Travis Alabanza, the acclaimed writer, performer, and one of the UK’s most prominent trans voices, will reopen Bush Theatre with their new play, Overflow.
Overflow, a hilarious and devastating tour of women’s bathrooms by acclaimed writer and performer Travis Alabanza (Jubilee, Burgerz), will be the first public performance at the Bush following national restrictions. Directed by Debbie Hannan (incoming co-Artistic Director of the Traverse Theatre) it opens on 8 December (press night 9 December) in the Bush’s Holloway Theatre. Overflow is a monologue and will be presented in line with government guidelines and with social distancing measures in place. The performer will be announced later in November.
‘Club toilets have taught me more about sisterhood than any book’
Cornered into a flooding toilet cubicle and determined not to be rescued again, Rosie distracts herself with memories of bathroom encounters, drunken heart-to-hearts by dirty sinks, friendships forged in front of crowded mirrors, and hiding from trouble.
But with her panic rising and no help on its way, can she keep her head above water?
From internationally acclaimed writer and one of the UK’s most prominent trans voices, Travis Alabanza (Burgerz), comes a hilarious and devastating tour of women’s bathrooms.
Lynette Linton, Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre said, ‘I’m proud and excited to be announcing that we are back on stage at the Bush Theatre. With ‘Overflow’ we continue to produce work that reflects and interrogates our society and we are honoured to be producing Travis Alabanza’s latest play. I want to give a shout-out to our amazing team at the Bush and our wider community of freelance theatre makers who have worked so hard and so quickly to realise Travis’ extraordinary vision. The Bush is back. Come we go!’
The charity Stonewall estimates that around 1 percent of the population might identify as trans or non-binary. That would mean about 600,000 trans and non-binary people in Britain, out of a population of over 60 million. Transgender Awareness Week, which begins on Friday 13 November, helps raise the visibility of transgender and gender non-conforming people and address the issues the community faces. The week ends on 20 November with the Transgender Day of Remembrance.
The Bush have also announced a new, temporary pricing structure in light of the current pandemic. Young people and those living and working in the Shepherd’s Bush area can buy tickets in all areas of the auditorium for £10 when they join the Bush Connect and Bush Local free membership schemes. A concessionary rate of £5 off the full ticket price is available for access patrons and an allocation of £10 tickets will be made available to theatre freelancers via networks including the Bush Theatre’s Freelancer Forum and Freelancers Make Theatre Work. Priority booking is now available for Write the Bush’s Future donors and Bush supporters as a thank you for their vital financial support over the last 8 months.
Social distancing means the Bush can only sell a small percentage of their usual tickets which hugely reduces income. A new initiative ‘Buy An Empty Seat’ invites audiences to donate £20 for one of the empty seats and in doing so help safeguard the Bush’s future.
Overflow is made possible thanks to the support of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, which will enable the venue to produce live theatre over the next six months.
Overflow is at The Bush Theatre 8th – 22nd December 2020. Tickets are on sale here.
