Fondly referred to by the Metropolitan Police as ’general rabble-rouser’ and ‘alleged comedian’, the very same Mark Thomas has found time over the last twelve months in between his endless touring in both the UK and New Zealand to create yet another masterpiece of a show…
Trespass, Mark’s once again total sell-out Fringe 2015 show, carries on from where his previous show 100 Acts of Minor Dissent left off. Combining his usual mix of theatre, stand up, activism, a dash of journalism and dollop of mayhem, Mark asks the question: “If the ramblers of the 1930’s were here now, what would they do to open up the cities? How do we turn the skyscrapers and corporate squares into our playgrounds?” Inspired by the mass trespass of Kinder Scout in 1932, Mark turns his eye to how the government have sold off the majority of our communal spaces, from playing fields to public rights of way, setting out to try and carve a small space in the urban world where mischief and random chance can lurk.
Mark’s previous solo shows have all gone on to have sell-out runs, garnering the highest of critical acclaim, snapping up awards and nominations and earning commissions to become their very own Radio 4 series. He’s won a Herald Angel award, the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award and two Scotsman Fringe Firsts, and took his latest show Cuckooed to tour Australia and New Zealand in spring 2015, and then New York this November.
Having stopped arms deals, created a manifesto and brought the winning policy to parliament, walked the entire length of the Israeli wall in the West Bank, filmed his own Channel 4 series, written books, won awards, held Guinness World Records, investigated everything from Coca-Cola to inheritance tax avoidance, given evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees, stopped multinational infrastructure deals, been arrested on numerous occasions and found a new definition for the word ‘Farage’, there is simply no way of knowing where Mark will Trespass next.
The Leeds uk Tour date is: Tues 23rd Febuary 2016 at Leeds West Yorkshire Playhouse: 0113 213 7700
Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award winner – 2014
Scotsman Fringe First winner – 2014
Scotsman Fringe First winner – 2012
Bank of Scotland Herald Angel winner – 2012
Chortle Award Best Tour Nominee- 2007
Sony Award for Radio Comedy winner – 2008
Chortle Award Best Full Length Solo Show Nominee – 2007
Guinness World Record Holder: Most Number of Political Demonstrations in 24 Hours – 2006 MediActivist Awards (MISTY) – 2005
UN Association Global Human Rights Defender Award – 2004
Kurdish National Congress Medal of Honour – 2002
Time Out Comedy Award – 1990