The Courtyard

Backgammon for Beginners (10 May, 8pm) is a stunning piece of theatre which combines tantalising acrobats, music and storytelling in an exquisite mix.

So and So Circus have teamed up with singer Roshi Nasehi to produce a new provoking piece of theatre that looks at the memories and experiences of Roshan’s, journey through immigration in the 1970’s. Inspired by Kaveh Rahnama’s (performer) Iranian father we follow Roshan’s complicated romances, love of backgammon and the issues he faced with immigration.

 ‘Against a background of culture wars at home and revolution abroad, Roshan arrives in a bleak 1970s London with nothing but a suitcase…’ The Stage Review

‘… depicted as a flawed but charming man, whose naïve ease with strangers gets him into more than one sticky situation.’ Londonist

The story follows a trail of open ended narratives, remembered from the different people involved.  The set reflects giant pieces from a backgammon boardgame as a backdrop to the creative and striking imagery.

 ‘… related in an exquisite harmony of acrobatics, storytelling and music, which teeters constantly at the exhilarating brink between virtuosity and real danger, actor and character and fiction and reality…

…The choreography is at times hair-raisingly ambitious, never shying away from lifts and leaps that catapult these performers to the heights of their discipline.’ Exeunt, Owe & Fringe

To find out more follow the review links to read more.

Book your tickets now at Box Office 01432 340555

So and So Circus Theatre’s Backgammon For Beginners tells the story of a young man arriving from Iran in the midst of 1970s London. Kaveh Rahnama of So and So Circus Theatre tells us more.

Could you tell me a little bit about the background of the production?
It’s quite epic! How can I explain this in a short way?
It started based on the stories of my father, who came over from Iran in the 1970s. We found though then when we started comparing his stories to those of other people, that you get very different versions. Even in his own interviews, my father would contradict himself. Like, he’d tell you a story that had happened in November of 1976 but the next time he told the same story, it would take place later. Events become hazy in the memory, and you get contradictory versions of one story.

It’s about several things really. One, is that it explore story-telling. And it’s also about the main character, Roshan, and his arrival in London. It’s about an unreliable source, I suppose. It also explores what it’s like to arrive in a culture that you’re not from. There were so many differences when my father arrived here. Even things like being able to hold a woman’s hand in public was very new to him.

The show combines circus skills and dance as story-telling methods. Do those disciplines fit together naturally or is it more of a challenge?
It’s sort of how we work as a company. I do watch a lot of circus, and I’m always interested in how story is told through circus. I often find though, that the acrobatics kick in and the story gets dropped. We’ve been very careful to only include the acrobatics where they fit within the story. Basically, we like stories.

As a performer, I have a desire to communicate and open conversation with the audience, and create emotion. Often with traditional circus, there isn’t a lot of emotion. You see a trick and go, “Wow!” but it doesn’t stay with you afterwards. I wanted to open discussion, and not rely on technique to get reactions.

Could you tell me about your role within the production, and how you’re preparing for it?
The show is my concept. I run So and So Circus with my partner, Lauren. I’m producing the show, and I’m playing the main character, Roshan. We all narrate within it as well, so I’m a narrator as well. It’s a lot of different hats to wear.

It’s a very detailed show. Keeping all those roles balanced is a constant job. There’s a lot of text work and also a lot of physical training. We’re having to keep a lot of things in the air. We spend so much time practising the bigger moves, and then find the smaller ones have been forgotten. This show is like painting the Forth Bridge. Once you’ve finally finished, it’s time to go back and start again.

The set draws on Backgammon Boards. How are you using that within the production?
The set design is by Sue Mayes, who’s got about thirty years of experience in the business. We’ve tried to surround ourselves with experience. We’re a very new company, this is only our second touring production, so we’re trying to get as many experienced people on board as possible.

We talked about different ways to abstract the Backgammon board into the set. For a while we thought about having a floor-cloth of a backgammon board, but settled on something more fluid. We have six spikes which are movable, so we can use those to define the space. They can be a mountain, or a house, or whatever we need. The counters are great too, because you can stack them to get the performance on different levels. We use them as props as well.

