Going places, GOING SOLO: The fun of being the ONLY focus

We always thought that theatre is a performance of a group of actors, sharing a single stage and acting on a theme. However, for the first time ever in India, Teamwork Acts is going to introduce ‘Going Solo’ the only international Theatre festival of India where the audience would witness what one-man act is all about. The festival would invite various award winning and international performers from U.K like Guy Masterson, Robert Softley and Jaye Griffiths ,who will engage the audience in their spellbinding performance of solo acts in India.

The festival would showcase three solo acts-

Shylock, which would be performed by Guy Masterson, is Directed by Gareth, is an act on the character from a very famous Shakespeare’s novel, “The Merchant of Venice”. Guy Masterson is a globally renowned solo actor, award winning director and a writer, who has worked on over one-fifty shows and has won Olivier Award. He is one of the most highly awarded independent presenters at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival over twenty seasons.

Graduated in Drama from Hull University, Gareth, the director of the play has successfully played the role of an actor and a director in his entire career. He has played Shylock for a decade as a solo actor and also been a part of the National Youth Theatre. Gareth has played almost every character of the Shakespearean World. He has also been a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and worked at the Shakespeare’s Globe and in the West End.

Shylock has been translated into many languages such as- Russian, French and Italian and has been filmed for Dutch television and broadcast on Romanian radio.

Don’t Wake Me Up: A Ballad of Nihal Armstrong is a story of a mother’s journey, fighting for the rights of her disabled son. It is a very moving story which would be performed by Jaye Griffiths, a television actress who was also a part of the BBC’s hit series Bugs. She has appeared in The Bill, Doctors, Always and Everyone, nstinct and Silent Witness. Other credits include Casualty, Between the Lines, Drop the Dead Donkey, Kingdom and Skins. She has also presented two BBC School Television series, ‘Watch’ and ‘Story-time.’

Moved from a traditional career to theatre, Guy Slater the director of the play starting his career as an actor and when he was out of job he discovered his hidden talent of writing scripts for plays, not anticipating that one day it would become his main career. Although, he was writing for several years, his career took a flight when he was invited by the writer Carey Harrison, to direct his play “In a Cottage Hospital” at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh.

Last but not the least is the act called If These Spasms Could Speak, Directed and acted by Robert Softley Gale. The act revolves around the life-story of a disabled man and how the society behaves with him. The story though sounds serious, has some comic elements which indeed makes it the most appealing play.

Making an acting debut in the year of 2002, Robert has played various roles in his real life, like- including disability rights activist, actor and performer, writer and supporter and an advocate of equality of access to the arts for disabled people, whether as artists or audiences. He is also an Art-Director of ‘Birds of Paradise Theatre Company,’ which helps in bringing disabled and able artists on a single platform.

If you want to experience the magic of GOING SOLO then you can catch the shows on respective dates and places:

Delhi

Thu, Oct 9, 2014 FICCI Auditorium Shylock 7PM – 8PM
Thu, Oct 9, 2014 FICCI Auditorium Don’t Wake Me 8:30PM – 9:30PM
Fri, Oct 10, 2014 FICCI Auditorium Don’t Wake Me 7PM – 8PM
Fri, Oct 10, 2014 FICCI Auditorium Shylock 8:30PM – 9:30PM
Sat, Oct 11, 2014 Stein Auditorium, IHC If These Spasms Could Speak 7PM – 8PM
Sat, Oct 11, 2014 Stein Auditorium, IHC Shylock 8:30PM – 9:30PM

Kolkata

Mon, Oct 13, 2014 Gyan Manch Don’t Wake Me 7PM – 8PM
Mon, Oct 13, 2014 Gyan Manch If These Spasms Could Speak 8:30PM – 9:30PM
Tue, Oct 14, 2014 Gyan Manch Shylock 7PM – 8PM
Tue, Oct 14, 2014 Gyan Manch If These Spasms Could Speak 8:30PM – 9:30PM
Wed, Oct 15, 2014 Gyan Manch Shylock 7PM – 8PM
Wed, Oct 15, 2014 Gyan Manch Don’t Wake Me 8:30PM – 9:30PM

Bengaluru

Thu, Oct 16, 2014 Rangashankara If These Spasms Could Speak 7:30PM – 8:30 PM
Thu, Oct 16, 2014 Rangashankara Shylock 9PM – 10PM
Fri, Oct 17, 2014 Rangashankara If These Spasms Could Speak 7:30PM – 8:30 PM
Fri, Oct 17, 2014 Rangashankara Don’t Wake Me 9PM – 10PM
Sat, Oct 18, 2014 Rangashankara Don’t Wake Me 7:30PM – 8:30 PM
Sat, Oct 18, 2014 Rangashankara If These Spasms Could Speak 9PM – 10PM

Mumbai

Mon, Oct 20, 2014 Experimental Theatre, NCPA If These Spasms Could Speak 7PM – 8PM
Mon, Oct 20, 2014 Experimental Theatre, NCPA Shylock 8:30PM – 9:30PM
Tue, 21 Oct, 2014 Experimental Theatre, NCPA Shylock 7PM – 8PM
Tue, 21 Oct, 2014 Experimental Theatre, NCPA Don’t Wake Me 8:30PM – 9:30PM
Wed, 22 Oct, 2014 St. Andrews Auditorium Don’t Wake Me 7PM – 8PM