What makes us
come to the decisions make and do the things we do? What influences us? Bradley
Manning is accused of making a decision that shook the world, a US soldier and only
a few years ago a teenager in Haverfordwest, he is accused of releasing thousands of US documents to Wikileaks, he
faces a maximum life sentence in jail if found guilty and has no chance of
parole. His story has touched people across the world and one only has to ‘Google’
him to discover a torrent of support and campaigns for his freedom.
Wednesday I attended the first NTW Social Media Call, intrigued I went along, knowing just how controversial the subject matter for NTW18 is. What I found was what makes NTW the theatre company it is: unique, intense and passionate theatre unafraid to address wider issues and still retain a sensitivity to the subject. At it's heart, this play is about Manning; - a misunderstood, rebellious and intelligent teenager and young man who became something akin to an anti-hero.
A semi-fictional account of Manning's life, the production mixes together his teenage life in Haverfordwest and life in the US Army. There are soldier's to direct you to your seats, but they behave far more like teachers.
The main stage space is surrounded by pillar's of screen's, throughout the performance they display a multitude of images steering the audience from location to location: from Iraqi war images, army base and prison cell to snippets of the live streaming chat and web coverage of Manning's plight. They are also put into clever use by the cast as as prop's.
This is a snippet of rehersal's as they ran through scene's and cue's:
Institutions is the name of the game here as NTW exploit every potential in Tasker Milward, Cardiff High and Connah's Quay Schools. Just walking into Cardiff High to watch rehearsals was weird enough of a feeling, it's narrow, claustraphobic and dark corridors. The locations cotribute to the feelings of uniformity and being given orders. In his life, Bradley Manning, has gone from one institution to another: school, army and currently prison.
A play with a difference, the audiencce is not confined to the corridors or assembly hall's of schools. Fully hyper-conected you can join in on a live webcast of some performances, taking part in a forum and even having some comments displayed on the screen's during the play.
The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning continue's until 21st April in Cardiff before moving on to Flintshire.
For more information visit: http://nationaltheatrewales.org or search #NTW18.
This is a snippet of rehersal's as they ran through scene's and cue's:
Institutions is the name of the game here as NTW exploit every potential in Tasker Milward, Cardiff High and Connah's Quay Schools. Just walking into Cardiff High to watch rehearsals was weird enough of a feeling, it's narrow, claustraphobic and dark corridors. The locations cotribute to the feelings of uniformity and being given orders. In his life, Bradley Manning, has gone from one institution to another: school, army and currently prison.
A play with a difference, the audiencce is not confined to the corridors or assembly hall's of schools. Fully hyper-conected you can join in on a live webcast of some performances, taking part in a forum and even having some comments displayed on the screen's during the play.
The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning continue's until 21st April in Cardiff before moving on to Flintshire.
For more information visit: http://nationaltheatrewales.org or search #NTW18.
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