The Growing Room is a new piece of solo performance currently in development with the Brighton Festival and The Nightingale Theatre.

Andrea strives to transcend her limitations in order to make something grow, but everything around her seems hell-bent on self destruction: If it’s not her daughter, Carla, behaving like an idiot, then its the economy, rival cultures, global weather systems, in fact, the entire planet seems intent on killing itself. How can she possibly look on the bright side? At least she doesn’t have a relationship to worry about. Men are more trouble than they’re worth and she’s pretty sure Nick is no exception…

The Growing Room is a love letter to humanity’s ability to keep hoping even when the odds aren’t great. A darkly funny, poetic and poignant piece about how love never comes in quite the shape you ordered.

Inspired by Brian Eno’s Reason’s for Optimism symposium in the Brighton Festival 2010.

Created and performed by Rachel Blackman with dramaturgy and direction by Emma Kilbey and movement direction from Lucinka Eilser, The Growing Room premieres at the Brighton Festival in the Pavilion theatre on the 25th of May 2011.

The Growing Room and Triptych are supported by Arts Council England and the Brighton And Hove City Council.