A THEATRE show based on the infamous police hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper will make its debut at this year’s Fringe Festival.
The Incident Room, set in 1975 Leeds, is a forensic examination of the five-year police hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper.
Following the case as public pressure mounted, the investigation resorted to increasingly audacious attempts to catch one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers.
The play follows Megan Winterburn, the Sergeant running the new incident room at Millgarth Police Station, the epicentre of the case that broke the British police force.
Diorama Theatre worked with the Sunday Times journalist, Michael Bilton, who covered the case and wrote the best-selling book Wicked Beyond Belief as well as consulted with the real policewomen who worked on the investigation in the incident room.
David Byrne, New Diorama Theatre’s Artistic & Executive Director said:
“The Incident Room is going to be New Diorama’s biggest, most ambitious production to date.
“This police investigation is far more than another true crime story, it’s a microcosm for society at the time, and gives insight into approaches and attitudes that are still with us today.
“There’s a direct line between the work done in that Leeds incident room and modern policing today, asking questions about what sort of society we want to live in, how fragile it can be, and how we need to work together to create it.”
New Diorama Theatre is a pioneering venue in the heart of London dedicated to providing a home for theatre ensembles, both emerging and established, from across the UK.
Since opening in 2010, New Diorama has welcomed well over 120,000 audience members and has developed productions that have toured both nationally and internationally.
Dates: 31 July – 2 August
Time: 4:30pm
Price: £8 – £14.50
Venue: Pleasance Two
