A talent development initiative from Festival City Theatres of Edinburgh, has formed a new company for aspiring and emerging actors, called the Attic Collective. Membership to the new drama company, to be based at the King’s Theatre, is open to all those aspiring to be actors, and those who completed formally training in acting.
The Attic Collective will produce in the year, 3 main stage productions, that include a musical and a classical performance. Stage productions in the inaugural year will include Brecht’s Threepenny Opera, Aristophanes’ Lysistrata and War in America by Jo Clifford, a world premier.
Director Susan Worsfold welcomed the decision to stage War in America. She was proud Attic Collective is to perform the play, which was earlier commissioned by the Lyceum (in 1996), but was rejected on the grounds of being too offensive. Jo Clifford, the playwright commissioned the work, said she was proud it was chosen. She says she is deeply involved in training actors at the Margaret University. Feeling passionate about it and especially pleased that the play will be an important milestone in the careers of these young artists.
Eighteen members, aged between 18 and 25 years, were picked from nearly 400 applicants, through open auditions to form Attic Collective. A year’s free training will be given to those joining the company, under director Susan Worsfold’s guidance and Cat Sheridan, the learning & participation co-ordinator.
