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Festival of arts aims to explain Afghanistan’s place in our world
PREVIEW - THE GREAT GAME
Tricycle Theatre
AFGHANISTAN is a country at the forefront of western foreign policy, yet we know little about how our relations with this state have evolved over the past 175 years.
From Friday, acclaimed playwrights Richard Bean, David Edgar and David Greig will be among the writers showcasing new specially commissioned plays at The Tricycle Theatre in Kilburn as part of The Great Game: Afghanistan, a festival comprising 15 plays (presented in three productions of four short plays as The Great Game Part I: Invasions & Independence 1842-1930, Part II: Communism, The Mujahadeen & the Taliban 1979-1996 and Part III: Enduring Freedom 1996-2009).
There is also a 10-day film programme, a Qawali Sham Sufi Group concert, ceramic and photographic exhibitions, discussion sessions, writers’ talks and play readings.
“The festival will offer the most comprehensive overview of Afghanistan’s history, culture and politics ever attempted in Britain,” says Nicolas Kent, artistic director at The Tricycle. “The aim is to help audiences understand more about Afghanistan, and to open up debate, appreciation and discussion on Afghanistan’s importance to Britain as we move into the second decade of the 21st century.”
Former comedy writer Bean presents ( in Part III) On the Side of Angels, a story of British charity workers east of Herat who get tangled up in trying to settle local disputes. Meanwhile, Edgar contributes Black Tulips (Part II) which follows a group of Russian conscripts being sent into Afghanistan, while David Greig gives us Miniskirts of Kabul (Part II), in which a woman interviews President Najibullah as rockets explode around the capital.
There will be education work in schools and with Afghan refugees. With more than 35,000 Afghans in London, there is a large Afghan community living within a five mile radius of the Tricycle Theatre.
The festival runs from April 17-June 14.
Full details at www.tricycle.co.uk
020 7328 1000 |
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