Jamie Sims, the man at the helm of modern Shakespearian short film Ophelia, is taking to the stage as the director of a new show that addresses issues of gender identity and the roles that we are often forced into, entitled Dickless.
Written by Aisha Josiah and starring Lauren Downie and Tessa Fairey, Dickless is set in small-town England and takes us on a journey of bizarre sexual conquests, badly behaved girls an internet scandal and a quest for vengeance. Anchored by a colourful range of characters, Dickless unfolds over the course of an unforgettable evening of adventure where conforming to (and combatting) society’s expectations of men and women puts the characters on a dangerous path that changes their lives forever.
This play marks the latest foray into multiple performance art forms for Initiative 26, who in addition to producing Ophelia, have collaborated with Fundamental Theater Project (FTP) in New York.
FTP are a non-profit arts organisation aiming to develop, present and promote the work of artists from all over the world and were founded in 2010 by Nicola Murphy and Ophelia co-lead actor Sam Underwood. Their efforts to provide an outlet for emerging artists as well as work with industry professionals has led to their garnering support from figures such as Kate Mulgrew, Alec Baldwin and honorary patron, the late Sir Peter Shaffer.
Dickless recently completed its New York debut, with previews running from 11th to 15th July and will soon premiere in the UK during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 3rd to 16th August. For more information on these performances, take a look here.
For those unfamiliar with Jamie Sims directorial work behind the camera, take a look at the trailer for Ophelia below. You can also read our review of Ophelia here.Â