Riot Act
A takeover, one hundred years on
- Role
- Producer
- Location
- Luton Town Hall council chamber
- With
- Yet Another Carnival / Luton Borough Council
- Date
- July 2019
We produced Riot Act, a show made with the people of Luton and staged in their own council chamber
Dark Olive and collaborators Yet Another Carnival were commissioned by Luton Borough Council to create Riot Act, which formed part of People Power Passion, Luton's Pilot Year of Culture and commemoration of the 1919 Luton Peace Day riots.
Riot Act by Dark Olive and Yet Another Carnival Wednesday 17 – Saturday 20 July 2019 | Luton Town Hall council chamber
"It's time for change"
In this devised show, created in collaboration with the people of Luton, a platform was given to the voices that we rarely hear. A group of everyday Lutonians took over the council chamber for an immersive exploration of decision-making in today's society.
Celebrations were laid out in the Luton council chamber for a special and exclusive event, but the night before a group of strangers barricaded themselves in the chamber. They had been excluded for too long — it was time for a takeover, it was time for change. What would they do with the platform they had, and how would they mark this 100 year anniversary?
Riot Act was directed by Thomas Frith, Freyja Winterson and John Young for Yet Another Carnival and produced by Amber Knipe and Darren Knipe for Dark Olive, with Lutonian theatre maker Sidney Belony as assistant director. Two trainee posts went to Luton makers — Charlotte Read as trainee stage manager and Jason Kandaiah as trainee production assistant.
People Power Passion: Setting Luton Alight in 2019
In 1919, Lutonians rioted when they were excluded from Peace Day celebrations. In 2019, the town looked back on this bold act.
Six events. Five months. One extraordinary riot....
People Power Passion brought Luton's cultures and communities together to celebrate their town across six events over five months — The People's Launch, Riot Act, the Outdoor Spectacular, Justice 39, The Children's Peace Party and Lutopia. The programme invited audiences into the worlds of everyday Lutonians, giving a voice to those rarely heard, through spoken word, site-responsive and promenade theatre, music, dance, circus and gaming.
www.luton.events/people-power-passion
