ADAPTED FROM “THE BALLAD OF READING GAOL” BY OSCAR WILDE
ADDITIONAL MATERIAL BY CATRIN JONES, SIMON MARSHALL, ERIN READ & JAMES LEWIS
DIRECTED BY DAVID BRADY WITH HARRIET LAMBERT & ERIN READ

MONSTER, GUARDIAN, HUMAN, INNOCENT, HERO.
EACH MAN KILLS THE THING HE LOVES

The Ballad of Reading Gaol was the poet and writer Oscar Wilde's final work. From celebrated playwright and society figure to a broken man dying in exile in Paris, Reading Gaol is a heartrending exploration of the deprivation of liberty, a spectacular fall from grace and a soul-searching quest to hold onto the shreds of humanity during one man's darkest hour. 

This adaptation of Reading Gaol uses the power and grotesque beauty of Wilde's words to tell the story of the punishment and deprivation experienced by prisoners at the turn of the century in direct contrast to the wit and triviality of some of his comedic work.  Featuring Wilde's original poem about the execution of a convicted solider remixed with five brand new pieces of writing and physical theatre commissioned for this production, we plunge headlong into the abyss of incarceration, despair and hope experienced by five prisoners in one of England's most notorious jails. From the grime of Victorian England to the Forests of Africa and back, this production tells a story which goes from the depths of one man's black heart to the brightest hopes of another in a hopeless quest for salvation. 

Proforça Theatre Company presents a visceral new staging of Oscar Wilde's haunting and evocative piece which explores oppression, censorship, and conformity in an increasingly conservative society with themes which are as relevant to us in our world today as they were over 100 years ago. Bigger, braver, and more confrontational than before, we are delighted to be bringing a new staging of this production in an "event" style format to Theatre N16 at its brilliant brand new home @Styx for six special performances this July. 

Reading Gaol is adapted from "The Ballad of Reading Gaol" by Oscar Wilde with new material by James Lewis, Simon Marshall, Erin Read and Catrin Keeler. It is directed by David Brady, Associate Directors Erin Read & Harriet Lambert and produced by Gemma Wray.

Proforca Theatre Company is a fringe theatre company based in London. You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @ProforcaTheatre. Visit our website at www.proforca.co.uk

Theatre N16 can be found at www.theatren16.co.uk and @TheatreN16. It's Artistic Director is Jamie Eastlake.

Running Time: 110 mins Approx. (15 Minute Interval) 
Contains Adult Themes & scenes of violence., haze and flashing lights

PRAISE FOR READING GAOL (2018)

"a dark, gripping performance which explores the Victorian prison system in a unique, versatile fashion. It takes us away from the rich people behaving badly in drawing rooms who populate Wilde’s plays to a dark, grimy place where villains, innocents and those in-between are locked away. - LITRO MAGAZINE

"Proforca’s director, David Brady, cleverly uses this stark setting to bring out the darkness and pathos in Oscar Wilde’s ballad..."

"...it has the novelty of mixing classical and contemporary narrative and a great sense of live performance from the moment we enter the building. The technical aspects are innovative and slick and the actors work well together and individually, and all in a venue which will be a discovery for most." - THE SPY IN THE STALLS

"Directed by David Brady, the piece is tightly choreographed, at times acrobatic, conveying the stir-craziness the convicts feel as they tell their stories and contemplate their futures. James Vincent stands out as a deluded killer bound for the gallows." - LONDONIST

"There is a lot to admire in this atmospheric production, with some great performances and exciting new writing. Reading Gaol is powerful and thought-provoking, and well worth a look." - FAIRY POWERED PRODUCTIONS

CAST:

MONSTER: James Vincent
GUARDIAN: Malcolm Jeffries
HUMAN: Nic James
INNOCENT: Miles Parker
HERO: Nick Cope

READING GAOL WAS ORIGINALLY PERFORMED IN NOV 2017 AT THE LION & UNICORN THEATRE, KENTISH TOWN

CREATIVE TEAM: 

DIRECTED BY:  David Brady
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: Erin Read
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR: Harriet Lambert

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER:  David Brady
PRODUCER: Gemma Wray
PRODUCER: Mitchell Reeve
WRITTEN BY: Oscar Wilde as C-3-3
WITH NEW MATERIAL BY: Catrin Keeler, James Lewis, Simon Marshall & Erin Read

FOR THEATRE N16: 
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Jamie Eastlake

TECHNICAL MANAGER / LIGHTING DESIGN: Mitchell Reeve
PRODUCTION DESIGN: Proforca Theatre Company Limited

MARKETING DESIGN: Proforca Theatre Company Limited
MARKETING / PR:  Chris Hislop
WITH THANKS TO: Terri Paddock
PRODUCTION PHOTOGRAPHY: Brittain Photography
PRODUCTION VIDEOGRAPHY:  Olivia Foan Videography

REHEARSAL FACILITIES:  Theatre Delicatessen, Orzu Arts, BGM Entertainment, The Miller London
ACCOUNTANCY SERVICES: Theataccounts Ltd