Is My Microphone On? (NHB Modern Plays) E-Book

Jordan Tannahill

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

Young people have inherited a burning world. In Jordan Tannahill's urgent and lyrical play, they reckon with the generations who have come before them, questioning the choices that have been made, and the ones that they will yet be forced to make. In Is My Microphone On? an ensemble of young performers hold the audience to account, and invite them to experience the world together anew. The play was commissioned by the Theater der Welt festival in Germany, premiered in English by Canadian Stage, Toronto, in 2021, and performed by youth theatres across the UK as part of the 2023 National Theatre Connections Festival. It offers opportunities for a large, flexible cast of any size or mix of genders, and can incorporate chorus work, movement and music.

Leseprobe

Jordan Tannahill

IS MY MICROPHONE ON?

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

Contents

Production History

Note

Is My Microphone On?

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Is My Microphone On? was commissioned by the Theater der Welt 2020 Festival and first performed on 22 June 2022 at the Düsseldorfer Schauspielhaus, as a co-production with the Bürgerbühne and the Junges Schauspielhaus, with the following cast:

Nika Andabaka, Frida Beucker, Lucy Brouwers, Ayla Tatu Burnaz, Sofia Cuesta FouB, Paula Darius, Pheonix Grün, Isoken Iyahen, Friederike Jacobs, Collins Kang, Fey Lawal, Hannah Juli Mellinghaus, Eleni Melikidou, Exalte Nsingi, Emir Özdemir, Maja Rabrenovic, Jakob Schiefer and Tobi Valder

Directors

Erin Brubacher and Bassam Ghazi

Original Music

Veda Hille

Music Director

Hajo Wiesemann

Directors’ Assistants

Solène Schlachter and Auguste Sandner

Translation

Frank Weigand

Dramaturg

Erin Brubacher and Kirstin Hess

Is My Microphone On? was first performed in English by Canadian Stage, Toronto, on 2 September 2021, with the following cast:

Remi Ajao-Russell, Hiyab Araya, Jack Bakshi, Chloe Cha, Felix Chew, Nia Downey, Sidonie Fleck, Oscar Gorbet, Saraphina Knights, Iris MacNada, Iylah Mohammed, Amaza Payne, Sanora Souphommanychanh, Alykhan Sunderji, Catherine Thorne, Sophia Wang and Skyler Xiang.

Director and Dramaturg

Erin Brubacher

Original Music

Veda Hille

Visual Designer

Sherri Hay

Sound Designer

Debashis Sinha

Lighting Designer

Kaitlin Hickey

Choreographer

Cara Spooner

Stage Manager

Sandy Plunket

Assistant Stage Manager

Taryn Dougall

Youth Mentors

Davinder Malhi and Sadie Laflamme-Snow

Is My Microphone On? was selected as part of the 2023 National Theatre Connections Festival and performed by youth theatres across the UK, including a performance at the National Theatre in June 2023.

Note

This piece is intended for an ensemble of youth, under the voting age in the country of its performance. The size of the ensemble is variable, but should ideally be no fewer than seven.

The text was informed by the young people we worked with for the premiere productions in Düsseldorf and Toronto, and was regularly edited to reflect current events and local perspectives. All future productions are encouraged to do the same.

The title Is My Microphone On? is inspired by a line from Greta Thunberg’s speech to British MPs at the Houses of Parliament on 23 April 2019. ‘Let me recite what history teaches’ is from Gertrude Stein’s poem ‘A Completed Portrait of Picasso’.

A backslash (/) within a line signals the start of the following line, thus creating an overlap.

The stage is bare, except for several microphones and musical instruments – a drum kit, two electric guitars, a bass guitar. At times, it should feel a bit like a rehearsal for a garage band. The music underscores. Sometimes it swells, overwhelms. The lines of text should be spoken, not sung.

In staging this work, less is usually more. Let the bodies and voices of the young ensemble carry the work.

An ensemble of young performers gradually enter a theatre. There are several musical instruments onstage.

Lights shift.

They address the audience.

Check

One two

Check check one two

Can you hear me? Am I coming through?

Can we, sorry – Can we just test the drums?

Performer tests the drums.

Is that amp on?

Can you turn it up?

A performer turns up the amp.

Two performers strum electric guitars.

And the bass?

Performer tests the bass guitar.

That’s good

We want to make sure you can hear us

By a show of hands, who in the audience is a Millennial?

Wait for members of the audience to raise their hands.

Okay, a few of you, nice to see you

Thanks for coming

Who here is Gen X, can you raise your hands?