Poltergeist will have the London premiere of the critically acclaimed sold-out hit of the 2019 Edinburgh Fringe, Art Heist, at New Diorama Theatre this October. Art Heist is an experimental comedy which uses the Art world to explore the power of frames and the danger of labels; how narratives clash, and the eternal imbalance between belief, perspective and fact.
Three thieves break into the same gallery on the same night.
They’re all intent on stealing the same Extremely Valuable Painting.
They’re bound to meet.
And it’s bound to get messy…
Art Heist is at once an existential caper, a kind of modern Ealing Comedy, an interactive sketch-show, an exploration of how the brain curates the world, a tragedy about cognitive malfunction, and an Art Heist Play, really, but why label?
Further questions abound: What is art? Why is it Extremely Valuable? How much can I get for it on eBay? Is that really a painting you’re stealing, or is it just some brushstrokes trapped inside a gilded frame?
The company’s unique style combines movement, direct address, music, innovative staging, audience interaction and a keen sense of experimentation to tell stories full of humour, colour and humanity, and yet unafraid of getting deep and abstract in contemplation of big issues.
After being nominated in 2018 for Lights Over Tesco Car Park, Poltergeist are recipients of the Underbelly and New Diorama Theatre Untapped Award in 2019 for Art Heist.
Poltergeist is also a pioneer of the Staging Change network, a group of theatre makers who are working together for a greener future for theatre. This summer, they championed the #SustainableFringe campaign, which developed from Poltergeist’s campaign at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2018.
