This Spring the Liverpool Everyman take an innovative approach to storytelling, exploring how work, automation and capitalism impact humanity. The world premiere of The Legend of Ned Ludd by Joe Ward Munrow is at the Hope Street venue from Saturday 20 April to Saturday 11 May.
In this daring production, three actors find themselves at the mercy of The Machine - an entity at the heart of the play with the power to choose. With 256 possible versions, The Machine will randomly select 15 scenes to be performed live on the night, offering an unpredictable experience every time.
The Legend of Ned Ludd takes the audience on a whirlwind global commute, exploring scenes from different moments in history and locations worldwide. From the Luddites' protest in the nineteenth century to contemporary stories in London, Liverpool, Lagos, and beyond, the play looks at the impact of capitalism and globalisation on working people.
As writer Joe Ward Munrow explains:
“It’s a play about people, work and automation. It explores what happens when machines make decisions rather than humans. As we wrestle with the impact of AI and algorithms on our lives, I wanted to look at how this has been a timeless question. I’m hoping it will be an entertaining reflection on the history of work, class, and the impact of technology on our lives.”
An award-winning playwright based in Liverpool, Joe Ward Munrow is a graduate of the theatres’ Playwrights Programme and was Writer On Attachment (Held in the Playhouse Studio). Other credits include Blue (Gate Theatre, London), The Busker (BBC Radio 4), Hercules and Phoebe (National Theatre) and Live News (Royal Court, London), with his play, Screaming Heart winning the Mercury Weinberger award. Joe recently co-founded New Step theatre with director and writer Nathan Powell, with Dogs in the Playhouse Studio. He currently lectures in scriptwriting at Manchester Metropolitan University.
The cast for The Legend of Ned Ludd includes Reuben Johnson an award-winning writer and spoken word artist. Theatre credits include There Is A Light That Never Goes Out and A Streetcar Named Desire (Royal Exchange), Macbeth (National Theatre, tour), The Hound of the Baskervilles (Bolton Octagon) and As You Like It (Northern Broadsides). Television credits include The Teacher, The Aliens, Doctor Who and Prisoners’ Wives.
Menyee Lai grew up in Liverpool and has numerous theatre credits including A Bouffon Play about Hong Kong (Paper Gang Theatre Company), Signal Fires (New Earth Theatre), The Killing of Sister George (The Lowry), The Snow Queen (Open Hand Theatre) and Under Milk Wood (The Nia Centre). Television credits include The Responder, Inside No.9, Waterloo Road, Time, The Royle Family Christmas Special, Cold Feet and Ackley Bridge.
Liverpool actor Shaun Mason, a graduate of the Everyman’s youth theatre, has since appeared in Macbeth and Billy Wonderful. Other theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Sheffield Crucible), All’s Well That Ends Well (Shakespeare’s Globe), Oliver Twist (Regents Park) and Black Lives Black Words (Bush). Television credits include The Gathering, Extraordinary, Responder (season 2), Time, Dodger, I Hate Suzie, Doctor Who, Vera and Little Boy Blue.
Directed by Jude Christian (Manon Lescaut, English Touring Opera; Dark Night of the Soul, Shakespeare’s Globe), Set and Costume Design is by Hazel Low (Succession Theme is my Ringtone, Rose Theatre; Tiger, Omnibus Theatre); Lighting Design is by Laura Howard (Work It Out, HOME; Manorism, Southbank Centre) and Sound Design is by Kieran Lucas (A Billion Times I Love You, Liverpool Everyman; Deciphering and A Girl In School Uniform Walks Into A Bar, New Diorama, both nominated for the Off West End Award for Best Sound Design).
The Legend of Ned Ludd is the first of three homegrown productions to celebrate the Everyman’s 60th year, with a special £60 deal to see all three shows.
The show opens on Saturday 20 April and plays until Saturday 11 May 2024, with accessible performances and a series of wraparound events too. More information and booking at https://www.everymanplayhouse.com/whats-on/the-legend-of-ned-ludd
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