Review: The Man and The Donkey at Customs House

The Local Hero

The Man and The Donkey

South Shields Customs House

Until Saturday 23^rd May 2015.

(L-R) James Hedley, Jamie Brown, Viktoria Kay & Dean Logan

Photo: Craig Leng

The Customs House’s new production pays tribute to the South Shields born hero, John Simpson Kirkpatrick, who gave his life saving others 100 years ago today.

Jamie Brown as John Simpson Kirkpatrick

Photo: Craig Leng

Writer Valerie Laws found out about Australia’s hero, who had saved over 300 soldiers lives under fire at Gallipoli whilst visiting the country. Research revealed an interesting character who had statues, in his honour, all over Australia but was relatively unknown back home in Britain. At least now there is a statue back home in South Shields and the play written in his honour makes a triumphant return to his native town after 4 years.

The production feels like a documentary, drawing out the personality behind John Simpson Kirkpatrick, with some elements of a Greek tragedy thrown in for good measure.  The script explains how he ended up on the beach at Gallipoli with a donkey but it doesn’t overload the audience with too much exposition. Under director Jackie Fielding the funnier aspects of his life give a real sense of the man.

Jamie Brown & Gary Kitching

Photo: Craig Leng

Kirkpatrick found himself as a young lad earning cash leading donkey rides up and down the beach. He was good at getting the beasts to do as he wished. After an accident leaves his Dad unable to earn, he finds himself looking for better paid work. The trouble is that the lack of work sees him heading to the merchant navy. After poor working conditions lead to him going AWOL he lands in Australia. War begins and Australia promises 50 000 men to help fight the Great War against Germany. John signs up with the hope of having a chance to visit home and his Mum. Instead he ends up fighting in Gallipoli. As a stretcher bearer he is under heavy fire as many young men are attacked by well armed Turks. Resourceful John finds a donkey and uses it to carry the wounded through the theatre of war.

Viktoria Kay

Photo: Craig Leng

The action takes place on a well designed split level stage. Throw in lots of loud bangs and a few pyrotechnics and the scene is set. There are actually two heroes in this story. One is Duffy, the donkey, which is portrayed by ingenious puppetry by the cast.  The other hero is Kirkpatrick and in Jamie Brown’s character we have a fearless, very matter of fact young man who is a credit to his family. His attitude in war may be on the verge on arrogance, as he sees little point in following orders, but he is never unpleasant. Jamie does a cracking job bringing the hero to life.

The remainder of the ensemble fill in a variety of roles and donkey operating. Their talent is able to shine through and as the action skips around the world they keep the story flowing. James Hedley and Dean Logan are frequently following orders as Gary Kitching leads the pack.  Viktoria Kay and Jacqueline Phillips often find themselves in the centre of the action.

The cast work hard to produce a very entertaining and moving tribute that is passionate about it subject. A fabulous eulogy for the fallen.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for the North East Theatre Guide by Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo

Read the original North East Theatre Guide Preview here

Tickets:

The Man and the Donkey is on at The Customs House from May 19 to 23. Tickets are £15, £14 concession and £5 to schools and are available from the box office on (0191) 454 1234 or online at www.customshouse.co.uk

Preview: The Man and the Donkey at The Customs House

The Man and the Donkey Returns Home

The Man and the Donkey

South Shields Customs House

Tuesday 19^thMay to Saturday 23^rd May 2015.

The tale of a North East war hero will be brought to life to commemorate the centenary of his death. John Simpson Kirkpatrick is known to millions on the other side of the world but few know his story of courage on his home shores. The Customs House in South Shields will chronicle his heroic tale in the critically-acclaimed play The Man and the Donkey.

Director Jackie Fielding said: “This is a fantastic, poignant and fascinating piece of theatre with a lot of laughs.  It's a story which everyone can enjoy. We are thrilled that most of the original cast and production team are back together and cannot wait for rehearsals to get started again.”

The play was first performed in 2011 and is returning to mark the 100th Anniversary of Kirkpatrick’s death will run at the Mill Dam theatre from May 19 to 23. Valerie Laws’ much-loved play follows John as he joins the Merchant Navy at 17 and heads off to Australia, from there he enlists to serve with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (Anzacs) as a stretcher bearer in World War I. There, with the help of his trusty donkey Duffy, and under fire, he helped to rescue wounded soldiers on the shores of Gallipoli until his death on May 19, 1915. He is now remembered as one of Australia’s best-loved war heroes.

Customs House Executive Director Ray Spencer said: “When this production was first put on in 2011 everybody loved it.  We decided to bring it back this year to commemorate the 100 anniversary of John Simpson Kirkpatrick's death and we are sure it will once again be loved by all who see it. It's a very moving, yet funny play. Kirkpatrick was a real character and the wonderful script, written by Valerie Laws, and fantastic direction by Jackie Fielding really do bring his and Duffy's story to life.

“In Australia his story is known by everyone and we wanted to remember him in this very special year.  Kirkpatrick was a true hero – as it says on his gravestone – he gave his life that others may live. Anzac Day on Saturday (April 25) marks 100 years since the Gallipoli landings and I’m sure the people of South Tynesidewill take a moment to think of Kirkpatrick, who remains one of South Shields’ greatest heroes.”

