The Royal Court Theatre has announced that it will be participating in a global day of protest to show support for Russian punk band Pussy Riot. The event will take place on Friday 17th August at 11am, ahead of the final verdict in the case against the band for performing an anti-Putin protest.

In a show of solidarity with the arrested band members, actors will be performing readings of testimonies by Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alekhina and Yekaterina Samutsevich in the theatre’s cafe. There will also be a contribution from Labour MP Kerry McCarthy, who has attended the trial in Moscow and will be speaking about her experiences of the courtroom.

The reading is being introduced by playwright E. V. Crowe, who first suggested the event and will be curating a further interrogation of the Pussy Riot movement in November. Crowe said: “what Pussy Riot does is take a stand, through art, and then maximize its impact through social media. They are women who make me want to understand the world I’m living in, to write about it, and to be brave whatever the cost.”

Further details about the event, which is free and non-ticketed, can be found on the Royal Court website.