Ten Days on the Island... hopefully not Floating away!

Posted by Simon Bedford (Marketing & Touring Manager, Hoipolloi)

As David's already mentioned, next year Hoipolloi and Hugh Hughes will be spreading their wings and going global! We've discussed before on this blog (in some detail, as we are stupidly excited about it!) our trip out to Sydney Opera House but that's not the only place we'll be visiting in Australia.

On Tuesday, the Ten Days on the Island festival had its official launch and so we're finally able to reveal to you some further performance dates. It's an honour to be part of this exciting event and Hugh is really hoping to make some fantastic new connections with another set of island dwellers - this time on the other side of the world in Tasmania.

So, here's the exact information on where we'll be:



Earl Arts Centre in Launceston, Tasmania
28 March 2009 at 2pm and 6pm
29 March 2009 at 6pm

Playhouse Theatre in Hobart, Tasmania
2 to 4 April 2009 at 8pm
5 April at 6pm

Tickets for both venues can be booked online here

That leaves just one more set of Australian dates to announce, over in Melbourne! Hopefully we'll be able to do this very soon, keep checking back here for the latest.

And thanks to Foraggio Fotographics for the image!

Exclusive UK performances by Hugh Hughes of brand new material for Invisible Town!

Posted by David Ralfe (Marketing & Admin. Assistant)

In my last entry, I explored Hugh Hughes’ globetrotting antics through the medium of Google Maps. But here’s some good news for those of you in the UK, who’ve been missing the award-winning Welshman. In January, you’ll be able to see Hugh performing brand new material for his new show Invisible Town!

Hugh Hughes and Hoipolloi are delighted to be returning to the National Theatre Studio, to continue working on Hugh’s new ensemble show Invisible Town. The National Theatre Studio provides writing rooms and state-of-the-art rehearsal spaces in which to develop brand new work for theatre. We spent a week there in July, which was my first experience of making professional theatre, and seeing Hugh at work was incredibly exciting!

Hugh and his collaborators will be spending a week at the Studio in December and another week there in January, with Hugh using the NTS’s writing rooms in the meantime. You can still watch Hugh and Sioned’s video diary entries from our last session at the Studio by clicking here; and here’s a video interview with Hugh where he talks about the Invisible Town project. When we head back to the Studio in December, I’ll carry on blogging from the rehearsal room and gathering more video footage to keep you up to date with everything that’s going on!

And now for the really exciting bit. At the end of the week’s work in January, Hugh will be presenting several work-in-progress performances in London, to share the work he’s done on Invisible Town with audiences for the very first time. The full-scale show isn’t expected to be ready for the stage for several years, and as Invisible Town develops, sharing the work with audiences will become an increasingly vital part of the creative process.

We’ll announce the final details of the performances very, very soon. Please do come along and support Hugh, and play a part in the shaping of his biggest, most ambitious production yet!

Hoipolloi's international touring map (calculated in smoots)

Posted by David Ralfe (Marketing & Admin. Assistant, Hoipolloi)


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I admitted in a previous entry that I’m in the thrall of Google Analytics. Now Simon and I have found a new Google toy. This is a map showing all our recent international tour destinations, and where we’re going next.

It’s got all kinds of amazing features with which to wile away a Friday afternoon. I’ve discovered that Hugh Hughes’ journey from the Hoipolloi office to Singapore, and then around Australia will total 18470.1km: that’s 9973.04 nautical miles or the length of 369402 Olympic swimming pools.

Meanwhile, a USA tour of Story of a Rabbit, which we’re currently planning, could be as long as 377478 Ramsden’s chains or 6.76000e+6 smoots. (Click to find out what either of those things are. The story behind smoots is very entertaining!)

If you haven’t done so already, please have a quick look at my last blog entry about the WhatsOnStage Theatregoers’ Choice Awards. If you could spare two minutes to give us your vote, we’d be really grateful.

Have a great weekend!

Get out the vote!

Posted by David Ralfe (Marketing & Admin. Assistant, Hoipolloi)

November in Britain...

This delicately poised phrase evokes a cascade of picturesque images... of nights which begin at 4pm... of Christmas shopping... of seasonal depression... and, of course, the nominations for WhatsOnStage.com's Theatregoers' Choice Awards.

Can you guess where this post is going?

Yes, that's right, CLICK HERE (please) and vote for Hoipolloi!

Every November, What'sOnStage.com open nominations for their Theatregoers' Choice Awards. This is your opportunity to give your favourite shows the recognition they deserve.

Most of the awards only cover London theatre, so you'll obviously want to vote for Story of a Rabbit, which was staged at the Barbican's BITE Festival in June. Hugh Hughes is eligible for Best Actor, Best New Play and Best Solo Performance.

There's also an award for the best piece of regional theatre, so if you enjoyed The Doubtful Guest give us a thumbs up there too.

If you don't vote, you can't complain, so exercise your civic rights. Happy voting!

(Thanks to Pablo York for the photo!)