THE EMOJI PROJECT
(WITH DISTRACTED RAT)
The Emoji Project is an intergenerational, participatory anthology of new writing responding to emojis as an ever-evolving, nuanced language. In my first venture with UK-USA new writing organisation Distracted Rat, we assembled a team of writers, actors, directors, composers, and creatives to consider our use of digitised communication and to imagine what emojis we'd still like to see.
The Emoji Project premiered from 14-16 August 2021 at The Hen and Chickens Theatre as part of Camden Fringe Festival, to sold-out audiences. A livestreamed version is available to watch, and the music tracks are available to stream individually on Soundcloud.
We use emojis to befriend; show love; make laugh; describe ourselves. They make people feel seen, they’re a mark of progress, they’re political, they spark real world debate and are altered in response to real world events. The crying-laughing-face emoji was the 2015 Oxford Dictionaries’ word of the year and in 2020, as words grew wearied, Apple developed a range of bespoke pandemic emojis to reflect our “new normal”.
Emojis allow us to creatively share our experience, but what words in this collaborative, living language are still missing?
“An engaging topic creatively considered”
~Mariam Mathew (London Pub Theatres)
“...something urgent, profound and timely to say”
~Lou Penn (Lou Reviews)
Cast and performers:
Writers:
Sean Wai Keung
Ariella Como Stoian
Tilney Brune
Jalice Corral
Will Jarvis
Phoebe McIntosh
Farokh Soltani
James Ireland
Alastair Gibbons
Aditya Manivannan
Directors:
Susie MacDonald
Gabriel Harris
Annys Whyatt
Performers:
Laura Rea
Ingrid Marsh
Sarah Louise Pearcey
Oliver Lyndon
Kadine Fontaine
Octavia Fox
James Aldred
Casey Jones
Composer - Zygmund de Somogyi
Technical Manager - Seb Clarkson
Videography - Callum Hale-Thomson
Photography - Lidia Crisafulli
Premiere at The Hen and Chickens Theatre as part of Camden Fringe Festival, 14-16 August 2021.
Shows (in order of appearance):
Introduction
Written by ariella como stoian - Featuring James Aldred, Kadine Fontaine, Oliver Lyndon, Octavia Fox, Laura Rea, Sarah Pearcey Louise, Casey Jones & Ingrid Marsh
Monkey 1
Written by Tilney Brune - Featuring Kadine Fontaine & James Aldred
In An Emoticon Nation
Written by sean wai keung - Featuring Octavia Fox, Oliver Lyndon, Casey Jones, Kadine Fontaine & Sarah Pearcey Lousie
REDUX 1
Written by - Farokh Soltani Featuring Kadine Fontaine, James Aldred, Oliver Lyndon, Octavia Fox & Laura Rea
TEFL (Teaching Emoji as a Foreign Language)
Written by Phoebe McIntosh - Featuring Ingrid Marsh, Sarah Louise Pearcey, Octavia Fox, Laura Rea & James Aldred
:)
Written by Will Jarvis - Featuring Oliver Lyndon, James Aldred, Kadine Fontaine & Octavia Fox
Monkey 4
Written by Tilney Brune - Featuring Oliver Lyndon, Octavia Fox, Laura, Rea, James Aldred, Casey Jones & Kadine Fontaine
DATE
Written by Aditya Manivannan - Featuring Casey Jones, Laura Rea & James Aldred
Monkey 2
Written by Tilney Brune - Featuring James Aldred & Casey Jones
REDUX 2
Written by Farokh Soltani Featuring James Aldred, Kadine Fontaine, Oliver Lyndon, Octavia Fox, Laura Rea & Sarah Pearcey Louise
Happy or Sad?
Written by Alastair Gibbons Featuring Gabriel Harris & Ingrid Marsh
REDUX 3
Written by Farokh Soltani Featuring James Aldred, Kadine Fontaine, Oliver Lyndon, Octavia Fox, Laura Rea, Sarah Pearcey Louise, Casey Jones & Ingrid Marsh
Emoji Gameshow
Written by Jalice Corral Featuring James Aldred, Kadine Fontaine & Sarah Louise Pearcey
Monkey 3
Written by Tilney Brune Featuring Oliver Lyndon & Laura Rea
Lobster Emoji Written by James Ireland - Featuring Sarah Louise Pearcey
you wake up/octopus
Written by ariella como stoian - Featuring James Aldred, Kadine Fontaine, Oliver Lyndon, Octavia Fox, Laura Rea, Sarah Pearcey Louise & Casey Jones
Interested in collaborating? Get in touch!