'Not In My Name' comes to Darwen

The highly acclaimed theatre production, “Not In My Name”, comes to Darwen Library Theatre on Monday March 1, with performances at 1pm and 7.30pm, as part of a sixty plus performance tour throughout Lancashire.

The play, written and directed by Alice Bartlett, was originally commissioned by Lancashire Constabulary under the ‘PREVENT’ counter-terrorism agenda, and is produced by the North-West company Theatre Veritae.

The play provides a catalyst for the audience, comprised primarily of young people aged 14-plus, to be able to ask questions and speak about terrorism and extremism in a safe learning environment.

The strong messages contained within the script promote racial equality, mutual understanding, and cohesion.

Alice Bartlett developed the script using actual words spoken by young people and people working in communities via interviews and workshops whilst researching the project and the story is a cautionary tale about the aftermath of a fictional terror attack in the centre of a small northern town.

Consequently, the play, hard- hitting and impactive, pulls few punches, and in a survey produced following the successful scale tour in April 2009, one impressed 15-year-old wrote – “Very well done guys, a great piece that’s informative and very thought-provoking.”

This innovative and gritty dramatic approach clearly had a positive learning effect - the 2009 survey demonstrated that of 4000 who went to the play, a massive 99% indicated that they found the work “challenging, informative and relevant”.

Supt Andy Pratt, the PREVENT lead Officer for Lancashire Police said;
“Not In My Name” in 2009 was well received by all the pupils and teaching staff throughout Lancashire . On this current tour however we would welcome not only young people but at certain venues adults such as parents and adult members of the wider community to attend. “

The success of the project has attracted significant interest beyond the Lancashire boundary and the 2010 tour will now be extended to include performances in Merseyside, Cheshire, Durham and Greater Manchester.

For details of forthcoming performances and availability please contact Theatre Veritae at info@theatreveriate.com