MISSION CONTROL
This production, a team up between National Theatre Wales and Hijinx, will transport audiences to the year 2029, where a new planet has just been discovered within the solar system. The planet has plenty of similarities to Earth, but yet to have human life walking upon it. Megacorporation Monolith have reserved the rights to enter the planet, which will launch shuttles from the Monolith National Crisis Centre. There’s an opportunity for people to join on the voyage: a chance to escape the extreme weather and overpopulation of life on Earth in 2029.
This collaborative experience is inspired by the moon landing 50 years ago; Mission Control hopes to provoke excitement and fear as we look towards the stars, with its cast involving some 80 actors, many drawn from Hijinx’s five academies across Wales (Hijinx specialise in working with learning-disabled and autistic people).
Hoping to raise questions about the power of corporations as we potentially head towards an eco-apocalypse mythology and the dark side of the moon, audiences can expect to be guided through areas across the venue in groups, with the production lasting around two hours – though it’s more of an immersive experience than a traditional play. As such, attendees can expect to be taken through hidden and/or rarely-pondered parts of Wales’ national stadium: its changing rooms, corridors, car parks and VIP sections, finishing on the pitch and utilising the big screens.
The project is directed by Hijinx’s Ben Pettitt-Wade and National Theatre Wales’ Kully Thiarai, and created by Seiriol Davies. Cast members include Ffion Gwyther (Stella), Rhiannon Oliver (Torchwood, Jamaica Inn), Francois Pandolfo (Casualty, Doctor Who) and Adam Redmore (Silent Witness).
Mission Control is National Theatre Wales’s first production of their 10th anniversary year. In the decade since they’ve been founded, their frequently ambitious and wide-ranging productions have taken place across beaches and mountains, nightclubs, warehouses, schools, libraries and military training grounds. With Hijinx Theatre in tow, a company acclaimed for their award-winning theatre productions and highly inclusive nature, this is expected to be a hit.
words SOPHIE BATES
Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Fri 22-Sun 24 Nov. Tickets: £14-£18. Info: 029 2037 1689 or visit www.nationaltheatrewales.org