The first of three collaborative touring productions, Rent Party is a show made with, by, and for the local community with world-class artist Darren Pritchard (Rent Party, Mother of the House of Flava, House of Ghetto).
Each partner is re-imagining Darren’s show with a local cast throughout 2021; passing the mic around the working class communities themselves and platforming the incredible talents of professional, unheard artists in their local areas. Each Rent Party production showcases the voices, lives and skills of artists from each of these places, some of whom have never performed in a traditional theatre setting. The casts tell their own stories of who they are and what their community has faced through devised performances across styles such as Hip-Hop & Trap music, fire dancing, spoken word, ventriloquism and opera.
“Rent Party feels like the start of something… Perhaps a cultural working-class revolution? But most definitely a creative movement. It’s incredible to watch our community coming together to imagine, make and share all its wealth.”
Rhiannon White, Co-Artistic Director of Common Wealth (East Cardiff)
“There is a change coming in theatre, and some of the most exciting shifts are coming from the artists and audiences based in places like the homes of the Moving Roots network. To be able to work with such a generous, insightful and radical artist like Darren Pritchard accelerates that change, disrupting whose stories can be placed centre stage, raising the expectation of audience, and creating national opportunities for exceptional local talent.”
Kate Hall, Creative Producer, Jumped Up Theatre
The tour kicked off yesterday with a digital screening by the Medway cast. It continues with in-person performances by the Peterborough cast (Jumped Up Theatre) on 1 & 2 July, followed by further digital screenings of the Medway cast on 8 & 22 July via lyriciarts.com. The Wigan cast (The Old Courts) will perform on 29-30 October, with dates and venue for the East Cardiff (Common Wealth) performances to be confirmed for September.
MOVING ROOTS
Moving Roots is a collective of arts organisations; Battersea Arts Centre, Lyrici Arts, Common Wealth, The Old Courts and Jumped Up Theatre, spanning across the UK (London, Medway, Cardiff, Wigan and Peterborough.)