Oil by Ella Hickson

Oil by Ella Hickson

RBC Actors

Date and time
07 Dec 2023 (7:15pm - 9:55pm)
08 Dec 2023 (2:15pm - 4:55pm)
08 Dec 2023 (7:15pm - 9:55pm)
09 Dec 2023 (2:15pm - 4:55pm)
Location

Birmingham Hippodrome (Patrick Studio)

Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham, B5 4TB

Price

£13
£10 over 60s
£5 students

Booking Information

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Young woman with back to viewer stands observing an oil fire

Oil by Ella Hickson
Directed by Kimberley Sykes
Casting by Danièle Sanderson

Ella Hickson’s explosive play Oil lands in Birmingham, confronting Britain’s fraught relationship with its imperial past and fossil fuel dependence.

Premiering to acclaim in 2016, Oil pierces through time to interweave the story of a mother and daughter fighting for their place in a patriarchal society. We follow the daughter’s journey from earnest oil company geologist to climate activist, paralleling her mother’s experiences a century earlier on the colonial frontlines of oil exploration. More relevant now than ever, Oil captivates with its bold interrogation of gender, power, and our addiction to oil – the lifeblood of modern capitalism. Hickson masterfully explores how the fates of women and our planet have been bound to black gold for over a century. But ultimately, this is an intimate tale of two remarkable women striving to control their destinies against immense odds.

Blending family drama with riveting history, Oil brings the past vividly to life while shining a light on the future.

Adult themes, adult language, sexual content.

An amateur production by kind permission of Nick Hern Books

This performance lasts approximately 2 hours and 40 minutes with one interval.

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