“So much innovation, invention and Energy ! Megamulticultural Exchange Theatre have done the unimaginable !” The Londonist
“Amazingly intense” The Scotsman
★★★★ Fringereview

Double Offie nominated in 2018, Exchange Theatre are celebrating their first decade of work with an anniversary revival of their first critical and public success: Jean-Paul Sartre’s rebellious and highly political play The Flies.  The Flies is Jean-Paul Sartre's take on the story of Electra and her brother Orestes, his thriller re-imagines the Greek tragedy of Electra and Orestes, exploring the complexities of human values in a period of political turbulence. Exchange Theatre are joined on stage by a live-rock band, transforming this tragedy into a thrilling rock opera.

Orestes comes back to his birth-place of Argos to find his people under the oppression of fear and guilt: they all bear the burden of King Agamemnon’s assassination. The flies are the symbol of the burden of fate and disinformation tormenting Argos with eary rock guitars. As Orestes is hounded by Jupiter, god of flies, fear and death, the flies examines freedom, oppression and courage.

Exchange Theatre presents a very contemporary version: with a live rock-band, a very physical raw organic direction and with the support of a multi-screen video design.

« It’s the tragedy of liberty against the tragedy of fatality » says Sartre.

Double Offie nominated 2018, Exchange Theatre are celebrating their first decade of work with an anniversary revival of their first critical and public success: Jean-Paul Sartre’s rebellious and highly political play The Flies.  Sartre’s thriller re-imagines the Greek tragedy of Electra and Orestes, exploring the complexities of human values in a period of political turbulence. Directed by David Furlong, Exchange Theatre’s multidisciplinary and multimedia production of The Flies returns in 2019, as topical and poignant as ever. (OFF WEST END nominations Best Director 2017, Best production 2018 and Best Video Design 2018).

A company priding themselves in their international and multi-cultural heritage, Exchange Theatre’s The Flies will be performed alternately in French and English in tribute to Sartre’s roots, and the 1943 play’s origins as a political allegory.

★★★★ “More than many fringe companies, I’d love to see what Exchange Theatre could do with more resources. Their infectious energy and enthusiasm, combined with technical skill and textual insight go a long way to fulfil their mission and their undoubted ability to bring classic French texts to life for multi-cultural audiences warrant bigger and better staging. " Everything theatre

Directed by David Furlong
Set designer: Ninon Fandre
Costumes: Sarah Habib
Movement: Jennifer Kay
Associate artist and fight director: Kevin Rowntree
Lighting/video: Julien Bernard Grau
Operator: Catja Hamilton
Musicians: Leo Elso, Billy Boguard, Thomas Broda
Musical director: Paco Esquire

11 June – 6 July 2019
Tuesdays - Fridays, 7.30pm
Saturdays, 8.00pm

Standard: £16.00
Concessions: £14.00
Under 30s: £10.00 (limited to 10 per performance)