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The Green, Green Grass of Home: Mr Jones An Aberfan Story - Finborough Theatre

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A life of hope and promise, interrupted, lies at the heart of Mr Jones: an Aberfan Story. The play follows two young people in Aberfan before and after the disaster that killed 144 people, including 116 children. It’s an emotional coming-of-age tale of intersecting lives, family, love, and the shock of tragedy. With two vivid performances and strong characterisations, you feel immersed in 1960s Welsh small-town life. It’s now running at the Finborough Theatre , after performances at the Edinburgh Festival and across Wales.  The Aberfan disaster is well known in the UK but perhaps less so elsewhere. The facts of the tragedy are confined to the programme notes rather than in the piece. On 21 October 1966, the catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip on a mountain above Aberfan engulfed a local school, killing many. The play avoids the causes and negligence, instead focusing on those working and building lives in the town.  Writer-performer Liam Holmes plays Stephen Jones, a...

Online and lifelines during lockdown...

As life in London remains in a suspended state, theatres are moving online... and requesting some lifelines. Here are a few so far:

Finborough Theatre

The Finborough Theatre is updating its archive of shows over the years. And you can donate online to help keep the theatre open.

There is also Continuity, a gripping monologue about a man with a bomb, last seen in 2017 and now available to watch online.

Jermyn Street Theatre

The Jermyn Street Theatre has launched an emergency fund to keep it running. And they just recently had a burst water pipe to deal with.

Check out their twitter feed for performances as well.

Omnibus Theatre

Clapham's Omnibus Theatre Online launched with a performance of Our Day's coming-of-age comedy-drama DEM TIMES. Recorded live at King's Place for London Podcast Festival 2019. There is also a section on the website for donations.

Battersea Arts Centre

Battersea Arts Centre's groundbreaking film, Performance Live: The Way Out, is on BBC iPlayer as part of BBC Arts' Culture in Quarantine season.

Filmed in one, continuous shot, it offers an immersive journey through Battersea Arts Centre's labyrinth of rooms and corridors, propelled by performances from extraordinary artists, filmed in one continuous, unbroken shot. The film is on BBC iPlayer and will be broadcast on BBC Four in May.

High Tide Theatre

High Tide is a theatre company and charity based in East Anglia that has a history of launching the careers of emerging British playwrights.

On their YouTube channel, they have launched a series called Love In The Time of Corona. Two monologues capturing modern life in these pandemic times are available now and will be available for four weeks from release.




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