In this issue:

iceandfire have joined forces with the Wellcome Trust to explore the links between human rights and the hotly contested MMR debate, posing the question, ‘What duties does an individual have to their community?’

Our new play, Bind, by Sara Masters with Dr Tom Churcher, stars Ann Akin and Sabrina Grant and begins its tour of London schools next week.

“Something bad happened when Lilli was a baby. Something she should have been protected from. But she’s not a baby anymore and it’s time to understand that actions have consequences.”

Rehearsals are in full swing with Sara working with musician Verity Simmons and our very own Mary Connolly as movement director. The play is aimed at students studying Citizenship at Key Stage 3 so if you’re a teacher, or know someone who would be interested in bringing the play to their school, there are still some dates between November 16th – December 11th available. Email alex@iceandfire.co.uk

We’re really excited about this show, as it is a new take for us on what constitutes a ‘human rights’ story, as well as an interesting angle on a controversial science topic. This piece also involves a new collaboration with Imperial College. 

On 16 November we will be launching a new script at the Unicorn Theatre. This is a new collaboration with two of the UK’s most prominent children’s charities: Save the Children UK and EveryChild.

Listen to Me presents nine first-hand accounts from marginalised children around the world and has been written to mark the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Testimonies have been gathered from children in India, Bangladesh, Ukraine, Malawi, Guyana, Cambodia, Colombia, Kosovo and Wales.

There are a few spaces available at this event, to express your interest in attending please contact Susannah Rigg at Save the Children: S.Rigg@savethechildren.org.uk

Christine Bacon and Noah Birksted-Breen have been working on our 2010 production, On the Record (working title). You can read about their process and progress in Christine’s Blog.

The murder of Anna Politkovskaya in 2006 was a well-publicised reminder of the power of the press to challenge the official version of the truth. What makes someone take great personal risks to produce quality, balanced journalism? This new documentary play will enter the lives of six such individuals, some working in western democracies, some in transition countries and some in repressive regimes.

We will be launching our Freedom of Expression season in April next year. The season will feature projects in each of our four strands, concluding with our mainstage Production in October/November. MORE DETAILS SOON!

Read more about our productions»

Sara has continued to work on our next outreach script, Getting On, exploring older peoples’ rights in the UK. Three interviews have already been conducted exploring age discrimination, isolation and the concept of dignity ready for the script to be launched in March 2010 at the Almeida Theatre , London, and the Tobacco Factory in Bristol.

“It was two days before my birthday. All the girls had had a whip round and I got £150 quids worth of Marks and Spencers vouchers. People were saying, ‘Ooh, you’ve been such an inspiration.’ Then the management called me in and said “You finish in March”. It’s amazing how quickly you can be undermined and feel you’re useless.”

Founder and Associate Writer Sonja Linden has been researching material for a new Outreach script, to be launched during Refugee Week in 2010. Sonja has made one trip to Calais already , to interview migrants living in the ‘jungle’ there who are attempting to enter the UK, as well as some of the people who are supporting them and she will make a return journey later this month. What have they been through to get that far? And why do they want to make the final, difficult (and dangerous) leap across the Channel?

Our series of four readings at Amnesty International’s Human Rights Action Centre in Shoreditch in September attracted 600 people. In November alone, we are doing 15 readings across the country – come and see one near you!

Click here for iceandfire's Outreach network »

Following the performance of Listen to Me, Save the Children and EveryChild will be providing resource packs and lesson plans based on the script, along with video clips of the performance, which will be available to teachers, youth centres and anyone else who might want to use the resources. Simply go to www.everychild.org.uk/listentome to find out more.

We are running a school workshop at RichMix on November 19th based on the testimonies from our play The Illegals, followed by an evening performance of our the play.

Further information about our education workshops and resources »

Our brand new script initiative in partnership with Amnesty International UK, Everyone Has the Right, will be launched on 10 December (Human Rights Day) at the London School of Economics.

Providing a home for the most exciting, dynamic theatre bringing human rights stories to life, Everyone Has the Right will be an open programme, accepting scripts on a rolling basis.

Writers are invited to submit scripts that they believe fulfil the aim of Everyone Has the Right. These scripts will be read by a member of the iceandfire team who will provide feedback to the writer. The best plays will receive professional rehearsed readings at Amnesty International UK’s Human Rights Action Centre , in London, or a partner theatre. Those writers that would benefit from longer-term development will be paired with a dramaturg for more in-depth work on their script. Keep an eye on our website and Twitter feeds for when the Everyone Has the Right site goes live!

The launch will coincide with a performance of our Outreach script, Broke, at the LSE as part of their annual Human Rights Day event.

More about participation»