THE LONDON RIOTS are to take centre stage in a new play at the Tricycle theatre, set to feature testimony from those most involved including police, shop staff and looters.
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The idea, say the Tricycle people, is to create a “real-time picture of the riots as they unfolded” and to look for causes and conclusions.
“We hope this play will be positive,” said Nicolas Kent, artistic director at the Tricycle.
“We are not in a blame game here. What we are trying to do is to look for the lessons than can be learned into making a more equitable and harmonious society.”
“When the government said they weren’t going to conduct a public inquiry it just seemed an obvious thing for us to do, to try to find out the reasons for the riots, what was behind them, how were people affected.”
As the heart of The Riots is to be personal testimony, Kent and writer Gillian Slovo are keen to get their hands as much as they can, so have set up a freephone number for people to call in with their memories.
Here’s the number: 0800 652 7416.
Already, Kent has been taken aback by the stories he’s ploughed through.
“People have given us some extraordinary interviews, they are completely compelling,” he said.
The Riots runs from 17 November to 10 December at the Tricycle theatre, Kilburn.
