The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre is proud to present, Microwave, an exciting co-production with Run Amok Theatre Company. A hilarious, heart-breaking and gritty coming of age drama; Microwave will have its world premiere at the Newport venue in March before embarking on a national tour later this spring.
Written by Elinor Cook (writer for BBC’s Bafta Award winning Killing Eve), and directed by Izzy Rabey (trainee director at The Royal Court, London), Microwave boldly explores the anxiety and awkward hilarity of academic and sexual pressures on teenage women today as they try to carve out their own identities.
The piece features themes relevant to young audience members that include academic and extra-curricular pressure and explores the lack of freedom for young people to develop a sense of identity these days as so much emphasis and attention is placed on achievement.
Microwave follows the friendship between 15-year-old Kelly, straight-A student, girlfriend of the hottest boy in the school, captain of the lacrosse team and excelling in a wide-range of extra-curricular activities, and Carly – who is homeless and earning money through sex-work. The piece explores how complicated, obsessive and intense teenage friendships can be as two girls from very different backgrounds who meet on a bench try to work out what their futures have in store for them.
It also explores sex, consent and relationships and the pressures that young men face in terms of behavioural expectations and chivalry. Not only do the young people in Microwave grapple with who they are and what they want from life, but also what they want from their relationships.
On the creation of Microwave, Izzy from Run Amok comments
“Microwave’s power as a play lies in its ability to speak about the experiences of young people surrounding consent and sexuality in a way that’s darkly humorous, surprising and original. Think Netflix’s Sex Education on stage. Elinor Cook has managed to create a play which instantly captivates young people, without being patronising or blatantly message-based. We are so excited to present a project which interweaves the Welsh music scene, movement, new writing and community engagement in a completely original way.”
Microwave poses a thought-provoking and compelling exploration of ‘how the other half live’ through the lens of teenage female friendship, whilst opening a wider discussion around how we educate and support teenage women in the 21st century. After each performance at The Riverfront there will be a panel discussion with invited guests and the creators of the piece, including Merthyr-based musician Eadyth Crawford who wrote the original music for the show.
-
Tickets for Microwave at The Riverfront from Tuesday 17 – Thursday 19 March are now on sale. Tickets are available from newportlive.co.uk/riverfront, or by calling 01633 656757.