The show has been getting excellent reviews from both critics and audiences. What do you think it is that makes people connect to this show?
It’s unusual. When you make a show, you think it’s good (or hopefully you do, anyway), but you don’t really know if it’s actually any good until you perform it in front of audience. With a show like this, venues don’t really know what they’re getting. The show wasn’t even finished when we started booking venues! It’s great that people were ready to take a chance on us anyway.

The audience response has been fantastic, I’m overwhelmed by it. I think people enjoy the blend of skills in it; it’s a show that makes the audience work a bit. It’s not elitist though, and I think people connect to it because it’s true. While we’re telling stories, they are rooted in truth and I think the audience recognises that.

And of course, it looks nice and people enjoy the acrobatics. I’m pleased with it, and I’m very proud of the show, which is nice to be able to say.

Lastly, did you have to learn to play Backgammon before the show?
I’ve been playing Backgammon my whole life! All the cast know how to play. My father makes Backgammon boards. Actually, the board in the show is one he made for me. There’s a few links like that, we use the original suitcase he brought over with him in the 70s from Iran. I asked if he had an old suitcase I could use, and he told me to just take that one. The audience don’t realise these links, but we know and it does make a difference, having those connections.

Backgammon For Beginners is at The Courtyard on Thursday 10 May at 8pm. Tickets are £12, or £10 for a concession. For more information or to book tickets call the Box Office on 01432 340555 or visit www.courtyard.org.uk. 

This morning I (Clare- Marketing Intern) was able to have a quick natter with John O’Connor who is starring in a double bill of Harold Pinter’s earlier works The Dumb Waiter and The Lover on the 26/27 April 7.45pm at The Courtyard.

John can you tell me why the company has decided to show these two plays together?

We have decided to re-launch the first production the European Arts Company did in celebration of ten years of working together. These two plays in particular are quite short and work well in an evening. They are also a good introduction to Pinter’s quirky classics, which are very open and accessible. The works although obscure, dark and miserable have been written brilliantly. Some of Pinter’s works are maybe lost in our modern culture so we are going back to the beginning in the hope to inspire new perceptions in our audiences.

Can you tell me about the different roles you play?

 In The Dumb Waiter I play Ben, a hit man and in The Lover, Richard, the husband. They are very different characters. Ben is very direct, dead eyed, cold and monosyllable. Pinter’s writing style is very short and brutal, which gives him an edge where you can’t quite guess what he is thinking.

Whereas, in The Lover the writing is very elegant and reminiscent of Noel Coward’s writing style. The two plays are completely different, which help to make the characters contrast. Richard is more challenging due to the elegance of the language and the need for precision in delivery.

Do you have a favourite role out of the two personas’ you play?

 I enjoy playing Richard more due to the complex layers of the play and the fact I need to make clear, conscious decisions about what’s going on.  The language is definitely more technically challenging, comical and villainous.  With the content of the play being more layered it is important for me to get the balance right as I try to play the truth of the relationship under the play.

Pinter’s plays are known for their minimal and subtle language and imagery, can you tell me about how you will be using the set to convey the emotions of the play?

The Dumb Waiter was written in 1957 so we have gone for a stark, monochrome look to reflect the mood of the play. Whereas, The Lover we are going for a more vibrant technicolour set as the play was written in 1963. We have dated the set slightly later in the 60’s to enhance the full suburban chic value and fun of the time. The play embraces a time of change and the progression of British relationships which we hope to reflect in the colouring and furnishings.

I am looking forward to see John on stage later this month. To get your tickets call Box Office on 01432 340555.

We Will be at Hereford College of Arts Folly Lane campus on Tuesday (17th April) from 12.30 to sign people up to our new discount scheme. The Courtyard Card is free to join and you will be given your card on the spot, if you sign up on the day you will also receive a free goody bag.

To read more about the great benefits offered visit our website.