HomeArts & LifestyleMinefield returns to Royal Court Theatre ahead of UK tour

Minefield returns to Royal Court Theatre ahead of UK tour

Following a critically acclaimed premiere at the Royal Court Theatre in 2016, Minefield has travelled around the globe and played to audiences of over 10,000.

Minefield will return to the Royal Court Theatre with full original cast from the 2nd – 11th November 2017, and Brighton’s Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts from 15th – 17th November before touring next year to Newcastle, York, Cardiff and Manchester.

Minefield is a multi-media performance from Argentinian artist Lola Arias that uses archive footage, live feeds, music and projection to present the deeply personal and enduring stories of aftermath of conflict. In her singular style, Lola has worked with veterans Lou Armour, David Jackson, Gabriel Sagastume, Ruben Otero, Sukrim Rai and Marcelo Vallejo to create a production which tells their stories.

Gabriel Sagastume was a soldier who never wanted to shoot a gun, now he is a criminal lawyer. David Jackson spent the war listening and transcribing radio codes, now he listens to other veterans in his role as a counsellor. Marcelo Vallejo was a mortar direction controller, now he is a triathlon champion. Sukrim Rai was a Gurkha and expert with his knife, now he works as a security guard. Ruben Otero survived the sinking of the ARA General Belgrano, now he’s in a Beatles tribute band. Lou Armour was on the front page of every newspaper when the Argentinians took him prisoner on the 2nd April, now he is a teacher for children with learning difficulties.

Lou Armour said, ‘What’s driven me to take part in this project is just how beautiful it is. War is awful, it damages not just those on the battlefield but family, friends and wider society. But out of something terrible and ugly has come something very beautiful – a play where humanity and redemption shines through.’

Lola Arias said, ‘War isn’t what interests me, it’s what comes after the war that interests me. What matters to me is what happens to a person who went through that experience. What matters to me is what memory has done, what it has erased, what it has transformed.’

See Lift Festival for details and to book.

Greg Jameson
Greg Jameson
Book editor, with an interest in cult TV.

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