Traitor (2018)

A girl is hiding. She did something wrong, when she was trying to do something right.

Can you help her decide whether to come out… because she thinks she is being followed…

Can she trust you?

Can you trust her?

What is the right thing to do when it is a matter of state security?

And whose side are you on…?

This breathtaking thriller takes place at a secret location in York. This journey that will test the kind of citizen you want to be, and question how we should act in more dangerous times.

Will you be a hero or a traitor?

Edward Snowden: Hero, Traitor? – I’m just a citizen with a voice.

“Traitor was conceived in Älesund in Norway in September 2016. As part of Pilot’s proud membership of PLATFORM shift+, a European-wide collaboration between nine theatre companies making work for young people, we have had a precious and unique opportunity to create this co-production with Älesund’s Teatret Vårt and York High School.

The PLATFORM shift+ project explores the impact technology is having on young people’s lives. And so the show’s starting point was the above exchange that we read on Twitter. In a world that is going through seismic political changes, and where the trust between citizen and State is breaking down, we were wondering how young people can make their voices heard, and captivated by the idea of making a piece about a young whistleblower.

This production could not have been made without the brilliant students here at York High, who have examined the characters and themes rigorously and have stayed many nights to play hide and seek with us after hours – our heartfelt thanks to all our co-conspirators.

This is a show that seeks to bring together an interactive experience with an action adventure and a chance for you to decide the kind of world we want to make for our future.”

Esther Richardson, Artistic Director of Pilot

Co-funded by the Creative Europe programme, the European Union, as part of the PLATFORM shift+ network.