Angels with Dirty Accents is another example of Salford Arts Theatre bringing relevant issues to the fore in an entertaining and original manner. Angels is an interesting proposition that uses desperation and homelessness as a focus, but also includes dark comedic moments and a fascinating celestial angle.
Although the main characters in the play are living on the streets, they are far from the usual stereotypes that are often portrayed in the media. While politicians and tabloids regularly seek to dehumanise vulnerable members of society, this play elevates them celestial beings.
"We could all be homeless", Thomas Jan Johnston from R.KiD Productions, which is staging the show, states "Society is only as strong as our weakest members..."
In this classy play, the shop doorways and desperate conditions serve as an unorthodox waiting room for heaven. It is amidst these terrible conditions that the angels must await judgement on their passage to the afterlife. However, things have become a little crowded behind the old Pearly Gates, and the angels are now at the mercy of heaven's new immigration policy. Clearly, time living on the streets is extreme and torturous, and temptation is never too far away.
The heroic angels share the experience of many of our own homeless. They have to endure the prejudices of passers-by and are perceived as vermin that threateningly loiter in the shadows. As R.KiD's publicity reinforces, 'spreading fear, crime and anarchy on an unprecedented scale. Looming in shanty towns on the fringes of society, they provide a putrid eyesore to our otherwise dazzling metropolis'.
Angels With Dirty Accents is a sharp, humorous and allegorical tale that resonates with many popular issues of today. I ask Thomas about the premise: "It's a collaborative effort...we are disillusioned actors" he explains "You get into acting to act, not to be shoved around auditioning for ads and crap."
He is serious about providing quality entertainment that is relatable to regular people, and this is evident in Rkid's the debut piece. "If you go to RSC there are no normal people there" Thomas adds "Most would rather pay £40 to go to the match than watch a play, but theatre is for the people. We have to make it relevant for the working class. It can have the atmosphere of a stadium."
Not only is Angels with Dirty Accents pertinent and accessible, it promises to be a fully immersive night out. Or, as Thomas explains, "like Pink Floyd on a budget of £200". It is essentially a two-space experience that begins in the foyer with live music... "You're straight into it when you arrive. When you get on the ghost train, you're on it until it's over."
On the live music that will greet the punters, Thomas states, "It goes against the tone of the play, but it's there to be jarring and to underline that what is going on is wrong."
Angels with Dirty Accents is an intriguing swipe at modern culture that promises to be a unique, engaging and humorous piece of theatre. It is an ambitious play that will resonate with the audience and provide a bold attack on the senses. I would urge regulars and newcomers alike to get along to Salford Arts Theatre and take a step into the gritty limbo of the Angels.
Angels With Dirty Accents
Wednesday 20th-Saturday 23rd September
Wednesday 27th September-Saturday 30th September 7:30pm (doors open 7pm)
Salford Arts Theatre M5 4BS
Tickets £10/£8 to book click here
For more details see the Angels With Dirty Accents Facebook page click here and Facebook event page click here
Words by Ian Leslie
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