told by an Idiot will present LET ME PLAY THE LION TOO; a two-week residency at the Barbican's Pit Theatre tackling the lack of diversity on stage. The company are also delighted to be working with Rose Bruford College in curating and leading an MA/MFA in Collaborative Theatre Making.

Paul Hunter Artistic Director of Told by an Idiot said 'These are exciting times for Told by an Idiot. We are delighted to be the first British theatre company to perform at the Beijing Comedy Festival, with our co production with the Barbican of 'Get Happy'. We hope our homage to Piña Baush, Charlie Chaplin, and Dr. Seuss strikes a chord with Chinese audiences and their rich history of physical comedy.

We are thrilled to welcome back wonderful Idiot Kathryn Hunter who will direct our new production 'Napoleon Disrobed.' Following our success with 'My Perfect Mind' it is a tantalising prospect to once again collaborate with one of Britain's finest theatre makers.

In a new departure for the company we will be creating and curating an MA in Collaborative Theatre Making at Rose Bruford. This will be a wonderful opportunity to develop our practice and engage intensively with the next generation of theatre artists.

Finally in a new partnership with the Barbican we announce our unique project entitled 'Let Me Play The Lion Too'. This will bring together twelve young performers of exceptional promise, with an equal mix of those with a disability and those without. An intensive two week period of improvisation will empower them to take responsibility for their own creativity, and will culminate in evenings of anarchic spontaneity.

I hope you can join us over the next few months as we continue our journey of creating the unexpected.'

TOLD BY AN IDIOT IN CHINA
Told by an Idiot present
Get Happy
A show for anyone who breathes
Created by Told by an Idiot
Beijing -26th - 29th October 2017
Following its success with critics and audiences of all ages in London, Told by an Idiot's hit family show Get Happy will play in China in Autumn. Get Happy will play at the Beijing Comedy Theatre as part of the prestigious Beijing Comedy Festival from 26 to 29 October; this will be the first time that any UK theatre company has been represented at the festival.

Inspired by the work of Charlie Chaplin, Dr Seuss and Pina Bausch, Told by an Idiot has created a world of artfully controlled chaos, bursting with quirky playfulness and off-the-wall humour. Physical comedy, live music, acrobatics, silly dancing and interaction all feature in an unexpected variety show for children and adults alike.

A must-see show with a difference, Get Happy was originally commissioned by the Barbican, London, and was devised and staged in December 2013, returning to the Barbican for a second run in 2015. This latest incarnation sees the show further evolving with inventive new material for its international debut in China.

Directed by Paul Hunter, the cast includes regular Told by an Idiot collaborator Steve Harper, a welcome return of Spanish musician Alicia Martel and actor Patricia Rodriguez who were most recently seen in Told by an Idiot's 'engaging, funny and uniquely charming' Heads Will Roll, and dancer and actor Michael Ureta who was a finalist on Sky 1's Got To Dance with fellow ZooNation Youth Company alumni, Boyband'.

The original production of Get Happy was commissioned by the Barbican London. Get Happy is presented in China with Performance Infinity.

TOLD BY AN IDIOT IN THE UK

Told by an Idiot, Theatre Royal Plymouth and Arcola Theatre present:
Napoleon Disrobed
A comic alternative history
By Told by an Idiot
Based on the novel 'The Death of Napoleon' by Simon Leys
Directed by Kathryn Hunter

Thursday 25 January to Saturday 10 February 2018 at Theatre Royal Plymouth (The Drum)
PRESS NIGHT: THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY AT 7.45
OR
Wednesday 14 February to Saturday 10 March 2018 at ARCOLA THEATRE
PRESS NIGHT: MONDAY 19th FEBRUARY FEBRUARY AT 7.30PM
UK Tour dates to be announced

'What if Napoleon didn't die in exile? What if he swapped identities with a lowly sailor and made it back to Paris? What then?'

Kathryn Hunter directs Paul Hunter in Napoleon Disrobed, a sly meditation on the significance of power, based on the acclaimed novella The Death of Napoleon by Simon Leys.

The production will open at Theatre Royal Plymouth before a run at London's Arcola Theatre and will then complete a short UK tour - dates to be announced.

Napoleon Disrobed casts a wry look at re-imagining the final years of Napoleon Bonaparte and how legend can often be stronger than reality. Using the company's trademark comic physicality, Told by an Idiot explore the absurdity of trying to retrieve time and glory. An irreverent and hugely playful show about what it is to lose immense power but gain personal freedom; to transition from one identity to another, and to lose public face.
Following their collaboration on the smash-hit My Perfect Mind, Paul Hunter will take the role of Napoleon in this two-hander with further casting to be announced, under the direction of award-winning actor and director Kathryn Hunter.

Let Me Play The Lion Too - Barbican Theatre

19 February to 4 March 2018

Let Me Play the Lion Too sees the company use their trademark working practices to tackle the lack of diversity on stage as part of the Sky Arts Art 50 initiative.

In an intensive two week residency in The Pit a group of 12 performers, six of whom have a disability, work with Told by an Idiot to devise new improvised evenings of anarchic spontaneity. The process enables artists to develop their theatre making skills and to push their imaginations and creativity in new ways, whilst looking to affect change in the wider arts infrastructure.

Let me Play The Lion Too is part of Sky Arts Art 50, a landmark project to commission 50 artworks that will explore what it means to be British in a post-Brexit Britain.

Art 50 is a partnership between Sky Arts, the Barbican, Sage Gateshead, BALTIC Centre for Contemporary Art and Storyvault Films.

Further details to be announced.

MA/MFA in Collaborative Theatre Making. Rose Bruford College London.

Told by an Idiot has joined forces with Rose Bruford College to develop their MA in Collaborative Theatre Making. As recognised leaders in this form, the MA will be led, curated and mentored by Told by an Idiot for the academic year 2017/18.

The course is aimed at those who want to explore the development of ensemble performance and make theatre that is innovative, imaginative and dynamic. It is specifically for those who want to make collaborative theatre, perform, write, direct, and improvise. The programme takes a physical approach to making theatre and working with text. Continually explored through performance, the ensemble will be guided, directed and mentored in making and touring their own work.

Niamh Dowling, Head of School of Performance said 'Rose Bruford College is delighted to be collaborating with Told by an Idiot on our new MA Collaborative Theatre Making. This promises to be a dynamic partnership offering the opportunity to 'create the unexpected' for those interested in making collaborative theatre as performers, directors and makers. The combination of a ground-breaking theatre company and progressive educational institution offers the unique opportunity of long term intensive training, professional development and research in the context of an innovative and imagiNative Theatre company."