About the show

Inspired by a true story, Angel is about the girl who became a crackshot sniper, and defeated ISIS at the siege of Kobane. Boasting a ‘masterpiece’ script (TV Bomb) and ‘outstanding’ performance (Daily Mail), Angel was the big winner at Edinburgh ‘16, with 2 top awards and 2 nominations. By the team behind Echoes: BEST THEATRE 2016. The Times ★★★★★

Kobane, 2014: there’s a siege as fierce as Stalingrad. ISIS, having steam-rollered through Iraq, expect to take the town easily. But the citizens have found a heroine: a crackshot sniper, with 100 kills to her name. And she appears indestructible. She’s the Angel of Kobane.

This Fringe First-winning play received 13 ★★★★ and ★★★★★ reviews including The Times, Edinburgh Festivals Magazine and The Stage. Winner of the coveted Scotsman Fringe First. “It’s an absolute must-see.” Edinburgh Fringe Guru

"powerful and moving" Edinburgh Fringe Guru
Fringe First, Award Winning 5-stars. By the writer and team behind the SMASH HIT 'ECHOES by Henry Naylor'

WINNER: Adelaide Critics Circle Award Best show in Fringe 2017

Adelaide Fringe Best Theatre Award Week 3

Adelaide Finge Critics Circle Award Week 1.

Adelaide Fringe 2017 Reviews

Adelaide Fringe: six talked-up shows you have to see...

"it not only lived up to it – it exceeded all my expectations." - Radio Adelaide

"Avital skillfully uses only her voice and body language to construct each individual." Collage Adeladie

"Lvova takes the audience on ariveting journey through the terrifyng experiences of Angel.." Canberra Critics Circle

"The show you're not going to miss this year..."The Barefoot Review

"Cream of the Crop" - The Advertiser

★★★★★ "AS compelling, action-packed and epic in its scope as any big-screen blockbuster..." The Advertiser

★★★★★“Angel” is perfect Fringe theatre" - Adelaide Theatre Guide

★★★★★"Another masterpiece from the pen of Henry Naylor" - Glam Adelaide

★★★★★"a vivid, brilliant and important piece of theatre... Naylor emerging as one the great playwrights of our times" Barefoot review

“Tautly directed by Michael Cabot, this monologue is fresh, sometimes funny, suspenseful, and compellingly presented by Avital Lvova...” The Australian

“Holy moly this is a must see… 60 minutes of theatre that will have you laughing, crying and gripping the edge of your seat.” Weekend Notes

UK Awards and Reviews

★★★★★ FringeGuru

★★★★★ The Times
★★★★★ Edinburgh Festivals Magazine
★★★★★ ThreeWeeks
★★★★ Theatre Extra
★★★★ Whats On Stage
★★★★ The Stage
★★★★ The Scotsman
★★★★ Edinburgh Guide
★★★★ The List
★★★★ Young Perspective
★★★★ Broadway Baby
★★★★ TV Bomb

AWARDS for

BankSA Best Theatre Award - Adelaide Fringe 2016 (Echoes)

Best Show, Adelaide Advertiser Best of the Fringe – Adelaide Fringe 2016 (Echoes)

Best Theatre Winner - Adelaide Fringe Weekly Awards, Wk1 2016 (Echoes)

Banksa Pick Of The Fringe Winner - Adelaide Fringe Weekly Awards, Wk1 2016 (Echoes)

Adelaide Critics Circle Choice Award - Adelaide Fringe Weekly Awards, Wk2 2016 (Echoes)

Adelaide Critics’ Circle High Commendation, Adelaide 2016 (Echoes)

Nominee: Pick of the Fringe, Adelaide 2016 (Echoes)

The Creative Award – Prague Fringe 2016

The Performance Award (Filipa Bragança) – Prague Fringe 2016

Spirit Of The Fringe Award – Edinburgh 2015 (Echoes)

Cast & Crew

Avital Lvova – Actress, Rehana The Angel

Born in Russia, raised in Berlin, and based in London, 25 year-old Avital began her career performing in legendary choreographer Constanza Marcas’ World Tour of Hell on Earth – which won the Goethe institute prize for Best Theatre, (Germany’s highest theatrical accolade).

