The Legend of Ned Ludd at Liverpool Everyman Theatre

Kristy Stott, Theatre Editor

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The Legend of Ned Ludd

20 April-11 May 2024
Date
Time
Session Features
20 Apr 2024
7:30 pm-9:30 pm
22 Apr 2024
7:30 pm-9:30 pm
23 Apr 2024
7:30 pm-9:30 pm
24 Apr 2024
7:30 pm-9:30 pm
25 Apr 2024
7:30 pm-9:30 pm

See website for more sessions

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

The Legend of Ned Ludd at Liverpool Everyman Theatre
Image courtesy of Liverpool Everyman.
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Live theatre, innovative storytelling and bold themes, this daring and unique new play at Liverpool Everyman has the full house. Created by award-winning playwright Joe Ward Munrow, The Legend of Ned Ludd is a powerful new play exploring the impact of capitalism and globalisation on working people.

Weaving stories of work, automation and capitalism from around the world, The Legend of Ned Ludd is billed as “a show for anyone who’s ever put in a hard day’s graft”. Perhaps what makes this play so special is the fact that it is driven and dictated by an actual machine; an entity at the heart of the play that has the power to choose what the actors present at any given performance.

In this bold, cutting-edge production, a talented cast of three find themselves at the mercy of The Machine, a powerful central automaton that chooses what will be presented on stage at any particular performance. There are 256 possible versions of the play and The Machine will randomly select 15 scenes to be performed live on each night, offering a spontaneous experience – for the audience and performers – at every show.

Taking audiences on a whirlwind global commute throughout different moments in history, from the Luddites’ nineteenth-century war against new technology through to modern-day Liverpool, London, Lagos and beyond, The Machine decides what we see – on the night, in front of our eyes. Thrilling and inventive, this is liveness at its very best.

Writer Joe Ward Munrow, told us, “It’s a play about people, work and automation. It explores what happens when machines make decisions rather than humans. As we wrestle with the impact of AI and algorithms on our lives, I wanted to look at how this has been a timeless question. I’m hoping it will be an entertaining reflection on the history of work, class, and the impact of technology on our lives.”

Directed by Jude Christian, this exciting world premiere stars award-winning writer and spoken word artist, Reuben Johnson (There is a Light That Never Goes Out and A Streetcar Named Desire, Royal Exchange; stage and screen actor, Menyee Lai (The Responder, Inside No.9 and Waterloo Road, BBC) and Liverpool actor and graduate of the Everyman’s youth theatre, Shaun Mason (Macbeth and Billy Wonderful, Liverpool Everyman).

The Legend of Ned Ludd is the first of three homegrown productions to mark the Liverpool Everyman’s 60th birthday – the perfect production to celebrate the Everyman’s six decades of artistic innovation and social transformation.

Where to go near The Legend of Ned Ludd at Liverpool Everyman Theatre

City Centre
Restaurant
The Pen Factory

From the team behind the old Everyman Bistro comes The Pen Factory, a warm and welcoming space situated in the basement of the Annex Building.

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Free State Kitchen

With a large beer garden and commitment to using locally sourced produce, Free State Kitchen in Liverpool isn’t just-another-burger-joint.

Liverpool
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Vetch

Fine dining restaurant, serving beautiful food on Liverpool’s Hope Street.

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Frederiks

Frederik’s neighbourhood kitchen & bar has been the hub of the Georgian Quarter since 2013. Award winning cocktails and a great Sunday roast!

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Liverpool
International Inn

A pleasant and affordable place to stay in Liverpool, International Inn is hidden away in a quiet street but still close to everything you need.

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92 Degrees Coffee

Since 2015, 92 Degrees have been roasting and serving the finest coffee, whilst providing a friendly atmosphere in a comfortable space.

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Park
Abercromby Square

Abercromby Square in Liverpool was built as a communal garden for the rectangle of 19th-century houses that surround it.

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