Customs House regular Jamie Brown, who will take on the lead of Kirkpatrick, added: “The story of Kirkpatrick is just incredible and it is an honour to bring it to life.”

Joining him in the cast will be Viktoria Kay, Gary Kitching, James Hedley, Jacqueline Phillips and Dean Logan.

Tickets:

The Man and the Donkey is on at The Customs House from May 19 to 23. Tickets are £15, £14 concession and £5 to schools and are available from the box office on (0191) 454 1234 or online at www.customshouse.co.uk

Breaking News is the new EP from North East band Peculiar Disco Moves. The new video is a portrayal of celebrity life, where red tops will sell their Granny to get a picture of a Z-lister parking his car one minute, then drop him or her like an anchor in the sea the next. 

See the new PDM video on this link here 

Follow Peculiar Disco Moves here

Review: Get Santa! at Newcastle Northern Stage

Being Normal Isn’t Normal!

Get Santa!

Newcastle Northern Stage

Until Saturday 27^th December 2014.

Poor ten year old Holly doesn’t want presents for Christmas, so she writes to Santa to tell him. All that she wants is to see her real Dad, the one who gave her a big teddy bear to look after. She has been really good all year, unlike the lad at school who flooded the toilets. Holly also wants to meet Santa so she hatches a plan.

Northern Stage don’t put on a traditional pantomime at Christmas, rather, they put on a couple of plays for children, and this year Get Santa is for the over 7s. whilst there is no shriek of “It’s behind you” and rapid puns, there is still a healthy mixture of laughs, slapstick and music to keep the young entertained. Director Lorne Campbell has done a cracking job of producing a play which had the full house smiling.

Tessa Parr is immediately engaging with the audience, as the young Holly, and shares a number of the early chuckles with Gary Kitching, who plays her step Dad. Anthony Neilson and Nick Powell set up a less than conventional story as Holly’s step Dad is a dog who thinks it is normal to decorate a tree with meat and sausages. Her Gran, played by Jane Holman, tries to explain that no family is normal before breaking into song about how she doesn’t care what people say. Not batting an eyelid throughout the show is Paula Penman as Holly’s Mum.

The set design is a cross between a living room and an advent calendar. This gives a number of handy windows for the chorus, dressed up as snowmen, to appear. The snowmen may have resembled the Canadians in the South Park Movie but they added a seasonal feel to the show when they appeared.

When Christmas comes Santa (James Ryland), his son Bumblehole (Tom Walton) and her favourite Teddy (Scott Turnbull) get involved as the plot twists and turns. The children in the audience were captivated as the narrative unfolded. The cliff hanger at the interval was a nice touch. The music from Aly Macrae fits in nicely with the tempo of the show.

Northern Stage have a Christmas show that they can be proud which leaves the audience, both young and old, feeling happy and in the Christmas spirit. Tessa is wonderful as the young naïve Holly and there is no weak link in the rest of the cast. Perhaps a bigger role could have been given to Gary Kitching with his natural comic timing but that is a minor quibble.

This is a warm, friendly Christmas show which shows everyone that weird is normal and left the audience grinning.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo.

Tickets:

Get Santa! Mon 1 – Sat 27 Dec

Tickets: £24 / £19.50 / £14.50, under 21s £12 
Special Deals:
Families: Family of 4 - £60 for selected performances (see website)
Multibuy: Buy at the same time as other shows to recieve a discount - see multibuy website

A jolly Christmas play full of songs, slapstick, puppetry and fun for children aged 7 and over and their families.

Box Office: 0191 230 5151

www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/get-santa

Preview: Get Santa! at Newcastle Northern Stage

Northern Stage’s Christmas Treat

Get Santa!

Newcastle Northern Stage

Monday 1 - Saturday 27 Dec 2014

Credit: Garance Marneur

Every year Holly has been nice, not naughty. She has written Santa a letter, left milk, cookies and a carrot for Rudolph and asked for the one thing she really, really, really wants - to meet her dad for the first time. And every year, Santa gave her toys and books and chocolate and all the other rubbish she didn’t want. So this year, on Christmas Eve, in the dead of night when everyone is asleep, she’s going to Get Santa. But when Holly’s trap goes wrong and she kidnaps Santa’s hopeless son, a chain of magical events is unleashed that leads to a very grumpy Santa and an endless Christmas forced upon the world...

Written by Anthony Neilson and directed by Northern Stage Artistic Director Lorne Campbell, this new production is a fun, festive show with songs, slapstick and puppetry for children aged 7 and over and their families. But this Christmas, one group of talented youngsters will do more than just watch.

For the first time, members of Northern Stage’s Young Company will take centre stage in the theatre’s big Christmas show. Young Company gives performers aged 16 – 21 the opportunity to develop their talent and skills through a unique experience working with industry professionals. Director Lorne Campbell says, "We established our Young Company as a way to give excited and exciting young performers access to the professional stage. Casting Young Company members in Get Santa is a first try at taking some of our exceptional young people and putting them into the middle of our biggest show of the year.”

