Our debut, The Idiot Colony established a strong reputation for producing high quality, original devised physical theatre based on extensive research of real life stories.
After months of research and investigation RedCape Theatre uncovered many true stories of women committed to mental institutions during the 1940s and 1950s and used these stories to create the three characters and their back story for The Idiot Colony.
The Idiot Colony was created with the support of South Street, Berkshire Venues Consortium and Arts Council England Southeast.
RedCape Theatre premiered it at The Edinburgh Fringe 2008, where it won a Scotsman Fringe First and the Total Theatre Award for best Visual Theatre; it was also a finalist for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award, The Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award and the Holden Street Theatres Adelaide Award.
The Idiot Colony was invited to be part of the London International Mime Festival January 2009 where it had a four night sold-out run at the ICA. This was followed by a national tour, supported by ACE East.
Devised and performed by RedCape Theatre (Claire Coaché, Cassie Friend & Rebecca Loukes)
Written by Lisle Turner
Directed & Designed by Andrew Dawson
Original Music: Jonny Pilcher
Assistant Directors: Ben Samuels & Sabina Netherclift
Original Lighting Design: John Farquhar-Smith
Costume Design: Rosie Gwilliam
Researcher: Jane Jackson
Producer: Turtle Key Arts
“A profound and poetic sense of loss hangs over The Idiot Colony.”
The Stage
"an affecting, humorous piece of physical theatre"
The Times
“A delicate work of damaged poetry and slow-moving grace.”
The Herald
“it has a sly sense of fun.”
The Guardian
"endlessly inventive, thoroughly disquieting. It's stunning"
The Metro