1 week to go: all the ways to engage with 'I, Lord'
It's been a busy month of preparations and now we're so excited to bring 'I, Lord' back to the stage: this time in the more intimate venue of the Space, and with a potential international reach through our livestream!
Here's a reminder of all the ways you can engage with the project: whoever and wherever you are, there are at least a few things for all of you here.
1.Check out our trailer
Whet your appetite by reminding yourself of our trailer!
2.Book to see the show in person
The very best way! We're on:
7pm, 13th-17th February
The Space, 269 Westferry Road, London E14 3RS
Tickets pay what you can, £8/£14/£20. No booking fee - just saying...!
Have a look at the accessibility info on the booking website, and if you're worried about something please get in touch with us or with the theatre: we want to do whatever we can to be able to welcome you.
3.Stay for the reflective space after the show
It's so important to us that our audiences get to have the conversations and ask the questions that the show brings about for them. That's why we're holding space after each performance for about half an hour, when you can discuss the show and what it means to you and each other and the world around us.
It's totally up to you whether or not you stay for this, of course - but we'd love to see you if you'd like to join us!
4.Bring your kids to the FREE parallel children's show
We know how tough it is to get to the theatre when you're a parent. That's why we're offering a parallel children's show simultaneously with performances at:
7pm, 15th and 16th February
St Edmund's Church hall, 297 Westferry Road, London E14 3RS
(i.e. directly across the road from the Space!)
Drop your kids off from 6:45pm and cross the road and you're ready for the main show!
While you're with us, your children will be using art, music, drama, writing and play to learn about the beginnings of religious practice, celebrate the diversity of faiths in our society, think about the roles spiritual leaders should and shouldn't have in our lives, and explore what spirituality means authentically to them.
We recommend the show as suitable for kids of approximately ages 5-11 - but we have had slightly older kids in before who have gotten loads out of it, too.
Here's what some of them had to say:
"I have two religions at home and it's really difficult because they're completely the opposite. This helped me realise that's OK."
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"I didn't realise there are so many religions! That was really interesting."
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"I learned that we can all be our own leaders and think about God our own way."
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"We never do anything like this. This was so much fun!"
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"I'm sad because we're leaving!"
Spaces are FREE BUT LIMITED! To book, please e-mail info@responseabilitytheatre.com saying:
1) whether you are booking for 15th or 16th February;
2) how many children you are bringing, and their ages;
3) any access needs they may have;
4) your phone number, for our assurance of reuniting you with your children after the shows on the night.
We will reply with confirmation, instructions for drop-off and collection, and answers to any questions you may have.
5.Book the livestream: watch live or on demand
Wherever you are in the world, you can book now to livestream the show right to your very own home!
The livestream proper will happen at 7pm GMT on 15th February - but if you book it and can't watch it exactly then, never fear - the recording will be available to you for a week afterwards. If you require captions, then bear with us for a few days while we get them ready for you and then you'll be able to watch.
We can't wait to hear how an international audience responds to the show!
6.Sponsor a ticket so someone else can see the show
We have a waiting list of people who want to come and see the show, but can't afford a ticket. You can book a ticket for however many of them you like by selecting the "Sponsor a ticket" option when booking.
Spiritual abuse can have a devastating impact on a person's social security, and ability to go through formal education and employment. Help us make sure they get to see stories like theirs told, and contribute to the discussion.
7.Watch our mini-documentary
Did you catch our mini-documentary when we first put it out in October? Well, you still can now! Meet some of the cast and team, and hear what they have to say about their roles and what the play means to them.
8.Read the survivor zine
We were honoured to build the design of the show around the insights and artistic inspiration of a group of interfaith survivors over 5 workshop sessions.
Their work is evident in the production itself - but you can get a closer look in our zine:
Expect poetry, pottery, musings, amusings, anger, anarchy and, of course, hope.
9.Hear about the survivor-led process
We and our participants had the best time chatting with Rosie Dawson from the Shiloh Podcast during one of our survivor design workshops. Get an insight into our process and a survivor's perspective of the project and the changes we need to see around us by listening to our episode.
10.Hear more about the reasons for making the show
Another podcast episode! We had a great time chatting with Everything Theatre about all things spiritual abuse, trauma-conscious theatre-making, pioneering the parallel children's show and more.
11.Read about our post-show discussion with experts
After our premiere at the Bloomsbury Theatre in October, we were fortunate to be joined by several experts in spiritual abuse from academia, lived experience, psychology, charity work and ministry - and we've written up all the golden insights they gave us for you.
12.Come to a FREE survivor workshop
In the weeks after the show, we're running two FREE survivor workshops for survivors of spiritual and/or faith-based trauma.
These look at physical, imaginative and linguistic tools to find free expression for aspects of our inner lives that in everyday life feel inexpressible. They create a fun, gentle playground where we can begin to create something beautiful, something of which we can be proud, out of what is often shrouded in fear or misplaced shame, and gain confidence in our ability and right to assert ourselves and our needs.
Whether you want to start writing your story, or understand the signals your body is sending you, or just feel more confident explaining what you're going through, you'll explore some trauma-conscious arts-based tools in the company of people who understand.
13.Come to a FREE spiritual leader/faith-based safeguarding worker workshop
In those same weeks, we're also running two FREE workshops for spiritual leaders and faith-based safeguarding workers.
These explore how spiritual leaders and faith-based safeguarding professionals can understand their own and each other's limits, how their emotional responses to their work and the people with whom they work manifest and affect them and others, and how they can allow their emotions as crucial tools of their empathetic intelligence, without being "unprofessional" or becoming regularly overwhelmed.
We will be using theatre-based exercises in body, vocal and breath awareness, and maintaining a connection to emotional and empathetic truthfulness while in a professional role.
14.Spread the word!
Do you know someone who HAS to engage with this stuff?
Well, please don't let it blow past them - tell them right now!
We can't wait to see and hear from all the wonderful people and perspectives and hearts and souls we hope to engage in this project and the discussions around it. We hope you're looking forward to it all as much as we are!