Six Young Company members aged 17 - 19 will take part, including 17 year old Anna Robinson from Gosforth who has been cast as understudy to the lead role of Holly, played by Tessa Parr – most recently seen on stage in Greyscale’s 2014 Edinburgh fringe show Dead to Me, Tessa’s TV roles include BBC2’s Edwardian drama Parade’s End, alongside Benedict Cumberbatch. Anna celebrated her 16th birthday while rehearsing for Young Company London 2012 project Truce, and will celebrate her 18th when rehearsals start for Get Santa in November. Anna says, “I'm looking forward to working with a real, professional company, with real, professional actors! I'd always thought the only way to work professionally was through getting some sort of drama school qualification - I never thought I'd be doing it at 18!”

19 year old Phoebe Elliott from Newcastle has been involved with Northern Stage since she was 11. “I’m really looking forward to being part of Get Santa! The opportunity to be involved in a professional main stage production and to be directed by the theatre’s Artistic Director, Lorne Campbell, was far too good an opportunity to pass up. Northern Stage is responsible for most of my professional development - I’ve done everything from summer schools to development projects to fundraising performances. I’m also a National Youth Theatre member and I founded, and run, my own theatre company.”

Tom Walton, Sharuna Sagar and NS Young Company Photo: BBC

In another first this Christmas, our newest talent will be joined by some more familiar faces – BBC Look North’s Sharuna Sagar and ITV Tyne Tees and Good Morning Britain presenter Rachel Sweeney both have cameo roles.

Rachel said, "I was over the moon to be asked to play a cameo role in Get Santa! I met Lorne when I was singing at a charity ball earlier this year and really admire the passion he has for theatre. The script is funny and I'm thrilled to be a part of the show. I have written comedy and my mother is a stand-up comedienne so I always appreciate a witty one-liner or two! It's going to be a fantastic experience and I'm very much looking forward to it."

Sharuna Sagar and Bumblehole played by

Tom Walton in Get Santa Photo: BBC

"Unsurprisingly I've never been asked to do anything like this before - I'm more used to the small screen than the big stage, and the patch I cover doesn't usually extend as far as the North Pole! I've interviewed a few characters in my time, but few as unnerving (but strangely charming) as Bumblehole from Get Santa." Sharuna Sagar, BBC Look North

The cast also includes singer, musician and actor Jane Holman (Tyne, plus film and TV roles in Vera, 55 Degrees North, George Gently, and Billy Elliot) Playing Holly’s mum; Gary Kitching (Oh, What a Lovely War, The Suggestibles) plays Holly’s stepdad...who also happens to be a dog; Tom Walton is Santa’s son Bumblehole (The Borrowers, Tattercoats); Paula Penman (Donna Disco, The Little Detective Agency) plays Holly’s Gran; Scott Turnbull (winner of the 2012 Journal Culture Award for his performance in Apples) plays Teddy; and James Ryland (Waking Ned, Taggart) is Santa.

Award-winning Scottish playwright Anthony Neilson is renowned for his pioneering, ground-breaking and imaginative new work for the Royal Court, Headlong and the Edinburgh Festival. Composer Nick Powell’s work for theatre includes the National Theatre, Paines Plough and Improbable. Linbury Prize-winning designer Garance Marneur worked alongside Lorne on last year’s Northern Stage Christmas production Dark Woods, Deep Snow having designed the set for acclaimed children’s show The Prince and the Pauper at the Unicorn Theatre. Sound design is by Aly Macrae, who collaborated on Northern Stage’s 2013’s Edinburgh Fringe hit, The Bloody Great Border Ballad.

Lorne says, “Get Santa is a show with a huge, modern heart. It’s about the magic of Christmas, the imagination of childhood, the weirdness of families and that even if you accidentally bring an evil teddy bear to life and almost destroy the world, your Gran will still love you.”

Get Santa! is on at Northern Stage, Newcastle from 1 to 27 December.

Tickets:

Get Santa! Mon 1 – Sat 27 Dec

Tickets: £24 / £19.50 / £14.50, under 21s £12 
Special Deals:
Families: Family of 4 - £60 for selected performances (see website)
3+: Buy 3 or more tickets for Sat 6 Dec and get 50% (except £14.50 tickets)
Multibuy: Buy at the same time as other shows to recieve a discount - see multibuy website

A jolly Christmas play full of songs, slapstick, puppetry and fun for children aged 7 and over and their families.

Box Office: 0191 230 5151

www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/get-santa

Preview: Jabberwocky Market Festival in Darlington

Festival of Theatre

Returns to Darlington

Jabberwocky Market Festival

Darlington

Thursday 2 – Sunday 5 October 2014

It’s one of the biggest dates in Darlington’s cultural calendar and this year promises to be its best yet.

Jabberwocky Market makes a welcome return to venues in and around Darlington from Thursday 2 – Sunday 5 October 2014for another four days of performances, workshops, talks and fun activities for audiences of all ages. 

Presenting cutting edge, world-class theatre rarely performed in the North East, