The Embryonic Project

Embryonic is the title of the second collaboration between the Biochemical Society and Islington Community Theatre, following on the success of Hive9, a play by Ali Taylor created from a similar collaboration in 2009. Embryonic invited four up-and-coming playwrights and performers from their three young performance companies to explore the implications and ethics of stem cell research and the places it could take us, with the help of philosopher John Turner and science student Dale Bancroft.

Involved from the very start of the project, the performers and playwrights first attended a workshop to explore the science and ethics behind stem cell research. After being given time to write their own plays dealing with the issues and science of stem cell research, the four directors and their young performers came to the Biochemical Society at Charles Darwin House to give their first “script-in-hand” presentations. Each piece was led by a young director from Islington Youth Theatre’s Work In Progress young company.

by Tim Cowbury.

Directed by Kwami Odoom.

About the play: Max is about to have an operation. Tina is there to support him. Then Robbie arrives. In the minutes before the operation, the family has to confront what they’ve been avoiding. Can religion and science be reconciled? The Right Way explores the emotional, psychological struggle that might arise for ordinary people, should the use of stem cells become a commonplace practice in future years. TC

Tim Cowbury is a playwright and writer-deviser for performance. His work has recently been seen at the Old Vic theatre, Soho theatre, Shunt Vaults and the Bush Theatre. He has also developed work at the National Theatre Studio and Royal Court Theatre. Tim is one third of the new theatre company, Made In China.

by Joy Wilkinson.

Directed by Daniel O’Keefe.

About the play: The workshop was buzzing with big ideas. Discussions leapt from stem cells to religion, ethics, and them to immortality. If you could extend a life by weeks, months, years, what effect would that have on the way we lived, the way we loved? I’ve tried to capture that big idea in a short play, exploring how the amount of time we have together changes relationships and asking how much is enough. JW

Joy Wilkinson’s plays include Acting Leader, which opens at the Tricycle Theatre, Now is the Time (Tricycle), Fair (Finborough Theatre and Trafalgar Studios), Felt Effects (Theatre 503) and the Sweet Science of Bruising (National Theatre Studio). She also writes for radio and TV and is a graduate of the BBC Writer’s Academy.

by Maxine Quintyne-Kolaru

Directed by Rochelle Rose

About the play:  It is 3048 and all embryonic creation is made by a Single Female, controlled by The Patent Department.  When The Patent Department tries to introduce a new synthetic in vitro species, which will mark the end of the Single Female, she takes drastic measures to protect her life. When she is put on trial it is up to ten ordinary Men to decide her future and the future of the last vestiges of Humanity.  MQ-K

Maxine Quintyne-Kolaru has been shortlisted for the Alfed Fagon Awards in 2006 and 2009. She has also been shortlisted for the Verity Bargate Award 2007, and is currently on the Royal Court’s Writers Super Group. She has completed an attachment at the Royal Court and is on the Writers’ Group at Soho Theatre, where she has a short play staged. She has written three full length plays and is currently working on a short film, based on her latest full length play, Take Me 2 Manhattan.

by Hassan Abdulrazzak
Directed by Daniel Rickler

About the play:  Mice have taken over the world. Dr. Calvin Goodwill is facing murder charges for experiments he conducted as a stem cell biologists. Will he succeed in persuading a jury of mice to spare his life?  HA

Hassan Abdulrazzak is a stem cell biologist. His first play, Baghdad Wedding, was shown at Soho theatre (London) and Belvoir St theatre (Sydney). He is the winner of the George Devine, Meyer-Whitworth and the Pearson theatre awards.