Two years later, aged 18, Avital made her movie debut in extraordinary circumstances. She was a runner on the Silver-Lion-Winning Director Bahtiar Khudoynazarov’s Waiting for the Sea, was swiftly promoted to Bahtiar’s personal assistant – and then when one of the actresses dropped out, assumed one of the roles!

After formal training at London’s East 15, Avital has become a rising star on the British theatre scene. Amongst her many credits, she has performed in Secret Cinema’s immersive Doctor Strangelove.

She also co-wrote and starred in the Edinburgh hit Rebounding Hail: her performance winning praise for its subtlety, and her script for its charm and wit.

Equally at home on screen and stage, just before coming to Australia she played Lilia Butterworth in BBC One’s popular Doctors – and Queen Margaret in the critically-acclaimed Richard III at the Rosemary Branch.

Adept at both Tragedy and Comedy, she won the Tom Bennett Comedy Award in 2015.

After Adelaide, she will be touring Angel , with month long runs at one of New York’s leading off-Broadway venues, the 59e59, and to off-West End at London’s Arcola.

Michael Cabot - Director

Michael Cabot is the founder and Artistic Director of London Classic Theatre. LCT was launched as a touring company in April 2000, and since its foundation, its productions have played to over 500,000 people at more than 200 UK theatres and arts centres.

As well as directing a range of popular, modern classic drama such as Equus, Entertaining Mr Sloane and Abigail’s Party, he’s also staged new translations of two 18th Century comedies, The Game of Love and Chance and The Double Inconstancy by Marivaux. His latest production, of Terry Johnson’s Hysteria, is just about to embark on an extensive UK national tour. And in the Fall of 2017, he’ll be directing Noel Coward’s Private Lives.

This is the second time he’s collaborated with Henry Naylor – having directed The Collector on its critically-acclaimed, 30-venue UK National Tour.

Karen Koren - Producer

Karen Koren has been described as one of the Grande Dames of the British Fringe Circuit! In 1986, she founded Edinburgh’s Gilded Balloon, which has become one of the Big Four venues at the world’s largest Fringe. Every festival, it hosts in excess of 100 shows, and has helped launch the careers of many of comics like Eddie Izzard, Tim Minchin, The Flight of the Conchords, Lee Evans and Simon Pegg. Her Late and Live room is one of the most famous gigs on the British comedy circuit, and considered a ‘rite of passage’ for up-and-coming comics. Karen's also set up one of Britain’s leading awards for new comics - the ‘So You Think Your Funny Awards’. Last summer, her tireless work was recognised at the ‘Oscars of Comedy’ – the Fosters Comedy Awards - where she won the Panel Prize.

Henry Naylor – Writer, Producer

In a colourful career, writer-performer-director Henry Naylor has been a sidekick of Rowan Atkinson, appeared in Sam Mendes’ version of Cyrano de Bergerac, and - as half of double-act Parsons & Naylor - hosted nine series of one of Europe’s best-rated radio comedies for BBC Radio 2. But he’s probably proudest of his work as a satirist, having not only been lead writer of legendary British puppet show, Spitting Image – but also the creator, producer and director of ITV1’s RTS Award-Winning Headcases. His TV writing has also helped Smith & Jones, Dead Ringers, Alistair MacGowan and Hale and Pace win three British Comedy Awards, a BAFTA and the Sony Gold.

After visiting war-torn Afghanistan, Henry began writing theatrical dramas about the War on Terror. His first play, The Collector, about the horrors of torture in Iraq, won the prestigious Fringe First. His second drama, Echoes, has won 10 major International Fringe Awards, and transferred off-Broadway in New York, and off-West End in London.

