Cabaret, theatre and music combine for the immersive These Trees are Made of Blood

Spectacular and arresting, These Trees are Made of Blood blends cabaret and an original musical score to tell a vital, human story from Argentina’s Dirty War. Following a sold-out premiere in 2015 at Southwark Playhouse, the cabaret coup reignites at Arcola for four weeks only even bolder than before.

Based on an original story by Amy Draper, Paul Jenkins and Darren Clark, the book for These Trees are Made of Blood is by Paul Jenkins, music and lyrics by Darren Clark and the show is directed by Amy Draper. Now an Arcola Theatre production, the show was originally produced by Jim Croxford for Theatre Bench at Southwark Playhouse.

Amy Draper said: “Since living in Buenos Aires as part of my Spanish degree, I have been inspired by the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo and fascinated by recent history in Argentina. These Trees has been a real passion project not just for me but for the whole team.”

Darren Clark added: “We are enormously excited to be bringing These Trees Are Made of Blood to the wonderful Arcola Theatre and are delighted that more theatregoers will see it this summer in a version that will be even bolder than before.”

The cast comprises Robert Andrews Castell, Rosalind Ford, Neil Kelso, Alex Luttley, Eilon Morris, Ellen O’Grady, Anne-Marie Piazza, Josh Sneesby and Charlotte Worthing. 

 

Previous praise for the original run of These Trees Are Made of Blood:

★★★★★ “The superb effort of the cast in telling such a harrowing story was rewarded, on the night of our visit, by a standing ovation and quite a few damp eyes. Theatre doesn’t get much more immersive than that.” Londonist

★★★★★ “This exceptional political satire will be difficult to forget” The Upcoming

 

About Amy Draper

Amy is a freelance theatre director based in London. Recent work includes The Light Project (R&D at the RSC); Mother Courage (Fourth Monkey 2nd year show); Much Ado about Nothing (Iris Theatre – 5 Off-West End Award nominations, including Best Director); The Tempest, Macbeth, These Trees are Made of Blood, Usagi Yojimbo and Sunday Morning at the Centre of the World (all Southwark Playhouse); Life on the Refrigerator Door (Yard Theatre); The Door (Park Theatre) and Angel Cake (Camden People’s Theatre). Forthcoming shows include Hansel and Gretel (Iris Theatre, Covent Garden) and Princess Charming (Ovalhouse). Assistant Directing includes Comus (Shakespeare’s Globe); The Famous Victories of Henry V (RSC) and shows at the Arcola, Gate and Finborough. In 2013 she was the Community Director for the CASA Latin American Theatre Festival. She works as a freelance practitioner for the RSC Education Department.

 

About Darren Clark

Darren’s recent musical and lyrical commissions have included: Fantastic Mr Fox (lyrics only for Nuffield Theatre, UK Tour), Scarecrows Wedding (Edinburgh Festival, UK Tour, West End), The Little Gardener (Lyric Hammersmith) and These Trees Are Made of Blood (Southwark Playhouse). Darren is a founding member of children’s theatre company Paper Balloon, writing music & lyrics for all their shows including UK tours of The Boy and the Mermaid and The Grumpiest Boy in the World. His new musical Rhys Jennings The Wicker Husband won the Music Theatre International Stiles & Drewe Mentorship Award in 2016. His songs have been finalists in the Stiles & Drewe Best New Song Award for 3 years running, winning Runner-up in 2015. Other songwriting awards include; Iris Theatre XMas Factor Panel Award and Audience Award. In 2015 he was a finalist for numerous prizes including the Cameron Mackintosh Composer in Residence, and the Kevin Spacey Artist of Choice. He recently won the Dunedin Operatic Executive Trust Award to support his musical theatre work in 2016. Darren is a proud member of the BML Advanced Composer & Lyricist Workshop and the MMD Advanced Writers Lab.

 

About Paul Jenkins

Paul is a theatre-maker based in Cardiff. Writing credits include Natural Selection (Theatre503), First Person Shooter (Birmingham Rep) and his short Island Hopping (Belarus Free Theatre). His play Fear of Drowning was runner-up in the inaugural Wales Drama Award and his modern fable of a communist football team Red Star Newport was produced by Radio 4. Paul has recently directed twenty16 for Theatr Iolo, As You Like It for RSC Open Stages and co-directed LOVE Cardiff at the Sherman Theatre. He is a regular collaborator with Alma Alter theatre laboratory in Bulgaria & the Factory Theatre & has projects in the pipeline with Cwmni Pluen in Wales.

Tickets for These Trees Are Made Of Blood are available now →