Reading theatre group awarded Arts council grant to tour play
It's a big boost for Rabble theatre's production of William the Conqueror
Reading's Rabble Theatre has been awarded significant funding from Arts Council England and France’s Région Normandie to develop their play William the Conqueror for a national tour of England in 2027.
William The Conqueror will bring one of history’s most significant figures to life for modern audiences. The production will also create opportunities for diverse representation on and off stage, while developing international collaborations that reflect the story's connections between England and Normandy.
This investment will support Rabble to realise its most ambitious production to date, helping the company to scale up its work and reach new audiences.
Ambitious
Hazel Edwards, South East Area Director, Arts Council England said:
“Arts Council England is pleased to be investing £132,940 into RABBLE Theatre’s national tour of William The Conqueror, commissioned by RABBLE and written by long-standing associate artist, Beth Flintoff. Building on the company’s successful Arts Council England-funded history productions and recent national tour of Glitch – The True Story of the Post Office Scandal, this ambitious new production will enable RABBLE to take its work to new audiences across the country in 2027 - The Year of the Normans."
Connects
Jean-Gabriel Guyant, General Delegate of MILLENIUM – 2027, the European Year of the Normans said:
“Région Normandie is delighted to support RABBLE Theatre’s ambitious production of William The Conqueror as a key part of the international programme of events taking place in Millennium: 2027 European Year of the Normans.
"The story of William is one that connects our two territories and this collaboration provides an exciting opportunity to explore that shared history through contemporary theatre. Through RABBLE’s partnership with Normandy-based company In Itinere Collectiv, three actors from Normandy will join the production, creating a genuine artistic exchange and bringing French and British artists together on stage."
Exciting
Toby Davies, Founder and Artistic Director of RABBLE Theatre said:
“We are deeply grateful to Arts Council England and Région Normandie for investing in our ambitious international collaboration. The prospect of bringing this seminal story, with all its contemporary relevance, to life for today’s audiences is hugely exciting. To be doing so with the support of Arts Council England and our partners in Normandy gives us enormous motivation as we embark on RABBLE’s most ambitious production to date.”