Chelsea Theatre is about to start a season of new theatre that presents new work not as finished, polished and neatly concluded pieces but instead in a flow of development and change. There will be two ways to watch and two chances to see what happens to the pieces as the artists work on them in Sacred, the season that thinks it is precious.
In Sacred, six international performers have been commissioned to present their take on "relationships, religion, punk, death and shepherd's pie." Each of these established artists have chosen an artist from the next generation to make a complementary show. From 5 September to 10 November, double bills of the commissioned work and the complementary pieces make up the programme, followed by solo "finished article" performances 16 January to 2 May 2007
Book for the double bills in order to 1) see the work in their early stages and say you saw it first if they end up as award-winning West End transfers 2) get two for the price of one 3) stay for the Q and A sessions with the artists involved. If you like them enough to follow to the next stage or would rather wait to see the finished product then just book for the January solo performances.
The plays vary wildly in subject matter and approach, in quite an eye-watering programme that includes dance, experimental installation-type performances, standard scripts, audience interactions and interventions and... you'll have to see for yourself, and there are two chances to do so.
Sacred: a Season of New Theatre, double bills 5 September to 10 November, solo shows 16 January to 2 May 2007. For more information, go to the Chelsea Theatre website here.
