Still I Pray – in development
Winner of a Research and Development grant from the Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust, The Building Site’s work-in-progress production of Still I Pray was performed on Saturday 13th October 2012 as part of the ‘Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award: The Finalists’, co-produced by the Barbican with CREATE and Shoreditch Town Hall and supported by an Arts Council Lottery grant.
Directed by Anouke Brook and written by Adam Ganz, this promenade performance provocatively examines the concept of church sanctuary, recognised by English law until the 17th century. Contemporary stories of our search for sanctuary in the city are interwoven with bloody and ruthless historical narratives. Audience and performers alike embark on a dramatic and reflective journey, sharing silence, holy space and the power of the spoken word to bless or curse. Knowingly or unwittingly, the audience plays a vital role in the unfolding action.
Still I Pray was created specifically for performance at St. Bartholomew the Great, one of the oldest and most fascinating churches in London, and was designed by Jennifer Lee.
The cast are Mihai Arsene, Tristan Brooke, Penelope McGhie, Leon Stewart and Rebecca Thorn.
Photography for Still I Pray by Gabriela Restelli.