Angel completed his trilogy of Arabian Nightmares. At the Edinburgh Fringe, Henry became one of only a handful of writers to have won the Fringe First twice.

ABOUT KOBANE

Kobane can be found in the district of Rojava, in the North of Syria. It’s a sleepy market town. A good place to buy fresh produce; the surrounding villages are agricultural, growing wheat, barley, olives and pistachios.

The population is largely Kurdish, largely Muslim, although there is tolerance of all religious beliefs. You might say it’s secularized; a typical Kobani resident might only attend the mosque on festive occasions. Weddings, for example.

Until the Arab Spring, the town didn’t have much of a history.

It was founded in the late-nineteenth century, as a stopping point on the old Berlin-Baghdad railway. Close – very close - to the Turkish border. Had been it one kilometer further North, it would have been in Turkey. And the siege would never have happened…

During the Arab Spring, in mid-2012 the Kurdish YPG seized control of the area. They declared West Kurdistan a Democratic Confederal State, and began preparing for autonomy.

In July 2014 the town came under massive and sustained attack by heavily-armed IS forces, and the siege began…

ABOUT THE ANGEL

Not much is known about Rehana, although a mythology has built up around her – to which this play unashamedly contributes.

We DO know she was a law student, who abandoned her studies, to train as a sniper. We DO know she became a crackshot, and was in the middle of the fighting during the siege of Kobani. It is said she killed up to 100 members of ISIS.

ISIS have claimed to have caught and beheaded her – twice. The YPG claimed that she escaped – twice.

And that’s about all we know.

The events in Angel may or may not have happened to Rehana herself. But the show draws on the real experiences of several women in Kobane at the time of the ISIS attack.

THANKS TO

Sarah, Phil & Deb Kendall for their unceasing help and support, Kristian Koren for his fabulous artwork, Rosalind Furlong for her superb publicity photos, Steve Ullathorne for his amazing Production Stills, Karen & Katy Koren for being all-round legends. Our agents Hattie Windsor and Sean Gascoine. And all the wonderful staff at Holden St, including the fabulous Tracey Mathers, Sholto Bruce, Eric Morel – and of course, the brill Martha Lott.

THE ARABIAN NIGHTMARES

ANGEL is the third of Henry Naylor’s Arabian Nightmares stories.

ANGEL

In Edinburgh 2016, the show was one of THE hot tickets. Astonishingly, its month-long run sold-out after just five days - and when extra performances were put on, they too sold out - this time within 24 hours. In total, Angel received 18 five- and four-star reviews, and for a significant proportion of the Fringe, it was the Number One critically-rated show (out of 3,400).

In addition to winning two of the most prestigious prizes - The Fringe First and the Holden Street Theatres Edinburgh Award - Angel was also nominated for the Best of Edinburgh and the Amnesty Freedom of Expression gongs.

In December The Times in London chose it as one of the UK’s Ten Best Plays of 2016: the ONLY Fringe show to receive this honour.

In 2017 Angel will tour the world extensively, with month-long runs off-Broadway at the 59e59 in New York, and at one of London’s leading off-West End venues The Arcola,

“HENRY NAYLOR IS EMERGING AS ONE OF OUR BEST NEW PLAYWRIGHTS.” ★★★★★ ANN TRENEMAN, THE TIMES

ECHOES

Echoes tells the tales of two women, born 175 years apart – and finds astonishing parallels. One, a schoolgirl jihadi; the other, a Victorian pioneer.

Both venture to the East to build Empires; both see their ideals drowned in seas of blood. It’s a brutal tale of colonialism and the rhyme of history.

Holden Street Theatres audiences may have seen the second of the Arabian Nightmares, Echoes last year.

The show won five awards at Fringe ’16, including Best Theatre, and was named Best Show by The Advertiser. Subsequently it transferred to New York for a season at the 59e59 Theaters, and won two of the leading awards at the Prague Fringe.

