On October 9th, 10th, and 11th, my new play A Case Study of Shoplifting will premiere at The Hen and Chickens Theatre (Islington, London)

This one-woman show, performed by the brilliant Mia (who I've collaborated with before) and written and directed by me, explores shoplifting from a phenomenological, sociological and anthropological point of view, in a world where consumerism itself may be just as harmful, yet legitimised. The play asks: Is being able to pay for a product enough reason to legitimize buying it, in the middle of an environmental crisis, where the creation of every product causes the earth irreversible damage?

It’s an intimate, provocative, and highly technical (!!!) performance that blends theatre, research, film, and performance art. Because the show is site-specific and technically demanding, it’s vital that we rehearse in the theatre space itself (for previous plays we have usually done rehearsals at home or in other spaces that we adapt for this purpose).

Here’s where I need your support. The theatre contract covers our performance dates, but it does not include rehearsal hours. To prepare the show properly, I've calculated that we need to rehearse four days in the actual venue prior to the show, for four hours each day. The theatre charges £25 an hour for rehearsal hires, meaning rehearsal costs add up to £400 total.

Added to that, we need a technician to help us both during rehearsals and the show itself, for which we are £300 short.

By supporting us, you’ll be helping us ensure that the performance reaches its full potential, giving the team the space and time we need to achieve our vision of the show, which is, I'm proud but slightly scared to say, quite ambitious.

Thank you, and hopefully see you at The Hen and Chickens (the tickets will be put on sale this week)!

P.S. It didn't let me upload my bank details because I am not a UK resident, so I am using Maria (a member of the ACSOS team) as an intermediary for UK donations.