Stan's Cafe (UK)
The Cardinals
London Premiere
Roundhouse Studio Theatre
Mon 14 > Sat 19 Jan 8pm
After-show discussion: Tue 15 Jan
Runs 110 mins / no interval
Book online >
£15 (£13 concs)
Tel: 0844 482 8008
'A wonderfully thoughtful and intelligent piece, alive with colour and theatricality, childlike humour and troubled humanity'
Exeunt Magazine
'Staged with offbeat humour, depth and great visual flair. An astounding and hilarious vision of the ecclesiastical world ' Gazette, Montpelier
'A company of real artistic innovators who always have new things to say and new ways of saying them… There is probably no more exciting company working in the UK today'. Lyn Gardner, The Guardian
Three Cardinals in crimson robes are on a mission of redemption. Supervised by a young, female, Muslim stage manager, their evangelical puppet show races through key scenes from the Bible, famous incidents from the Crusades, and finally brings us to the contemporary Middle East. But their puppets have gone missing and the Cardinals must themselves act out the stories.
The Cardinals ask us to show faith whilst theatre traditionally asks us to suspend our disbelief; a fascinating premise for a thought-provoking, witty and hugely entertaining show.
Founded in Birmingham in 1991, Stan’s Cafe is a group of long-term artistic collaborators drawn from many disciplines. This show was premiered at Domaine d’O in 2011 in Montpellier, where Stan’s Cafe are Artistic Associates.
Performers: Gerard Bell, Rochi Rampal, Graeme Rose, Craig Stephens
Director: James Yarker
Age guidance: 7+
Co-production: Domaine d’o, Montpellier and Warwick Arts Centre with International Partnership Funding from Birmingham City Council.
photos: Graeme Braidwood
