THEATRICAL NICHE
builds on its successful tours of Lysistrata, Tartuffe,
and Dr. Faustus with
Steven Berkoff’s adaptation of Franz Kafka’s absurd Novella
METAMORPHOSIS
Directed by Alice Sillett
at The Vaults Theatre, Launcelot St, London Waterloo
7th – 8th May at 7.30pm
Theatrical Niche, renowned for its adaptations of classic texts, brings its signature, high-energy, physical theatre to Steven Berkoff’s METAMORPHOSIS. Exquisite puppetry, imaginative staging and grotesque ensemble work combine to make this a highly visual and enjoyable show. METAMORPHOSIS, a fast-moving, acclaimed adaptation, is suitable for ages from 12 years up.
Waking to find himself transformed into a dung beetle one morning, Gregor must now grossly consider his options. METAMORPHOSIS casts its beady eyes over the norms of society, illustrating the alienation of one painfully normal individual with deft surrealism.
One of the most resonantly strange stories ever brought to stage, this physical, absurdist adaptation by Steven Berkoff plunges into the extremity of Kafka’s dark humour, and reveals the tremulous human heart.
Director Alice Sillett said ‘Metamorphosis is about the outsider. It is about anyone who has been isolated or has isolated themselves. It’s about the things in life we don’t want to face, the things we hide away and the things we cannot bear to see. The more I look, the more connections I make to my own world and the world outside me. And it’s an uncomfortable view.
We explored alienation in all aspects of our lives and much of this has carried through into our play from the disconnection of social media where it was meant to connect, to the expected gender roles that separate us from who we actually are, to the daily grind of the 9-5.
Despite the bleakness of these comparisons we have had a rehearsal room filled with laughter. I thank each member of the team for coming on this journey into the strange. Exploring the ridiculousness of our behaviour has led to the bizarre, frightening and hilarious and to a certain truth about what it means to be human. After all who in the play is more human? There is both human and bug in us all.’
Theatrical Niche is known for embracing wide-ranging theatrical techniques, practitioners and texts from across the globe. Its productions are exciting, multi-disciplinary, educational and above all, relevant. The company prides itself on employing inspirational artists and creating world-class theatre that can and will tour to any venue across the UK. Previous productions include DR. FAUSTUS, LYSISTRATA, and BLOOD WEDDING.
THE TOUR
APRIL
Thursday 20th April – Headgate Theatre (Colchester) 7:30pm
Tuesday 25th April – Old Town Hall (Hemel Hempstead) 8pm
Wednesday 26th April – Guildhall Arts Centre (Grantham) 7:30pm
Friday 28th April – Charlton Park (Canterbury) 7:30pm
MAY
Thursday 4th May – Trinity Theatre (Tunbridge Wells) 7:30pm
Friday 5th May – The Place (Bedford) 7:30pm
Sunday 7th May – The Vaults Theatre (London Waterloo) 7:30pm
Monday 8th May – The Vaults Theatre (London Waterloo) 7:30pm
Wednesday 11th May – Stantonbury Theatre (Milton Keynes) 7:30pm
Thursday 12th May – Northwich Memorial Hall (Northwich, Cheshire) 7:30pm
Thursday 18th May – The Burrell Theatre (Truro, Cornwall) 7:30pm
Friday 19th May – Yvonne Arnaud Theatre (Mill Studio, Guildford) 8pm
Breaking The Fourth Wall 