War With The Newts

The original novel: by Karel Čapek

Dramatised and directed: by Kazue Horimasu

~Harness the Newts and Ride out the Great Depression!~ 

     The Great Depression, commencing in 1929, ravaged not just the USA and Europe, but the entire globe. Humanity found survival by exploiting the highly intelligent Newts. As a result, the human race is becoming more prosperous, but…

   If the Nazi Party had dissolved, and if World War Two had not occurred, would humanity have thrived in peace?

Performance Dates and Time: 24th, 25th, 27th, September 2024. 7 pm~

＊A Q&A session after each performance is held.

＊The performance will be filmed on 24 September.

Venue: The Embassy of the Czech Republic in London.  

Price of a Ticket: Free (Booking is necessary.)

Support Us→https://gofund.me/b2719a6f

Director's Note

    In the autumn of 2017 I was looking for a piece to perform in 2018. I had been creating a stage play in Tokyo every year, and my works had received a reputation for excellence as a contemporary critique. While I was reading many productions, I was intensely attracted to “War With The Newts” and developed the script around the theme of ‘what is a human being’. When I told others about the play, a cynical Japanese friend of mine said. 'You mean the Japanese are the Newts? They are hard-working, technologically advanced, and do not assert their rights. They are just like us, even to the point of not appreciating culture and art.'

　Indeed. But isn't it a global trend that culture and art are not valued unless they enrich the economy? What is the main cause of this tendency? Through War With The Newts, it may be possible to depict the main cause of this trend.

　Finally, in 2023, I decided to treat “”War With The Newts" in my Dissertation Project, and as I had performed it in Japan in 2018, I thought it would be possible to rewrite the script and perform it in the UK.

　Various difficulties and joys poured down on me in large numbers until the performance. The difficulties were mostly bad luck and different conventions. The joys were discovering the beauty of others every time. When presenting a script, other people would read it and tell me what they thought. I received unexpected feedback and felt the sparkle of life in their words. In the rehearsal room, it was beautiful to see the actors struggling with foreign languages, but somehow trying to grasp the certainty of the language. I was also pleased to see them experimenting with different accents, even in their mother tongues, and not being content with their current situation. The way they tried various movements in the absence of dialogue also added depth to the piece. I also appreciated the way they tried to understand my poor English.

　It is the audience that makes the play complete. Both actors and Techs have volunteered to share this production with you. Please join us in creating a wonderful performance. May this production help you to think about our times.

DURATION:

120 MINS (INCLUDING A 15MIN INTERBAL)

CONTENT WARNING

Strong Language; Racism; Anti-Smitism; Sexism; Agesim; Animal abuse; Colonialism; Imperialism; War; Weapons; Sounds of explosions; Gun shooting; Natural disasters; Starvation; Death

The Cast 

Simone Sklan: Bondy, Newt, Sir Mulberry, France, Actor G, Radio(voice), Person(voice) 

    Simone is an American actor living and working in London. Her recent credits include Mrs. Glenswilt in My Cup Runneth Over at the theatre Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Inanna in Let me Change Your Mind at Hoxton Hall, and Cloten in Cymbeline at the Bridewell Centre. She completed her MFA in Acting at East15 in 2023. She is represented by Asquith & Horner.

https://app.spotlight.com/9254-4508-4485

Yitong Fu: Okada, Mayor, Communist, Inuit, Newt, Person, John Bull, China, Actor A

    He is a professional actor from China and has been working as an actor for more than 11 years. Many famous plays were staged in China and London. “The deep blue sea ”in London. “special face ”in London. “Henry VI”Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. “Chemin de fer ”In Corbett Theatre, London

Kristyna Havelkova: Povondrova, Person, Belgium, Actor C

    Kristyna is a Czech actress, who graduated from MA Acting at East 15 Acting School (2023). Before starting her MA she finished her BA in Performing Arts (Film, TV & Stage) at Buckinghamshire New University. Working both in the UK and the Czech Republic, she’s also a member of the children’s ‘Navetvi’ theatre

https://app.spotlight.com/9250-9050-1096

Tyler Beckles: Vantoch, Director of London Zoo (Consultant), British Prime Minister, Actor F, Sailor(voice)

    Tyler is currently a second year student studying BA world performance at East 15, with this show being his London debut performance.

Rianne J Snape: Interpreter, Newt, Thomas, Visitor(Shareholder), Jazz Singer, Princess of Wales, Brazil, Actor D.

    Rianne Snape is a recent MA Graduate from East15 Acting School, based in London. 

She has previously performed in: Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ as Lady Macbeth and Sam Shepherd’s ‘Suicide in b flat’ as Laureen.

https://app.spotlight.com/0818-0167-2696

Ieva Budreikaite: Sailor(Jensen), Newt, Dancer, Visitor(Shareholder), Frantiska, Person, Italy, Actor E, Person(voice)

     Ieva is an actor in training at East 15. She has performed as Duchess of Berwick and Lord Windemere in Oscar Wilde's "Lady Windemere's Fan", as selkie and daughter in "Heartbeat" and in an adaptation of "The Unknown Woman" by Aleksandr Blok as the unknown woman and citizen.

Richener Bissereth: Sailor/Diver(Ali), Servant, Youth, Mathmatician, Painter, British Navy/Army, America, Actor J, Newt(voice)

    Richener Bissereth is a current student at East 15 Acting School in the Master of Fine Arts International course. Prior to East 15 he obtained a Bachelor of Music at the Manhattan School of Music concentrating in musical theatre in New York City. 

Lucrezia Phifer: Newt, Brondy actress(Mae), Professor(Shareholder), Servant, Animal welfare activist, Person, John Bull, Dott, Actor H, Expert(voice), Chief Salamander(voice)

    Lucrezia Phifer is an actor, writer, and philosopher from Indiana. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, where she received a BA in Film, Television & Theatre.

Mia Sumida: Newt, Mary, Servant, Today's student, Inuit, Person, John Bull, Castelli, Actor I.

    Mia Sumida is a Japanese actor with a BA from Nihon University College of Arts and a graduate of East 15 Drama School in the UK. Mia has performed internationally, most recently at DOOSAN Theater Space 111 in Korea.

 https://app.spotlight.com/0456-8944-0620

Qi Chen: Newt, Dancer, Newt Andy, Youth 1 (Union Chief),  Japan, Actor B

    Qi Chen is an actress from China with over 1400 theatre performances under her belt. These include drama, musical and physical theatre. Besides being an actress, she is also a director and a writer.

Special Guest Actor: Jake Wolf (Sailor:voice)

Creative & Technical Team

Director: Kazue Horimasu

Lighting & Audiovisual: Shawn Lu

Sound: Tutu Chen

Flyer: Kamiya

English-language Consultant: Katharine Cookin

Czech-language Consultant: Kristyna Havelkova

Promotion Consultant: Megan Brewer

Costume support: Emily Dolan

Rehearsal room support: Mark Spicer

Get-In support: Matthew Thursfield, Alan Bower

Head of MFA Directing: Matthew Lloyd

Head of Stage&Production Management: Alex Purser

Videographing: Adam Lenson (Theatrical Solution) on September 24th.

Supported by the Embassy of the Czech Republic & Czech Centre in London 

Support Us→https://gofund.me/b2719a6f

Booking → https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/war-with-the-newts-tickets-978168246557

People who have helped us over the past year: Thank you.

We would like to thank many people for joining our Play Reading on 4th May. Their actions and feedback inspired us and our project is being improved and more fascinating.

Thank you for participating in the R&D project on 27 January. Thanks to your performances and feedback, this work is getting deeper and more attractive.