the MolinoGroup - Desert

“If you had unprecedented access to classified networks 14 hour a day, 7 days a week for 8+ months, what would you do?”

Chelsea Manning is currently serving 35 years in jail for leaking classified documents to WikiLeaks in 2010. Then known as Pfc Bradley Manning, this 26 year old super-intelligent, socially-awkward soldier’s actions saw her become the centrepiece in a war between whistleblowers and the US Government.

In the era of Wikileaks and Edward Snowden, how will history remember Manning?

Through the eyes of an everyday individual Desert explores this hugely significant figure, blending real-life transcripts with imagined events. Responding to an ongoing political story as it unfolds, the MolinoGroup’s "excellent new play" (Exeunt) captures the force of a compelling, contemporary narrative.

During the Spring 2014 tour of Desert, one performance at each venue featured a post-show debate & discussion with guest speakers. Speakers included WISE UP Action, The Bristol Cable, Justin Murphy, Ciaron O'Reilly and Einar Thorsen.

Desert was supported by Arts Council England and Unity Theatre Trust, and was originally developed with the support of the Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter

Cast & Creative Team

Cast: Lucy Farrett & Giles Roberts

Director: Bethany Pitts
Text: Edward Fortes
Producer: Dan Baker
Stage Manager/Video Design: Keith Lim
Sound Design: Odinn Orn Hilmarsson
Lighting Design: Fridthjofur Thorsteinsson
Movement Director: Ali Baybutt
Artwork: Gabriel Assis

Performance Dates:

Wed 5th & Fri 7th November 2014
Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter

Sun 2nd November 2014
New Diorama Theatre, London

Thu 17th - Sun 20th July 2014
Latitude Festival, Suffolk

Mon 21st - Wed 23rd April 2014
Wardrobe Theatre, Bristol

Tue 8th - Thu 10th April 2014
Unity Theatre, Liverpool

Sun 6th April 2014
Slung Low's HUB, Leeds

Mon 24th March 2014
Upstairs at the Western, Leicester

Mon 24th March 2014
The Lighthouse, Poole

Wed 5th March 2014
Proteus Creation Space, Basingstoke

Sat 9th June 2013
Tristan Bates Theatre, London

Tue 21st May - Sat 1st June 2013
Bike Shed Theatre, Exeter