Expressions of Interest

Expressions of interest by 28.02.19

This is a call for expressions of interest to take the GB lead in directing the play “Cardiff” by Leila Philip. The play will be staged at Chapter’s Seligman Theatre in September 2019 (week commencing 16th) and is being produced by Chapter Arts Centre, Cardiff in collaboration with Everyman.

Background

In 1972, influential British artist Garth Evans created a large-scale sculpture that was sited in Cardiff City Centre for six months. The morning after its installation, Garth anonymously recorded the comments of passers-by, giving a unique insight in to viewer’s reactions. Residents responded with surprising passion. The play is their words.

Leila Philip reviewed the 1972 tape and was excited by the idea of transforming it into a play. She produced a script, and together with Garth Evans, began working with director Andrew Resto to create Cardiff.

Plans to move the sculpture back to Cardiff and stage the play there are scheduled for 2019. This will coincide with an exhibition of sculptures by Garth Evans at Chapter Arts Centre.

The requirement

Garth and Leila (both based in the USA) are looking to work with a director who is an Everyman member. This has been agreed by the Everyman Board.

The requirement for a director includes:

* The play uses the sculpture as a metaphor for “the other” — those things which through their strangeness and unfamiliarity seem to intrude upon and threaten one’s habitual reality. The Director will need to embrace this theme.
* The play will need to be firmly located in Cardiff in 1972. The Director will need to think of ways to connect it to Cardiff past and present.
* The Director will need to think creatively about issues of accessibility and equality and to take into account diversity throughout casting, staging and set design.
* While in 1972, the play will need to speak to a contemporary audience. “It would be wonderful if the audience came away with the experience that there are lessons to be learned from this encounter.”
* The Director will need to have a collaborative spirit in relation to Leila Philip as writer and Garth Evans as artist. As well as to John Philip and Andrew Loren Resto of 3A Productions, who put the play on in New York – both have indicated a desire to be as involved as is practically possible. They plan to spend time in Cardiff to make this possible and will be a valuable resource.
* The Director will need to work closely with the team at Chapter Arts Centre for example on matters relating to marketing, technical and production, rehearsal space etc.
* It would be desirable that the Director is familiar with and has worked in the Seligman Theatre facility.

If you are interested, please email an expression of interest in no more than 500 words to Simon Futty via enquiries@everymantheatre.co.uk and marked ‘Cardiff Play ‘by 28.02.19. You should address the requirement for a director in your expression of interest and include any relevant experience.

The following links provide more background information to the project: –

https://www.leilaphilip.com/cardiff-1/
https://www.chapter.org/saveoursculpture-garth-evans

Many thanks,

Simon Futty