About The Cost of Living

A three-part experience that takes a two-fingered swipe at the cost of living.


Part 2: Joseph K and the Cost of Living

Jo K has a well-paid job in financial services. K barely notices the growing chaos all around on their walk to work each morning. The homeless lining the street, the food banks, the anger, the protests, the relentless rise of the cost of living, and those who cannot afford to meet it. Until one day, K is arrested. No one will tell K what the charges are, but still, they must be answered. Suddenly, K is on the outside looking in. And it’s cold and frightening out here.

Emily White’s stage adaptation of Franz Kafka’s The Trial, weaves the nightmare of arrest and trial into a performance that highlights the never-ending price we pay at the mercy of arbitrary, unaccountable and insatiable power.

Our ensemble cast directed by Lorne Campbell with Anthony Matsena and Kel Matsena invite you to consider the absurdity of our relationships with power in a funny and physical take on Kafka’s classic tale.

Part 3: F**k the Cost of Living

Join Minas for a performance full of joy and catharsis. Protest music for the moment, and for Wales. Joined by some very, very special guests, including Ayoub Boukhalfa and HMS Morris.

Produced in partnership with Grand Ambition.

Pre-show | Part 1: Counting the Cost of Living

When things always seem to get worse, it can be hard to see how things will ever get better. We invite you to join us before the show, to connect with the powerful over a shared meal. We want to explore how it doesn’t have to be like this.

Rather than politicians, police chiefs, council leaders and commissioners answering the questions, they will instead be asking you. You’ll get to explain your experiences of the crisis to the people and institutions who define your life, and share the daily price you pay.

Who was there?

Sat 18 Mar - Katie Dalton (Cymorth Cymru)
Tue 21 Mar - Jeremy Vaughan (Chief Constable of South Wales Police)
Wed 22 Mar - Rhian Davies (Disability Wales)
Thu 23 Mar - Rob Stewart (Leader of Swansea Council)
Fri 24 Mar - Josh Beynon (Pembs County Councillor) and Adam Price (Plaid Cymru)
Sat 25 Mar - Rocio Cifuentes (Children's Commissioner)

Conversations curated by Shirish Kulkarni. Early-stage research in partnership with Data4Change.

my name is joseph k

Audiences also watched my name is joseph k, a moving portrait of today’s real Joseph Ks from people across Wales most affected by the cost of living.

Film directed by Mathilde Lopez in partnership with Ethnic Minorities & Youth Support Team (EYST) and Grange Pavillion Youth Forum.


Useful information

Access

Watch the BSL introduction

Listen to the audio flyer and the audio described venue welcome note

  • BSL interpretation by Tony Evans and Sami Dunn across all parts on 22-23 March
  • Live captioning via iPads for Part 1: Counting the Cost of Living and Part 3: F**k the Cost of Living on 22-23 March
  • Captioning via iPads available for Part 2: Joseph K and the Cost of Living every evening
  • Audio Description by Owen Pugh on 24-25 March

Cast

Joni Ayton-Kent
Sara Beer
Rahim El Habachi
Lucy Ellinson
Gruffudd Glyn
Ioan Hefin
Kel Matsena
Anthony Matsena

Creative team

Writer
Emily White
Director
Lorne Campbell
Co-director
Kel Matsena
Co-director
Anthony Matsena
Dramaturg
Kaite O’Reilly
Casting Director
Hannah Marie Williams
Assistant Director
Bianca Ali
Set and Costume Design
Cai Dyfan
Lighting Designer
Jane Lalljee
Sound Designer
Alex Comana