Event

The Middle

Inspired by Hamlet, The Middle is a one-man show devised for a theatre foyer a liminal space between the outside and the inside, the real world and the theatre. Hamlet is a character caught in a limbo between 'To be or not to be' and by casting his father, Tony, to play the title role, Michael Pinchbeck hopes to explore time passing, ageing and the relationship between father and son.

Tony studied Hamlet when he was at school so he is stuck in the middle between the fading memory of reading that play 50 years ago and reading it now. He is trying to remember what it was like to be Hamlet while Michael continues his struggle to stay in the wings after promising never to perform again.

The Middle is the final part of a trilogy inspired by Shakespeare plays that deconstructs the relationship between performers and an audience. The Trilogy asks how we perform text and how text performs.

'Michael Pinchbeck is a terrific theatre maker' Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

A hÅb commission, The Middle was developed at LPAC (Lincoln), Curve Theatre (Leicester) and Lakeside Arts Centre (Nottingham). The Middle is part of a trilogy with The End (2010) and The Beginning (2012). The Beginning is at Pleasance Courtyard from 18 24 August 2013 as part of the British Council Edinburgh Showcase. The Trilogy will premiere at Chelsea Theatre (London) as part of SACRED in November 2013.

www.michaelpinchbeck.co.uk