The Possibilities

AuthorHoward Barker

Howard Barker

The playwright Howard Barker in his ‘Arguments for a Theatre’ (Calder Books), is concerned with the future potency of British theatre, particularly in relation to the style of plays being produced today. Barker's plays came from an era of political transience, after the Lord Chamberlain's power of censorship had been abolished (1968). Barker proposes an alternative form of modern tragedy - "Catastrophism".

Barker's first play was performed at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in 1970. Subsequently, his works were played by the Royal Court, Royal Shakespeare Company, The Open Space Theatre, Sheffield Crucible and the Almeida. He is currently Artistic Director of The Wrestling School, a company established to disseminate his works and develop his theory of production. His work is played extensively in Europe, in translation, in The United States, and in Australia . He writes regularly for radio, both in England and Europe . He is the author of plays for marionettes and has written three librettos for opera. Howard Barker is the author of two works of theory, and five volumes of poetry. He is also a painter. His work is held in national collections in England (V&A, London) and Europe.

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PlayThe Possibilities

Barker's idea of successful theatre is one that creates arguments between the audience and the action. He fragments the audience’s response – turning us back to individuals rather than a collective with only one view. He asks the audience to reject the usual precepts of good and bad and accept that opposite forces may co‑exist

An Emperor on the edge of madness; a beautiful assassin; a woman trapped in a dystopian interrogation; a family of weavers sheltering from war; and the guardian of the one remaining library. What do these disparate characters have in common? Each must navigate a treacherous path of survival, while clinging to what humanity they have left. Howard Barker offers us ten short plays, each with their own story to tell. Come. Be amazed. Be disturbed

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The Bench Production

This play is to be staged at The Spring Arts and Heritage Centre (formerly Havant Arts Centre), East Street Havant - Bench Theatre's home since 1977.

Cast

Kiss My Hands	Woman	Kathryn Godwin
	First Terrorist	Laura Sheppard
	Second Terrorist	Zara Chikezie
	Third Terrorist	Jakob Philbrick
	Husband	Neil Kendall
	Child	Beth Kendall
	Voice	Zara Chikezie
Only Some Can Take the Strain	Bookseller	David Penrose
	Man	Callum West
	Woman	Megan Green
The Necessity for Prostitution in Advanced Societies	Old Woman	Laura Sheppard
	Young Woman	Liz Donnelly
	Young Man	Gary Offen
The Philosophical Lieutenant and the Three Village Women	Officer	Jakob Philbrick
	First Woman	Megan Green
	Second Woman	Bernie Lomas
	Third Woman	Liz Donnelly
The Dumb Woman's Ecstasy	Torturer	Callum West
	Woman	Laura Sheppard
	Youth	Erin Offord
Reasons for the Fall of Emperors	Alexander	Jeff Bone
	Officer	David Penrose
	Groom	Chris Vanstone
The Weaver's Ecstasy at the Discovery of New Colour	Woman	Megan Green
	Man	David Penrose
	Girl	Erin Offord
	Boy	Jamie Kendall
	First Soldier	Erin Offord
	Second Soldier	Jeff Bone
She Sees the Argument But	Official	Zara Chikezie
	Woman	Kalina Rampersad
	Man	Chris Vanstone
The Unforeseen Consequences of a Patriotic Act	Judith	Bernie Lomas
	Servant	Liz Donnelly
	Woman	Laura Sheppard
Not Him	Man	Neil Kendall
	Woman	Kathryn Godwin
	Second Woman	Kalina Rampersad

Crew

Director/Producer	Neil Kendall
Stage Manager	Grace Kendall
Assistant Stage Manager	Freddie Lyons
Lighting Design	xxx
Sound Design	Neil Kendall
Lighting Operation	xxx
Sound Operation	Jacquie Penrose
Set Design	Edelyn Spina
Costume Coordinator	Karen Cray
Flyer Design	Dan Finch
Poster/Trailer	Neil Kendall
Programme Editor	Derek Callam
Photography	Grace Kendall
Front of House Manager	xxx

Director's Notes

Neil has performed in and/or directed previous Barker plays – including The Castle, Hated Nightfall, Victory and the Bench’s own production of 13 Objects – he has always admired Barker’s challenging work. Neil says -

I encountered Barker’s writing when I was a young actor, and I was immediately hooked. There are very few playwrights so rewarding to perform as Barker is. For the audience, definition become less clear, so that we will often leave the theatre, forced to re‑assess our beliefs. Hence, the authorial viewpoint is not easily identified, and society's problems remain unresolved. Rather, political notions are presented in a way that the audience is invited to decide for itself. He, as a playwright, identifies a similar type of vulnerability, experiencing: "…insecurity, exposing his own morality, his own politics, to damage on the way." (Howard Barker, Arguments for a Theatre, John Calder, p.62).

Neil Kendall (Director)

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Production Photographs

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