Pepperdine Scotland Returns to Fringe with Devised Play

Forget Fire

Devised by the company with J.C. Marshall

We needed somewhere to put everything we have now. And everything we might create later."

Layers are put upon layers. Myriad sources contribute irregular pieces. Can we make a structure that will last?

Malibu, Calif., 23 May--Following the Fringe success of 2012's Why Do You Stand There In The Rain? and its subsequent 2013 tour, Pepperdine Scotland returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with another Scottish-American world premiere.  This year's exchange explores additional new territory by partnering with playwright J.C. Marshall to devise an original work together as a company.

Initial exploration and development with the company took place in Malibu in February, searching for the root philosophical challenges in our rapidly changing relationship with technology and with each other via technology and through the ages.

Now, under the leadership of J.C. Marshall and director Cathy Thomas-Grant, the cast and design team will come together at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow to create an original piece of magical realist theatre inspired by the company's personal experiences and philosophical ideas.

The production's pursuit of truthfulness and solidarity in the age of the internet moves through the crossing-over places and along the paths and walls between worlds. It seeks sentries in this strange new landscape and explores whether technology creates new challenges or just intensifies age-old struggles.

Building on the success of the past two years, Forget Fire will draw on the strengths of both Scottish and American theatre tradition, continuing Pepperdine Scotland's commitment to international collaboration through co-creation by artists from both sides of the exchange.

Notes to Editors

J.C. Marshall

J.C. Marshall is has written for numerous theatres including the West Yorkshire Playhouse (‘The Worm Collector,’ 'Tender Dearly,’ ‘Non Contact Time’); The Tron (‘Plume’) and Visible Fictions (‘The Hunted.’) As part of Slung Low she won the Oxford Samuel Beckett Award with the show 'Helium.' She is currently exploring the role of 'Artist As Public Witness' by being attached to both political campaign trails in the lead up to the Scottish Independence referendum, as well as writing a play for Aberdeen Performing Arts (APA) Young Persons Company and the American Conservatory Theatre (ACT) in San Francisco. Her work explores how theatre can engage with ethics and philosophy.

CATHY THOMAS-GRANT

Cathy Thomas-Grant heads the Pepperdine Scotland exchange and has served as director of Pepperdine's endeavours in Scotland since 2000. Edinburgh Festival Fringe directing credits include Mr. Happiness/The Water Engine by David Mamet (2002), Eve Ensler's Necessary Targets (2006) Robert Shenkkan's The Kentucky Cycle (2008), Karen Sunde's The Fastest Woman Alive and Naomi Iizuka's Language of Angels (2010), Why Do You Stand There In The Rain? (2012) and Musical Direction for The Grapes of Wrath (2004).

PEPPERDINE SCOTLAND

Pepperdine Scotland is the award-winning cultural and artistic exchange between Pepperdine University's Department of Theatre and leading members of the Scottish Theatre Community. Pepperdine has been performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe since 1985, and is proud to have expanded its presence in Scotland since 2012 with this exchange, developed with support from Playwrights' Studio Scotland and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY

Pepperdine University is an independent, medium-sized university enrolling approximately 7,700 students in five colleges and schools. Seaver College, the School of Law, the Graduate School of Education and Psychology, the Graziadio School of Business and Management, and the School of Public Policy are located on the University's 830-acre campus overlooking the Pacific Ocean in Malibu. Courses are taught in Malibu, at four graduate campuses in Southern California, permanent programme facilities in Washington, D.C., and at international campuses in Germany, England, Italy, Switzerland, Argentina, and China.

The University was founded in 1937 by George Pepperdine, a Christian businessman who founded the Western Auto Supply Company. For the first 30 years of its life, the institution was a small, mostly undergraduate college. University status was achieved in 1970 as the institution added graduate and professional schools. In 1972, the University opened its new campus in Malibu.