“Will take your breath away...don’t miss Echoes. It is an important piece of theater, wonderfully crafted and brilliantly executed.” Broadway World (New York)

Adelaide Theatre Guide★★★★★ The Advertiser ★★★★★ Arts Award Voice ★★★★

Barefoot Review ★★★★★ BritishTheatre.com ★★★★ Broadway Baby ★★★★ Clothesline ★★★★ Edinburgh Festival Magazine ★★★★ Entertainment Hive ★★★★★ Fringe Review OUTSTANDING SHOWGlam Magazine ★★★★★ Great Scott Media ★★★★1/2The Guardian ★★★★ InDaily ★★★★★Kryztoff ★★★★1/2 London Evening Standard ★★★★ Quotidian Times ★★★★★ Reviews Hub ★★★★ Rip It Up ★★★★Scotsman ★★★★ Spice UK ★★★★★ Sunday Mail ★★★★★

Sunday Times ★★★★ Theatre Extra ★★★★The Times ★★★★

AWARDS

BankSA Best Theatre Award - Adelaide Fringe 2016

Best Show, Adelaide Advertiser Best of the Fringe – Adelaide Fringe 2016

Best Theatre Winner - Adelaide Fringe Weekly Awards, Wk1 2016

Banksa Pick Of The Fringe Winner - Adelaide Fringe Weekly Awards, Wk1 2016

Adelaide Critics Circole Choice Award - Adelaide Fringe Weekly Awards, Wk2 2016

Adelaide Critics’ Circle High Commendation, Adelaide 2016

Nominee: Pick of the Fringe, Adelaide 2016

The Creative Award – Prague Fringe 2016

The Performance Award (Filipa Bragança) – Prague Fringe 2016

Spirit Of The Fringe Award – Edinburgh 2015

THE COLLECTOR

Mazrat Prison, Iraq. Previously one of Saddam’s most notorious torture houses; now under Allied command.

Nassir works here, translating for the American interrogators. He’s local, pro-Western, determined to bring liberal values to his country and is about to get married to Zoya, his sweetheart.

But when he is recognized by Faisal, his life becomes a living hell...

The Collector is a compelling tale of murder, evil and betrayal set in occupied Iraq. And its core messages – about the inefficacy of torture and the fragility of Freedom - are becoming even more relevant under a Trump administration which has advocated waterboarding

The Fringe First winning-show has just completed a 30-venue, 45-date UK tour produced by Kathryn Barker Productions. There are plans to bring the show to Australia in 2018.

EXEUNT: ★★★★★ EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS: a ‘…brilliant show… brilliantly delivered… extremely moving… a must see with images of Homeland.’

THE TIMES: ★★★★ ‘short, sharp and shocking.’ METRO: ★★★★ ‘coruscating drama.’

GINGER HIBISCUS ★★★★★ GUARDIAN: ‘…a moving tale of young love..’THEATRE EXTRA: ★★★★ SCOTSMAN: ★★★★: ‘outstanding new writing… brilliantly delivered… first class.’NEW YORK THEATRE WIRE: ‘…vivid, mesmerizing and chilling..’ SCOTSGAY: ★★★★★ ‘a first-rate piece of drama.’ THE GIZZLE REVIEW: ★★★★★ ‘…Fringe theatre isn’t just about performing on a budget, it gives an opportunity to present new, concise and thought-provoking works. Few are as stirring as this.’

BUY THE SCRIPTS! The Scripts of Angel, Echoes and The Collector have been published by Nick Hern Books in a single volume called ‘Arabian Nightmares’. They’re available to purchase from the Box Office for $20.

KEEP IN TOUCH! @ThePlayAngel @vitalvo @HenryNaylorUK

or on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/AngelByHenryNaylor/

Angel is dedicated to the memory of a wonderful colleague and dear friend Filipa Braganca 1990-2016