Metamorphosis

Metamorphosis-Frantic Assembly-Theatre Royal Plymouth. Photo courtesy of the Belgrade Theatre.

Metamorphosis, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, from 23 – 27 January 2024.

Preview

The critically acclaimed bold new Frantic Assembly production of Kafka’s Metamorphis, in collaboration with Lemn Sissay OBE, will come to Coventry from 23 – 27 January 2023 with a press performance at the Belgrade on Tuesday 23 January.

One morning Gregor Samsa awakes to find himself changed. To those around him he is dangerous, untouchable vermin. Worse than that, he is a burden. A word said, an action out of place, the opening of old wounds, none of which can be undone. Until now Gregor has woken every morning, quietly left to take the same train, and worked to pay off the family debt. But that world explodes on this morning of brutal metamorphosis.

Metamorphosis-Frantic Assembly-Theatre Royal Plymouth. Photo courtesy of the Belgrade Theatre.

Kafka’s Metamorphosis is a powerful and vital depiction of humans struggling within a system that crushes them under its heel.  Gregor Samsa finds himself transformed from breadwinner into burden in this absurd and tragic story.  Frantic Assembly is renowned for its use of physicality and movement and Metamorphosis will be an inherently visceral production about the limitations of the body and mind, imagination and aspiration. All of this, coupled with the fluidity and lyricism of Lemn Sissay’s adaptation, promises an exciting and dynamic show.

Following their acclaimed performances as Iago, Roderigo and Bianca in Frantic Assembly’s recent sell-out tour of Othello, Joe Layton (Young Wallander, Netflix; Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Marvel) will play the Chief Clerk/Lodger, Felipe Pacheco (The Responder, BBC; Brassic, Sky One) will play Gregor and Hannah Sinclair Robinson (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, UK and Ireland Tour; Rockets, Blue Lights, both National Theatre) will play Grete.  They will be joined by Troy Glasgow (The Wife of Willesden, Kiln Theatre/Boston/NYC; A Streetcar Named Desire, Young Vic/ St Ann’s Warehouse NYC) as Father and Louise Mai Newberry (Romeo and Juliet, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; All’s Well That Ends Well, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse) who will play the role of Mother.

Metamorphosis-Frantic Assembly-Theatre Royal Plymouth. Photo courtesy of the Belgrade Theatre.

Metamorphosis will be adapted by Lemn Sissay OBE, directed by Scott Graham, designed by Jon Bauser, composed by Stefan Janik, with lighting design by Simisola Majekodunmi, video design by Ian William Galloway, sound design by Helen Skiera, and costume design by Becky Gunstone, the associate director is David Gilbert and casting director is Will Burton CDG.

Metamorphosis is a co-production with Theatre Royal Plymouth, Curve Leicester, MAST Mayflower Studios and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. 

Lemn Sissay’s new collection of poetry Let the Light Pour In will be published by Canongate on 21 September 2023.  For the past decade, Sissay has composed a short poem as dawn breaks each morning. Let the Light Pour In is a life-affirming and witty collection of the best of these poems fuelled by resilience and defiant joy.

For further details and tickets: https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/metamorphosis/