The première of Five Gold Rings has been eagerly awaited by the national press after her first play, The Three Birds, produced at London’s Gate Theatre in 2000, won Trinity-born Ms Laurens the Time Out ‘Outstanding New Talent in the Off-West End’ and The Critics’ Circle ‘Most Promising Playwright’ awards for its innovative use of minority languages.
The Guardian’s theatre critic, Michael Billington, described it as ‘a precocious masterpiece’ and Ms Laurens as ‘the most original theatrical voice to have emerged since Sarah Kane’.
Only last week The Observer said ‘her fiercely creative plays are reinventing British theatre’.The 321-seater Almeida in Islington is renowned for presenting pioneering and innovative work and is able to attract distinguished artists for relatively modest fees.