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WW1 Protest Play Supports Scottish Veterans' Charity

WW1 PROTEST PLAY SUPPORTS SCOTTISH VETERANS' CHARITY

An acclaimed theatre production about the plight of American First World War veterans has lent its support to a Scottish charity which provides accommodation for homeless ex- servicemen and women. The producers of the award-winning Why Do You Stand There in the Rain?, which opens in Glasgow tonight (Monday, 31 May), will use the production as a platform to promote Scottish Veteran’s Residences (SVR) to help them raise funds for homeless UK military veterans.

Originally set up in 1910, SVR operates supported accommodation for veterans in Edinburgh and Dundee and is currently building a new 51 flat development in Glasgow. The charity will be promoted to the audiences attending tonight’s and Tuesday’s performance of the play in Glasgow’s Òran Mór with details of how they can donate funds to support its work throughout Scotland.

Why Do You Stand There in the Rain? is a production by Peter Arnott. Originally commissioned for the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the play opened to critical acclaim and appeared on a number of awards shortlists, winning a Scotsman Fringe First. An expanded version including two songs new to the Fringe production now returns to tour the Central Belt and the Highlands from 31 May to 14 June.


Based on the Bonus Army March of 1932 on Washington DC, Arnott’s play tells the story of what may have been the first Occupy Protest and march on the nation’s capital. 20,000 ragged and desperate First World War veterans and their families from all over the U.S. set up ‘Hoovervilles’ around the nation’s capital, to lobby Congress for the early release of a promised compensation package for services in the First World War. Congress voted no and Hoover called upon MacArthur and Patton to drive the veterans out of the capital. Armed with bullets and tear gas, 1,000 infantry and cavalrymen pushed the veterans out of Washington DC burning everything they owned.

The play’s producer, Alex Fthenakis said: “This is a play that captures a poignant moment in American history when its military veterans were abandoned after bravely serving their country in the Great War. We are delighted to be working with SVR to highlight the work they are doing to help avoid history repeating itself here in the UK by supporting this generation of veterans to ensure they are cared should they find themselves without a home.”

Ian Ballantyne, Chief Executive of the Scottish Veterans Residences, said: “We are grateful for the support of the whole production team of Why Do You Stand There in the Rain? for raising awareness of the important work we do. This production focuses on the plight of war veterans who fell on hard times and were forced to pursue desperate means for their survival.  Sadly, it is a similar story for some of today’s ex-armed forces personnel who find themselves  without a job or a home after putting their lives on the line in active duty.”

For more information about Scottish Veterans Residences visit: www.svrglasgow.org

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Why Do You Stand There In The Rain? on International Tour

Why Do You Stand There in the Rain? by Peter Arnott

 You are all heroes now, but some day they’ll treat you like dogs

"When I marched off to war in 1917, I remember a Civil War veteran, over 70 years old, telling me, ‘Son, you are all heroes now. But some day they’ll treat you like dogs.'" ~Benjamin B Shepherd of the BEF 

 Pepperdine University returns to Scotland with this award winning production by Peter Arnott. Originally commissioned for the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the play opened to critical acclaim and appeared on a number of awards shortlists, winning a Scotsman Fringe First. Why Do You Stand There In The Rain? now returns to tour the Central Belt and the Highlands from 31 May to 14 June.

 Based on the Bonus Army March of 1932 on Washington DC, Arnott’s play tells the story of what may have been the first Occupy Protest and march on the nation’s capital. 20,000 ragged and desperate First World War veterans and their families from all over the U.S. set up ‘Hoovervilles’ around the nation’s capital, to lobby Congress for the early release of a promised compensation package for services in the First World War. Congress voted no and Hoover called upon MacArthur and Patton to drive the veterans out of the capital. Armed with bullets and tear gas, 1,000 infantry and cavalrymen pushed the veterans out of Washington DC burning everything they owned.

 Under the musical direction of composer and actor John Kielty, this documentary-style play with music builds on the Scottish Political Theatre legacy of live music performed by a talented ensemble. From the iconic anthem Over There to the songs of Woody Guthrie, Bessie Smith, Leadbelly and other contemporaries, this rich tapestry of tunes underscores the story of the veterans whose march on Washington D.C. led to the formation of the GI Bill. A stylistic tribute to the Scottish Political Theatre tradition, this true story for here and now is told in the words and songs of those who were there.

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