- Biking holidays in Gran Canaria - 8 May, 2019
- Interview: Johnathan Tweedie as Sir Lancelot in Spamalot - 7 November, 2017
- The Office Desk Increasing Productivity - 13 September, 2017
Following their previous sell out production, the Arcola Queer Collective (AQC) presents The Little Prince. The production will be on for one week only, from 9 to 14 May. February’s sell-out run saw all tickets gone before the opening night. This next run will feature an expanded set, new movement and choreography by Rubyyy Jones, and changes to the lighting design.
The Little Prince tells the story of a pilot who crashes his plane in the Sahara Desert, and meets a young prince from a distant asteroid. This little prince has travelled the universe, and theirs is a tale of wonder, friendship and loss. After a life among the stars, one might want for nothing. But the little prince needs one more thing…
This story draws on real queer experiences and is, in part, an homage to the life and impact of David Bowie. It was an exciting and thrilling production for audiences who saw it in February.
‘The Little Prince is a unique and exciting production for a number of reasons and one of the most progressive and exciting elements is the removal of gender binaries throughout the show. Not only is it wonderful for a queer audience to be able to attend and see themselves represented but also for some of the performers, having the opportunity, for the first time, to play a character which represents them, their gender and the power and complexity of otherness. A celebration of queerness and LGBTQIA+ culture, style and journeys, The Little Prince is an emotive and inclusive production which was made by queers, for queers and their loving allies,’ said Rubyyy Jones, Co-Director of AQC.
‘On the day we started rehearsing for this production, David Bowie died. Looking back now it was quite a significant moment. We wanted to tap into the universal nature of fairy tales, after all the Little Prince is a fable of the dangers of growing up and losing your inner child, something most queer people can relate too. As we talked about a Prince falling from space, and what parallels we could draw from our own experiences, we were just struck by the similarities with what we were trying to do and David Bowie’s legacy. As one of the first people to question identity and suggest that things can be more fluid and malleable, it seemed like it was meant to be. I hope we have done Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s story justice, and also paid tribute to another great artists, who also may (or may not) have fallen from a star,’ said fellow Co-Director Nick Connaughton, who also adapted the script for the stage.
Special Event: The AQC is also hosting a special Saturday matinee performance that will feature five new plays written by Collective members and inspired by The Little Prince. Featured writers include Alexis Greggory (SLAP, Theatre Royal Stratford) Bex Large and Phil Rhys Thomas (both A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Arcola Theatre).
Praise for The Little Prince:
‘Tender, funny and utterly brilliant… I urge you to beg, borrow or steal a ticket, if you have to…’ – DIVA Magazine
‘…poignant and thought-provoking, beautifully wrought… you might just leave with a better understanding and appreciation for the fabulous queer community of London.’ – QX Magazine
More information
Dates: Monday 9 to Saturday 14 May, 7.30pm
Tickets: Tier A (£14/£12) and Tier B (£10)
Running Time: 100 minutes approximately (including interval)
Adapted by: Nick Connaughton, after Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Directed by: Rubyyy Jones and Nick Connaughton
Cast: Vix Dillon, Charly Flyte, Camilla Harding, Damien Hughes, Krishna Istha, Jo Jackson, Ava Markey, Sergio Moreno, Jonathan Scholey, Lottie Vallis and Arkem Mark Walton
Tickets available online and via telephone at 0208 503 1646.
