Preview: Teechers Blackeyed Theatre Company on tour

Teechers By John Godber

In Spring 2015, Berkshire-based Blackeyed Theatre Company embarks on a 43-date UK tour of John Godber’s classic comedy, Teechers. The timeless classroom comedy has performances at theatres throughout England and Scotland from 22 January until 28 March.

This is a revival of Blackeyed Theatre’s highly-acclaimed 2013 production of John Godber’s play about life at a modern comprehensive for Mr Nixon, an unsuspecting new drama teacher. Fast-moving, inventive and highly entertaining, Teechers brings to life an array of terrifying teachers and hopeless pupils through the unique eyes of Salty, Gail and Hobby; three Year 11 students about to leave school for good.

Jake Addley as Salty

Photo: Alex Harvey-Brown

Combining high energy, break-neck comedy and breathtaking ensemble performances, Teechers is a modern classic with something vital to say about education for the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’.

Director Adrian McDougall said, “I can promise audiences a brilliant evening’s entertainment, lots of laughs as well as one or two genuinely touching moments. In the light of recent comments made by government ministers about the importance of Arts and Humanities subjects in schools, the messages contained in the play are more pertinent than ever.”

Adrian McDougall directs Jake Addley, Lucy Benson-Brown and Brad Clapson in a production choreographed by Scott Jenkins. The artistic team includes Victoria Spearing, Charlotte McClelland (lighting design) and Jenny Little (costume design).

Director Adrian McDougall

Cast Jacob Addley, Lucy Benson-Brown, Brad Clapson

Produced by Blackeyed Theatre in association with South Hill Park

On The Web:

Website: www.blackeyedtheatre.co.uk

Twitter: https://twitter.com/blackeyedtheatr

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Blackeyed-Theatre

Tour Dates – Spring 2015

January 22 – 23: Wilde Theatre, Bracknell - 7.30pm 24: Swindon Arts Centre - 7.30pm 27: Capitol Theatre, Horsham - 7.30pm 28: Radlett Centre, Radlett - 8pm 29: Lincoln Performing Arts Centre - 7.30pm 30: Palace Theatre, Newark - 7.30pm February 2: Auden Theatre, Holt - 8pm 3 – 4: Mumford Theatre, Cambridge - 7.30pm 5 – 6: Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds - 7.30pm (+2pm  Fri) 7: Braintree Arts Theatre - 7.30pm 9: Roses Theatre, Tewkesbury - 7.30pm 10 – 11: Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury - 7.30pm (+2.30pm Wed) 12 – 13: The Atkinson, Southport - 7.30pm Thu, 2pm Fri 25: The Castle, Wellingborough - 7.30pm 26: Middlesbrough Theatre - 7.30pm 27: Gala, Durham - 7.30pm 28: Alnwick Playhouse - 7.30pm March 3: Cumbernauld Theatre - 7.45pm 4: Macrobert, Stirling - 7.30pm 5: The Brunton, Musselburgh - 7.30pm 6: The Witham, Castle Barnard - 7.30pm 9: Paul Robeson Theatre, Hounslow - 7.30pm 10: The Lights, Andover - 7.30pm 11: Tacchi Morris, Taunton - 7.30pm 12: Octagon Theatre, Yeovil - 7.30pm 13 – 14: Playhouse, Weston-Super-Mare - 7.30pm 16: Queen’s, Barnstaple - 7.45pm 17 – 18: Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton - 7.30pm (+1pm Wed) 19 – 20: Stafford Gatehouse - 7.30pm (+2.30pm  Fri) 21: The Civic, Barnsley - 7.30pm 23: Burnley Mechanics - 7.30pm 25: Arlington Arts, Newbury - 1.30 & 7.30pm 26: Cornerstone, Didcot - 8pm 27: Trinity Theatre, Tunbridge Wells - 8pm 28: Connaught Theatre, Worthing - 7.30pm

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Dracula finds fresh blood. Dracula Hexham 1st Feb 2014

Dracula

Hexham Queens Hall

1^st February 2014.

Dracula finds fresh blood.

Beautiful girls with mysterious puncture wounds in their necks? Count Dracula must be in town!

Dracula has been a part of modern culture for over a hundred years. It has been the subject of countless films and plays through its clear imagery. The Blackeyed Theatre Company aim to produce honest touring plays that will attract audiences around the mid-sized venues. In their interpretation we have a fast paced play in which the 5 extremely hard working actors succeed in covering a variety of roles in this highly efficient and entertaining production.

Jonathan Harker (Will Bryant) has passed his law exams and has been sent to Transylvania to sort out the personal affairs of Count Dracula (Paul Kevin-Taylor). His fiancé Mina (Rachel Winters) agrees to get married beforehand and decides to visit her romantic friend Lucy (Katrina Gibson) in Whitby. Meanwhile Doctor Seward (Gareth Cooper) studies his inmates, including Renfield (also Will Bryant) at the asylum near to the new house that the Count plans to buy.

Once the scenario is set up the play unfolds at a rapid pace. The ensemble occasionally turn musicians and we are entertained to a number of songs and a musical journey through Europe for our intrepid Harker.   John Ginman’s script remains faithful to the Bram Stoker text. The sometimes brutal Victorian turn of phrase producing the occasional laugh from the audience. Eliot Giuralarocca’s direction is in a style that we imagine to be contemporary to its story. Keeping pace on stage is a challenge for any play and the flow is helped by Victoria Spearing’s set design and Charlotte McClelland’s lighting.

Act 2 brings a return of the story to England and Professor Van Helsing, also played by Paul Kevin-Taylor, seeks to solve the mystery of Lucy’s health problems and the disappearing children. The audience, who are used to computerised special effects on the screen gasped as the previously empty coffin suddenly had a body on it. More special effects were to come as Lucy had had head cut off resulting in applause from the appreciative crowd.

After two hours of pure theatre the five highly skilled actors took their well deserved curtain call, as they had carried us through the whirlwind of a story without any cynicism.  Too often is theatre seen as been too elitist and removed. This production won over the folk of Hexham and at just £10 a ticket it was brilliant value.  Final mention goes to Paul Kevin-Taylor’s Dracula who managed to freak out the audience at the end. He had everyone in his grasp and produced a memorable finale.

The tour continues:

Arts Centre Swindon     February 4

Courtyard Hereford    February 5- 6

Cornerstone, Didcot February 7

Bedford Theatre Bedford     February 8

ArlingtonArts, Newbury February 11-12

Embassy Theatre, Skegness February 14

Palace Theatre, Newark  February 15

Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne  February 18-22

Hawth Crawley     February  26

Lighthouse Poole     February 27-March 1

Playhouse Norwich     March 4- 5

Playhouse Harlow     March 6

Connaught Worthing     March 7- 8

Middlesbrough Theatre Middlesbrough     March 12-13

Swan Theatre Worcester     March 14-15

Greenwich Theatre London     March 18-22

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford March 31- April 1