'Though This Be Madness' goes on tour!

Mandala Theatre's play about experiences of school exclusion will return to the stage for an Autumn tour, starting at (and in association with) the Oxford Playhouse.

Written by Avaes Mohammad, directed by Yasmin Sidwha, and co-created with young people, the play originated as a Humanities Cultural Programme funded project, Acting Outside the Box. The creative team worked with members of the Department of Education and University researchers to inform the script and to explore the potential use of drama as a research methodology. You can view a discussion on the development of the project via our YouTube channel.

After premiering at the North Wall Arts Centre, Though This Be Madness will now tour to the Oxford Playhouse's Burton Taylor Studio, The Mill, Banbury, The Hat Factory, Luton, and The Belgrade, Coventry.

The play uses compelling physical theatre to present a moving and authentic exploration of what lies behind the headlines and asks whether we can change the story. Plugged into headphones - a world of spoken word, music, podcasts and rap that underscores their lives, Tachia, Cass and Mickey have ended up outside the mainstream, labelled, boxed in. Can they escape this life and find a way out or will they get drawn into the dangers lurking, waiting to pounce on the vulnerable and isolated? Though This Be Madness unravels what is happening to young people in relation to education, exclusion, gang grooming and too often, a pipeline to prison. 

Book for all dates in the tour via the Mandala Theatre website.