Network
Howard Beale, news anchorman, isn’t pulling in the viewers. In his final broadcast he unravels live on screen. But when the ratings soar, the network seize on their newfound populist prophet, and Howard becomes the biggest thing on TV. Network depicts a dystopian media landscape where opinion trumps fact. Hilarious and horrifying by turns, the iconic film by Paddy Chayefsky won four Academy Awards in 1976. Now, Lee Hall (Billy Elliot, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour) and director Ivo van Hove bring his masterwork to the stage for the first time, with Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) in the role of Howard Beale. Eric Sleichim writes a new score for the laptop and electronics quartet BL!NDMAN [hybrid], featuring Matt Wright, Tom Challenger, Kit Downes and Pete Harden.
Ivo van Hove end Lee Hall: direction
Jan Versweyveld: scenography
Eric Sleichim: music and sound design
Tal Yarden: video
An D’Huys: costumes
Cast: Bryan Cranston, Charles Babalola, Toni Bamtefa, Richard Cordero, Isabel Della-Porta, Michelle Dockery, Ian Drysdale, Michael Elwyn, Caroline Faber, Robert Gilbert, Douglas Henshall, Tom Hodgkins, Tunji Kasim, Andrew Lewis, Beverly Longhurst, Evan Milton, Stuart Nun, Rebecca Omogbehin, Patrick Poletti, Danny Szam, Paksie Vernon
BL!NDMAN [hybrid] live music
Matt Wright: musical director, laptop, turntables, electronics
Tom Challenger: assistant musical director, laptop, electronics
Kit Downes: laptop, cello, electronics
Pete Harden: laptop, guitar, electronics