Northcott Theatre, Exeter, UK

To book ring Northcott Theatre on 01392 493493

Grindstone Theatre Company is a newly formed ensemble made up of Undergraduate BA Drama students from Exeter University. The Company debuted with ’13 Objects: Studies in Servitude’ in June 2009 for a festival of first year student work at the University. The company are now back to the Grindstone for their second production of ’13 Objects’ to celebrate Howard Barker’s work in the ‘21 for 21’ festival.

Separated from human hands, anonymous and standing alone inanimate everyday objects are only of materialistic worth. Each can be valued, put up for auction and bid for in the hope they reach their estimate, but we cannot underestimate the power objects have to those who emotionally invest in them.

13 Objects Studies in Servitude, staged by Grindstone, is a pared down compendium play in which the secret lives behind eight out of Barker’s thirteen objects are unveiled. Forcing us to look beyond materialism and to the intimate and profound connection humans can have with objects as priceless tokens of desire and loss, laughter and despair.