A site-specific jigsaw puzzle through 6 hotel rooms just before the deed is done…
Created by Daphna Attias & Terry O'Donovan with words by Chloë Moss
I Do premiered at Hilton Islington as part of Almeida Theatre's Almeida Festival in 2013
Ever wanted to be a fly on the wall in the build up to a wedding?
The ceremony begins in ten minutes. The Best Man is practicing his speech. The Bridesmaids are squeezing the bride into her dress. Mum and Dad are seeing each other for the first time in years. Grandma is struggling to dress her husband whilst the bride’s brother is getting frisky with the maid of honour. Meanwhile, the Groom is frozen…
Don your button-hole, down a glass of bubbly and join Dante or Die’s twelve-strong cast to voyeuristically peek into the lives of a wedding party as the big moment looms nearer. Divided into six groups, you will discover the twists and turn in the plot in a different order, seeing the same ten minutes replayed in each of the rooms, where you will experience that moment in time from each character’s point of view.
★★★★
“a meticulously crafted site-specific play... a clever, funny, touching and satisfying show”
Evening Standard
★★★★
“the pleasure lies in the intricate planning of Chloe Moss’s writing and Daphna Attias’s production, and in the buzz of being so close to the characters at extraordinarily intimate moments”
Financial Times
★★★★
“stand out performances come courtesy of Christopher Dunham as the Grandfather and Terry O’Donovan as the Best Man. Both proved cabable of shifting the emotional tone of the piece in unexpected and touching ways”
The Public Reviews
★★★★
Time Out
★★★★
What's On Stage
★★★★★
“alternately tender, uplifting, and utterly crushing”
Exeunt
★★★★★
Reading Post
★★★★★
Hampshire Daily Echo
“it is just a phenomenal way to present theatre… Dante or Die is a revolutionary company”
A Younger Theatre
“an excellent production—it’s lively, funny, and hugely enjoyable”
Making the Marrow
“go on, try it, it’s an adventure”
The Other Bridge Project
“Co-creators Daphna Atias and Terry O’Donovan and scriptwriter Chloe Moss have devised a prurient experience and a wild satire of a wedding day that is often amusing and always intriguing.”
British Theatre Guide
I Do premiered at Hilton Islington as part of Almeida Festival.
Touring performances included:
- Malmaison Reading in partnership with South Street SITELINES
- Hilton Docklands, London in partnership with Almeida Theatre
- Holiday Inn Winchester in partnership with Theatre Royal Winchester
- Raheen House Hotel in partnership with Clonmel Junction Festival
- The Savoy Limerick in partnership with Lime Tree Theatre
- The Clantree Hotel in partnership with Earagail Arts Festival
- Created by Daphna Attias & Terry O'Donovan
- Directed by Daphna Attias
- Produced by Kirsten Burrows
- Costume Designer Jenny Hayton
- Writing Chloe Moss
- Stage Manager Felix Dunning/Nicola Hill/ Danielle Morris/ Phil Clarke / Richard Pattison
- Assistant Stage Manager Elliot Hall
- Design Assistant Denisa Dumitrescu
- Press & PR Cliona Roberts
- Photographs by Ludovic Des Cognets (Hilton Islington), Neil Buchan Grant (Malmaison Reading)
- Marketing Design & Video editing Justin Jones
- Cast at the Almeida Festival & Hilton Docklands performances Andrew Bridgemont, Anna Carteret, Rachel Drazek, Christopher Dunham, Sarah Hunt, Zoe Hunter, Penelope McGhie, Nieve Morrisson, Terry O'Donovan, Christopher Reynolds, Anna Richmond, Ella Havas, Jessica, Katie.
- Cast at the Sitelines Festival performances Anna Carteret, Rachel Drazek, Christopher Dunham, Sarah Hunt, Denver Isaacs, Penelope McGhie, Nieve Morrisson, Terry O'Donovan, William Oxborrow, Roisin Rae, Christopher Reynolds, Anna Richmond, Ella Havas.
- Thank you to all the performers who helped us to develop the piece Robert Cook, Chris Dunham, Clare Dunn, Tas Emiabata, Emma MacLennon, Pia Nordin, Diane Parker, Chris Reynolds, Anna Richmond, Clara Solana, Ayse Tashkiran, Lib Taylor, Angie Wallis.
I DO was co-commissioned by Almeida Festival 2013 & Southstreet, Reading. With support from Hilton Hotel Islington, Reading Malmaison, University of Reading Film, Theatre & Television Dept and generously funded by Arts Council England and Unity Theatre Trust.
