ETT (English Touring Theatre) announces Phoenix, an audio drama written by Mike Bartlett and read by Bertie Carvel, Olivier Award winners, who previously collaborated on the BBC’s Doctor Foster. The production is part of Signal Fires, a project conceived by ETT and Headlong to bring together over forty of the UK’s leading touring companies to tour an idea at a time when traditional touring isn’t possible. Phoenix is released on Thursday 5 November on ETT’s website and social media channels ahead of a release on iTunes and Spotify.
Released on Bonfire Night, Phoenix is a story about fire, destruction, and rebirth; about the impact an individual’s choice can have on the national psyche; about the breakdown of collective trust. This is a story of someone in power who breaks the rules.
A searing exploration of Britain’s relationship to its government, Phoenix is a beautifully written, sharply comic and darkly provocative piece that interrogates the tension between our collective responsibility and individual desires.
Richard Twyman, Artistic Director and Sophie Scull, Executive Producer of ETT, said today, “As we head into a second lockdown, we’re delighted to be able to offer this short story by Mike Bartlett that looks at how the trust of the first was broken. We were originally due to produce a live storytelling event for an audience gathered around a fire, as part of Signal Fires. But as we’re unable to gather in person, Mike wrote a new piece, set by a fire, for audiences to enjoy at home. Performed by the extraordinary Bertie Carvel we hope audiences can sit back, light a candle or a fire and listen to this offering for Bonfire Night and the dark evenings ahead.”
The audio drama has sound design by Ben and Max Ringham.
