Ahead of US Tour, British Plays on History of Foreign Engagement in Afghanistan Are Must See for Coalition Troops

Washington, DC (24 August) – The Great Game, an acclaimed series of British plays on Afghanistan’s history, have caught the attention of top coalition force leaders ahead of a US premier next month.

In London, the UK Ministry of Defense recently organized a special viewing of The Great Game, a nine-hour, twelve-play cycle from London’s Tricycle Theatre which traces the history of foreign engagement in Afghanistan from 1842 to the present day.

General Sir David Richards, Chief of the General Staff of the UK Ministry of Defense, said, “I found The Great Game a fascinating, entertaining and historically accurate account of Britain's and latterly the wider International Community’s involvement – good and bad - in Afghanistan since the 1840s. Nothing learnt in the classroom will have the same subliminal effect as this.”

“It is crucial that all of us who work out there, or have responsibility in any way for our nation’s policies in the region, have a more nuanced understanding of the historical background that got us to this point. I am glad that when it has finished its current run in London, it will be touring America. I hope plenty of people in Washington take time to see it.”

General Richards also contributed to the plays; he was interviewed by the playwrights and his verbatim interviews on Afghanistan are included in The Great Game, alongside reflections from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and General Stanley McChrystal – who was interviewed two days before he left his post.

The British Council, the UK’s cultural relations organization, has been working with the Tricycle Theatre to support The Great Game’s US tour to Washington, San Francisco, Minneapolis, and New York this autumn. The plays will make their US debut at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC September 15-25.

The British Council is also partnering to host a series of public events to accompany the plays in Washington. On September 19, the British Council and the Shakespeare Theatre Company are bringing together a diverse group of authorities on Afghanistan – from an acclaimed war correspondent to an Afghan refugee – for a symposium in Sidney Harman Hall. In addition, British Council is supporting a keynote presentation by Greg Mortenson, author of the New York Times bestseller Three Cups of Tea.

Sharon Memis, British Council Director North America, said “The Great Game is a leading example of the UK’s outstanding contemporary arts. As the UK’s cultural relations organization, we believe that the arts are an important medium for provoking dialogue and understanding on current events. I am grateful for the UK Ministry of Defense’s support and hope members of the US armed forces will also have the opportunity to see The Great Game.”

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About the British Council: The British Council is the United Kingdom’s international non-profit organization for cultural relations and education opportunities. Working in over 100 countries, we build engagement and trust for the UK through the exchange of knowledge and ideas between people worldwide. In the US, we cultivate long-term links between the UK and US, re-energizing the strategic transatlantic relationship through the arts, education and young leadership networks. For more information, please visit www.britishcouncil.org/usa.

About the Shakespeare Theatre Company: The mission of the Shakespeare Theatre Company is to present classic theatre of scope and size in an imaginative, skillful and accessible American style that honors the playwrights’ language and intentions while viewing their work through a 21st-century lens.

Military Discount: Discounted tickets to The Great Game are available for members of the military -- $30/per ticket with a military ID. http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/stc_presents/greatgame.aspx#.