Six local residents will take to the Norwich Theatre Royal stage between Tue 6 Jun to Sat 10 Jun as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s political thriller Julius Caesar.
The six members of Norwich’s Community Chorus lead or support a variety of local groups and causes and have been chosen for their inspiring contributions to their communities. The group consists of Rebecca White, Alice Evans, Jeneseka Alexander, Melissa Bowling, Rio Montana Topley and Lucy Dalgleish.
The Chorus will be integrated into various musical elements of the production and appear as an otherworldly presence alongside a number of the characters in the play, such as the Soothsayer, who famously warns Caesar to ‘beware the Ides of March’. They will also serve to heighten the play’s status as a tragedy as well as a political thriller.
Rebecca White is CEO of Your Own Place, a homelessness prevention social enterprise providing creative workshops to those most at risk of or actually homeless across the East of England. She is passionate about the world, inequality and the arts.
Alice Evans is from Sierra Leone and came to the UK 15 years ago. A single parent with three children, she is engaged with her local community church, helping women and children to live healthier lives and supporting community activities.
Jeneseka Alexander is a 46 year old trans woman living in Norwich. She is a practitioner working with trans, non-binary and gender-diverse young people, and a counsellor at a Norfolk eating disorder charity. A performer and director, she strongly believes in the therapeutic benefits of performance.
Melissa Bowling is a Hospitality Operations Manager at Norwich Theatre Royal. A competitive baton twirler, she has competed at multiple world championships. The theatre gives her the opportunity to work with different community groups, ensuring everyone gets the best out of their visit.
Rio Montana Topley is a recent theatre graduate who loves performing. She also loves helping people and currently works at Age UK Norwich, a charity focusing on bringing people together in their local community to tackle isolation and loneliness.
Lucy Dalgleish teaches performing arts at Ormiston Victory Academy and stages a big production there every December. She is excited to now have the opportunity to be on stage rather than directing. For the last five years, she has led students in the RSC Playmaking Festival.
Norwich Theatre is an Associate Partner Theatre of the RSC. This means we are able to offer world-class Shakespeare productions in Norfolk, plus provide opportunities like the Community Chorus to engage with schools and community groups across the region.
Sam Dawson, Head of Creative Engagement said: “As an Associate Partner Theatre, we are absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to bring such a diverse group of local people together in a celebration of Shakespeare. This group are all inspiring people and community leaders together. They combine for an amazing and influential group that will no doubt add another dimension to this drama.”
Julius Caesar is a tragedy about a divisive political leader whose brutal assassination sparks a civil war and the battle for power. Atri Banerjee directs this visceral new production and tells a story about power today, making audiences think about their reactions to power.
Speaking about the show the Director Atri Banerjee said: “Julius Caesar is the perfect play for our age of emergency, asking uncomfortable questions about today. When asked to imagine a better future for us all, what resources do we have left? What are the limits of peaceful activism? How far would you, personally, go to make the world a better place?”
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