Hello. We are ARGONAUT.
ARGONAUT is a young, new theatre company set up by Rory Horne and Nina Cavaliero.
We've made a play. It's called Action at a Distance.
We are taking this play to the 2017 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it will have a 17-performance run at ZOO Southside.
We're very excited.
Here's some more information about the above:
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ARGONAUT was set up by Rory and Nina in Norwich earlier this year. Rory and Nina are both about to graduate from the University of East Anglia (UEA).
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Action at a Distance started life as Rory's American Studies Year Abroad Dissertation. Rory and Nina then fleshed it out for performance at Norwich's Maddermarket Theatre in February of this year. The show enjoyed three sold-out performances. (This was an Orange Skies Theatre production, in association with UEA Drama Society.)
- The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the biggest arts festival in the world. Each year, hundreds of thousands of creatives from theatre, comedy, music, dance, cabaret and pretty much everything else descend on Scotland's capital city for the whole of August. It's a lot of fun.
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ZOO Southside is one of the Fringe's two ZOO Venues located on Nicolson Street in the heart of Edinburgh.
About the play:
Action at a Distance is a play about money, war, disconnect, American foreign policy, truth, morality, desperation, obsession, compulsion, goodness, care, reliance and love.
In a small town in Nevada, out-of-work plumber Chris stumbles across Josh, a charity worker exposing the truth behind U.S. drone strikes in Syria and Iraq. Her fascination in his world and determination to win his approval sends her down a path towards the darkest of ethical dilemmas. The play explores the relationship between money and morality, and the detachment of American citizens from the international actions of their country.
“An ingenious plot and a head-f**k of a concept… A really scary, exciting bit of work.” (Steve Waters)
The play takes an original and indirect look at events in the news, showing the different and unique ways in which they interconnect with the lives of regular citizens. It is a project about which we are all incredibly passionate, both because of its relevance to ongoing global events and because of the very human, interpersonal story at its centre.
We will soon be taking the play back into development and rehearsals with new rewrites, new staging and a wonderful new cast, Rosa Caines and Dom Luck, with Nina also taking on a small role. Erin Fitzsimons will be our Production Manager and Molly-Rose Curran our Creative Consultant and Marketing Manager.
Where you come in:
We need your help to make this wonderful opportunity a reality.
Taking a show to Edinburgh is expensive for anyone, but particularly student companies trying to do it off their own backs. The show has had some wonderful responses and feedback so far, and started some very interesting conversations about its subject matter. We want to extend these conversations as far as we can, and a run of performances at the Edinburgh Fringe is a fantastic opportunity to do just that. We all care deeply about this project and are desperate for more people to see it.
Where the money will go:
First and foremost, we need to cover the cost of our venue. We are part of the way towards reaching this, but your donations will help us to reach the total amount we owe to ZOO.
Our next largest cost is marketing. The main way you get an audience to come to your Fringe show is by pounding the pavements of Edinburgh, handing out flyers and putting up posters, making it known and recognisable. That means, to have a significant impact, lots of materials are needed, which cost a fairly large amount of money. We will need enough flyers for the duration of our run, and posters to replace the ones that get pasted over (it happens).
We also need to cover the cost of public liability insurance, as well as a small amount for props.
Finally...
If you're still reading, we love you. You're a superstar and we really appreciate your interest in 'Action at a Distance'.
It might be a cliche, but every little does help. Any donation you can make would be massively appreciated. Even if that can't be a financial one, it would be wonderful if you could spread the word about our show.
Come and say hello on our very fresh Twitter and Facebook accounts! When the Fringe programme goes live in June, we'll post the ticket link here. Of course, if you're in Edinburgh from 4th - 22nd August, we'd love for you to come and see the show.
If you would like to get in touch with us, you can email argonauttheatre@gmail.com.
Thanks and love,
ARGONAUT x
(Graphics and designs by Daisy Minto)