#aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei in rehearsals
Posted on 28 March 2013.
Posted in: HT Blogs

On 3 April 2011, as he was boarding a flight to Taipei, the Chinese Artist Ai Weiwei was arrested at Beijing Airport. Advised merely that his travel “could damage state security”, he was escorted to a van by officials after which he disappeared for 81 days. On his release, the government claimed that his imprisonment related to tax evasion.
Howard Brenton’s new play is based on recent conversations with Ai in which he told the story of that imprisonment – by turns surreal, hilarious, and terrifying. A portrait of the Artist in extreme conditions, it is also an affirmation of the centrality of Art and of freedom of speech in civilised society.
Take a look at this behind-the-scenes view of the company of #aiww: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei in rehearsals.
Taken by Stephen Cummiskey
Latest from Twitter:
-
Hampstead Theatre @Hamps_Theatre
✅8 weeks of workshops ✅With Olivier Award winner Mike Bartlett ✅And £1000 bursary for each playwright Our Writing… https://t.co/I1ldEa3AR7
11 days ago -
Hampstead Theatre @Hamps_Theatre
RT @TheMonoBox: CALLING ALL PLAYWRIGHTS! An exciting new playwriting programme is starting in March from our good friends at @Hamps_Theatr…
14 days ago -
Hampstead Theatre @Hamps_Theatre
We hope everyone’s keeping safe and well this Friday. ❤️ We have some exciting Hampstead updates to share with you… https://t.co/TQFHG57uUn
1 months ago
KEEPING YOU SAFE AT HAMPSTEAD

SOCIAL DISTANCING

REDUCED AUDIENCE CAPACITY

FACE MASKS REQUIRED

TEMPERATURE CHECKS

START OF THE ART VENTILATION

ENHANCED CLEANING

CONTACTLESS TICKETS

HAND SANITIZING STATIONS

CASHLESS PAYMENT