Excavating the present from the future

A new play exploring what our descendants may think of us began a North East tour this week… with each location getting its own tailored version.
Set in 4040, Ian Smith’s comedy DIG finds a young couple enjoying a date (nice to know romance will still be alive and well in a couple of thousand years’ time) involving a spot of excavation on a site brimming with 21st century relics.
“It’s not in any way science fiction,” says Ian whose previous plays include the sold out EAT, KNOT and Juggling. “No-one is dressed in spandex and there aren’t any hover boards or anything like that!
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“It's really a show about misunderstandings. The characters keep misunderstanding each other… but they’re also misunderstanding and misinterpreting the things that they dig up.
“They find millions of bits of mobile phones, and millions of chicken bones… they think one of those plastic dog throwers is some sort of ladle and they find a piece of an exhaust system and think it’s some kind of musical instrument – which is very interesting to them because only one piece of music is left in 4040.”
The inspiration for DIG, came from many hours spent exploring the past.
“My daughter did Classics, so we spent a lot of time in museums,” Ian says. “It doesn't matter where you go, it's basically broken pots, jewellery, weapons, and then the stuff which they don't really know what it is.
“Maybe if we did know, it would give us a different view and understanding of the people and the societies of those times.”
Having opened at ARC, Stockton on Wednesday (January 29), DIG will be performed all over the region and will be given a new name depending on where it is being performed. So a three-night run at Laurels Theatre (Jan 30-Feb 1) is Digging Up Tynemouth.
“The site specific bits are mostly done on film as I didn’t want the actors to have to learn seven different plays,” laughs Ian.
“It’s mainly related to where things are found, which will hopefully offer an added bit of interest for audiences.”
A co-production between Ian’s Hatford House and Laurels Theatre, the cast for DIG is Caitlin Fairlamb, Steven Stobbs and Ethan Lang.
After Laurels, the play goes to The Witham, Barnard Castle (Feb 6); Gateshead Central Bar (Feb 7); City Theatre Durham (Feb 15); Washington Arts Centre (Mar 6); and Alphabetti Theatre in Newcastle (Mar 7). For tickets, visit the website.