Film with new Leeds People’s Theatre to be streamed for free

The Good Book, a new short film made by Leeds theatre company Slung Low is to be streamed online for free as the latest in a series of dystopian dramas from James Phillips.

The Good Book was made before the theatre shutdown for the newly formed Leeds People’s Theatre and features actors Riana Duce, Angus Imrie and Katie Eldred along with over 100 members of the city’s local community.

It continues Phillips’s visions of a future dystopia, which began with headphone drama The White Whale at Leeds Dock in 2013, followed by Camelot in 2014 – a co-production staged outdoors by Slung Low with Sheffield People’s Theatre. Phillips’s other plays include Flood, Rubenstein Kiss, McQueen and City Stories.

The Good Book is set in the future, inspired by the myths of King Arthur. It tells the story of a society that is divided between loyalists of the powerful Queen Bear and radical followers of Galahad. Avalon is a young woman desperate not to take sides, but as civil war begins, she must undertake a dangerous mission to rescue a precious relic from destruction.

Directed by Sheffield film-maker Brett Chapman, The Good Book will be available to watch for free from 12pm on Friday 1 May. The Good Book can be streamed here.

Filming took place in late January at Slung Low’s base, The Holbeck Social Club, and at Holbeck Cemetery, Leeds Central Library and Leeds Town Hall.

Created by Slung Low, Leeds People’s Theatre is a dedicated division for large-scale professional arts projects, with communities in Leeds at the heart of them. Involving both community participation and professional artists and creative teams, it will offer people an opportunity to learn, gain more experience or simply be part of a community. The Good Book is the first of several projects that Slung Low are currently planning for Leeds People’s Theatre.

The Good Book is also supported by Leeds City Council, Arts Council England and Leeds 2023 – the upcoming celebration of Leeds as an international city of culture.