Following the success of their debut show Luna – a play about the Moon, Roustabout are back with (It’s Not All) Zoom & Gloom!, a brand new play written and directed by Toby Hulse for Zoom, and performed live and semi improvised (depending on the scale of technical difficulties!).
When friends and family gather together for an online chat with the ever-grumpy Ben, they find that nothing they say will cheer him up. Pinching an idea from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, they decide to dress up as figures from his past, present and future and teach him that, although we may be physically apart, we can still stay connected.
“These are strange times, but it’s really important that we stay in touch with each other. That’s the moral of the story!” says writer/director, Toby Hulse. “I hope that this provides an opportunity for a household to gather together for a shared experience.” “It will be up to us to hastily improvise our ghosts, complete with costumes and props that we find lying about our house.” says Shaelee, one of the performers. “There’s real scope for us to be inventive. Plus, who knows what curve balls we’ll be thrown by technology! That’s all part of the fun.”
Suitable for everyone aged five and over, (It’s not all) Zoom and Gloom! is a heart-warming, daft, and very funny play, celebrating the wonderful creative improvisatory endeavours that so many have shown during lockdown, and the nonsense that comes with any attempt to communicate online. Expect blips, glitches, surprise cameos, and maybe even some other worldly interference! Supported by Arts Council England, (It’s not all) Zoom & Gloom will be streamed LIVE via Roustabout’s YouTube Channel on June 13th & 14th.
A recording will then be made available to watch online via Roustabout’s website.
