‘Cathy’ performed by Cardboard Citizens Theatre Company.

Cardboard Citizens perform ‘Cathy’

Following their one-off theatrical re-staging of Ken Loach’s seminal work, ‘Cathy Come Home’ at London’s Barbican Centre, the award-winning theatre company, Cardboard Citizens, are now touring ‘Cathy’ nationally – and will be appearing at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings, on 25 and 26 January 2017. The play is a reworking, based around similar themes to Loach’s original work. Laurie Temple writes.

This year marks Ken Loach’s 50th anniversary in film and also the 25th anniversary of the theatre company, Cardboard Citizens, who work with and for homeless people. Through bold and immersive productions, the company breaks down the conventional divisions between audiences and performers, bringing theatre to the most marginalised in society. especially those who experience homelessness.

Hayley Wareham, Amy Loughton and Cathy Owen in Cathy. Pamela Raith Photography.

In ‘Cathy’, the company continues their exploration of the state of housing and homelessness with a powerful and emotive new forum theatre show, by award-winning playwright, Ali Taylor.

Based, like the film, on true stories, this timely production looks at the social and personal impact of spiralling housing costs and the challenges of forced relocation outside London, that many people are currently being forced into.

As Ken Loach recently said: “There are more people made desperate by having no home now then when ‘Cathy Come Home’ was first made. Then, we still had council housing. Now we only have the market… and the housing market has failed. It gives us luxury apartments in tower blocks for wealthy investors and families living in overcrowded single rooms”.

This production has been researched with the homelessness charity, Shelter and each performance will end with a debate in the classic forum theatre style, which explores different outcomes to productions: the audience is encouraged to engage with the play’s issues, by suggesting different actions and outcomes for the narrative.

“Cardboard Citizens aims to change the lives of homeless people through the performing arts,” said Adrian Jackson, artistic director and CEO of Cardboard Citizens. Mr Jackson teaches his methodology for ‘The Theatre Of The Oppressed’ all over the world.

Members of the audience can either choose to book a free ticket and then make a donation on the night, (if they want to donate!). Or book in advance and choose whether to pay £1, £5 , or the full price of £12. All of the proceeds will go to the Cardboard Citizens Theatre Company, helping them continue their groundbreaking work.

‘Cathy.’ Performed by Cardboard Citizens’ Theatre Company

25 and 26 January 2017 at The White Rock Theatre on Hastings seafront. Starts 7.30pm. Book tickets via this link.

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