A play about a campaign against fracking, which sold out every performance at Chichester Festival Theatre earlier this year, is to go on a regional tour.
FRACKED! OR: PLEASE DON’T USE THE F-WORD, stars Anne Reid, as an anti-fracking campaigner, and James Bolam as her husband.
It was written by Alistair Beaton, author of the BAFTA-nominated The Trial of Tony Blair, and directed by Richard Wilson.
The play sold out all 33 performances more than three months before it opened in July.
A spokesperson for Chichester Festival Theatre confirmed today:
“Plans are being put in place for a regional tour of Fracked! in spring 2017. Details of the tour will be announced as soon as they have been confirmed.”
The spokesperson said there were no plans at this stage for a London run.
Update February 2017/March 2017
Fracked! Or Please don’t use the F-word. Tour dates released for performances in Guildford, Malvern, Brighton, Richmond, Bath and Cambridge 12 April-27 May 2017.
The play tells the story of proposals by the fictional company, Deerland Energy, to frack in the pretty village of Fenstock. The company has the support of university scientists working on projects funded by energy companies and the chair of the local planning committee.
But a group of villagers oppose the plans, led by retired, law-abiding academic, Elizabeth Blackwood (Anne Reid) and her more reluctant husband (James Bolam).
In real life, James Bolam and his actor wife Sue Jameson were part of a successful campaign to oppose plans by Celtique Energie to explore for oil near their home village of Wisborough Green in West Sussex.
Alistair Beaton told The Guardian he had spent a long time researching fracking while writing the play. He said:
“It is becoming an issue that cuts across the traditional lines of class, politics and age. That’s quite rare, it is not a left-right thing: you will find Guardian readers as upset as Telegraph readers. It is very interesting how it has broken across all the boundaries.”
The Daily Mail said of Fracked!:
“Alistair Beaton’s brilliant new comedy is in lockstep with the times. The issues are as urgent as ever. Terrific fun”
Feb 2017: Edited to include link to tour dates and new poster
Categories: Opposition, Uncategorized
DRILL OR DROP? 
Looking forward to this
When is it coming to Yorkshire?
Think there will be a high demand for tickets – so hope I get to see it 😊
hopeful of blackpool grand!
They’d be crazy not to put it on there and/or at the Guild Hall. The pro-frackers could even take a small box at the Grand and they could all have an evening out!
Yes. It just has to come to The Grand, Blackpool . The Dukes in Lancaster as well.