Audience on Stand By in this immersive drama
A hard-hitting show which follows four police officers trying to stay in control as their community begins to disintegrate takes place later this month.
Stand By is on stage at the Macrobert Arts Centre on Thursday, September 21 and is written by a former police officer.
Audiences will wear singleearpiece headphones to join the officers as they sit in a riot van, feeling and hearing their fears, thoughts and anticipations.
Called out to a domestic dispute which may turn violent, they are on standby; waiting to enter a flat where
Stand By at the Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling
a man is wielding a samurai sword. We wait with them, experiencing the relationships forged through the stress of the job and the turmoil of being caught between following orders, protecting themselves and serving the community.
Writer Adam McNamara said: “Having spent seven years in the police I was able to view my experience from an actor and writer’s point of view later on down the line. I always grew frustrated at the versions of officers portrayed on screen. I’m not taking away from how entertaining these productions are but having been someone who has worn a uniform I knew something was missing from those depictions both on screen and, consequently, on stage.
“Stand By is an accumulation of my experiences as a cop, actor and writer allowing the public to have a sneaky glimpse into the job. Something which they may feel they know but don’t.”
Adam is currently performing in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at London’s Palace Theatre.
Director Joe Douglas said: “The story is set in a close-knit housing scheme in Dundee but speaks more universally about the function of the police and the security of our communities.
“Adam’s perspective as a writer is unusual, as he knows what the job of a police officer is: the pressures, the mundanity, the admin mixed in with bursts of adrenaline. The production will reflect this with dynamic design, sound and movement.
“I am extremely excited about our single earpiece experiment - I don’t think this has ever been tried before on stage. I believe it will create a greater sense of empathy and draw the audience deeply into the world of the play.”