Exchange Theatre return to London this June with their tenth anniversary revival of Jean-Paul Sartre’s rebellious and highly political play The Flies. Sartre’s thriller re-imagines the Greek tragedy of Electra and Orestes, exploring the complexities of human values in a period of political turbulence.
A company priding themselves in their international and multi-cultural heritage, Exchange Theatre’s The Flies will be performed in alternating French and English in tribute to Sartre’s roots, and the 1943 play’s origins as a political allegory. Directed by David Furlong, Exchange Theatre’s multidisciplinary and multimedia production of The Flies returns in 2019, as topical and poignant as ever.
Electra, Orestes, and their troubled family will be joined on stage by Mauritian band A Riot in Heaven, transforming this tragedy into a modern, tense and thrilling rock opera. As Orestes is hounded by Jupiter, god of flies and death, The Flies examines freedom, oppression and courage.
Artistic Director David Furlong comments, “Exchange Theatre is celebrating ten years, successfully establishing itself with recognition, nominations, and a following, and becoming a charity this year. It is important now more than ever to work with ideas of multi-culturalism, languages, equality in casting, and holistic practice. As a French company in the UK producing a French play, it is important to have the mere presence of French philosophy during uncertainty around Brexit. The Flies is about fighting for liberty against misguided populist powers such as we are seeing in Europe and the Americas.”
The Flies is at The Bunker Theatre 11th June to 6th July 2019.
