Press Release: The Crystal Egg

London-based production company Old Lamp Entertainment is pleased to announce that its debut production for 2017 is now in development and crowdfunding. Stepping onto the streets of period London, the company will present an adaptation of visionary author H. G. Wells short story ‘The Crystal Egg’. It is considered by many literary experts and fans of the author’s work to be a prequel to the hugely popular ‘The War of the Worlds’.

The story is centred on an old curiosity shop in the slums of London's Seven Dials, which is run by an eccentric old man and his dysfunctional family. They discover that a small crystal egg in their possession serves as a window onto another world, and is being used in surveillance of Earth.

The show will fuse multiple art forms in light, sound, performance, and video in a multimedia extravaganza, to take audience members on an experience through the sights and sounds of the story and bring them face to face with Wells' creatures of another world.

Old Lamp Entertainment director and producer, Mike Archer says of the project: “I’m a huge fan of H. G. Wells’ writing. Ever since watching the 1950's 'War of the Worlds' whilst growing up, the story had a profound effect on me. Wells is skilled at stimulating the imagination; one of the great writers of the early 20th Century. For me, working to create a show inspired by his works is a dream come true. 'War of the Worlds' is culturally significant. With 'The Crystal Egg' we want to open out the story to a whole new generation of people and create an invasion story for the now. The works of Wells are as relevant as ever. In bringing the story to life, we are examining themes of surveillance and greed, whereby we don’t quite know who is watching us or from where."

Co- producer Luisa Guerreiro is quick to point out: “People want more from shows. We want to push the boundaries of what can be achieved, and deliver a show that gives an audience a cinematic quality to a theatrical experience.”

The project has already gained a huge following of support. On 21st September 2016 Old Lamp Entertainment is set to launch a crowd funding campaign, in partnership with entertainment supporter 'Phundee'. Ashon Spooner, Phundee's director said of the project: "At Phundee, we believe every project should be shareable with its backers. 'The Crystal Egg' aims to be an immersive experience, allowing its audience to feel a part of the narrative and share in a collective experience. Phundee's mission is to empower the next generation of entertainment makers, and the team behind 'The Crystal Egg' are a perfect example of this."
Since bursting onto the scene in 2011, Old Lamps has continued to grow, with two separate entities dealing in both theatre and film (Old Lamp Films) The company's first film 'The Journey of Alfred Small' debuted online in 2015 to critical and audience acclamation after receiving award nominations for 'Best Ensemble Cast' at the March Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards. Mike, whose extensive list of credits across stage and screen includes 'Easy Virtue' (starring Jessica Biel and Colin Firth) and Oscar-winning 'The King's Speech' added: "I can't sit still. I need to be doing projects. As an actor, you spend a lot of time finding the next job, but that doesn't sit well with me. So I started Old Lamp Films to tell the stories I want to tell. We're working on some fantastic projects, including feature film 'Berners Street', to be directed by the wonderful and exciting Helen O' Hanlon."

Anyone interested in 'The Crystal Egg' should check out Old Lamp Entertainment's website and to subscribe to the community to learn more about the production. Website - www.oldlamp.biz Production Page - http://www.oldlamp.biz/the-crystal-egg and to invest in the project and earn some amazing perks please go to the productions Phundee page at https://www.phundee.com/reward/campaign/the-crystal-egg-old-lamp-entertainment

Theatre: The Crystal Egg

“No one would have believed in the last years of the nineteenth century that this world was being watched keenly and closely by intelligences greater than man's and yet as mortal as his own; that as men busied themselves about their various concerns they were scrutinised and studied, perhaps almost as narrowly as a man with a microscope might scrutinise the transient creatures that swarm and multiply in a drop of water.”..

Press Release: How To Be Human

Putting a science fiction twist on a real world crisis, the short film How to be Human is currently crowdfunding...

Set in a dystopian future, How to be Human reverses the current humanitarian crisis of Syrian refugees fleeing to Europe by following two UK citizens - sisters, one human, the other android - as they flee war-torn London to Dover and the promise of a better world across the English Channel in Calais. With a scarily relevant and frighteningly foreboding reality, the film explores the dire consequences of a world without humanity and spotlights a different perspective of what it means to be a refugee and what it is to be human.

Frustrated by the misrepresentation and dehumanisation of Syrian refugees in the media, producer Louise Salter wanted to create a story that changed the perception of refugees and to provoke audiences to consider the reality - that people do not choose to become refugees, it’s a situation that is thrust upon them out of a sense of desperation and fear for their lives. 

“They are real human beings with real stories, and this film is a gentle reminder of that."

Written by Darren Rapier, Directed by Bruno Centofanti and Co Produced by Jeffrey Michael. Louise also stars alongside BAFTA Scotland award winning actress Sophie Kennedy Clarke (Philomena) and West-end star Frances Ruffelle (Les Miserables).

With filming now complete they are now looking to raise £10,000 through a crowdfunding campaign in order to enable VFX Supervisor Marc Hutchings, who has worked on films like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, X-Men and Guardians of the Galaxy, to add the impressive visual effects needed to complete the post-production process.

The campaign runs until 5th October and promises perks which range from a digital copy of the finished film, through signed posters, limited edition artwork and workshops with the writer and director, to a promise of 48 months of Good Karma with the universe, which must be worth investing in.

Find out more information and support the crowdfunder here

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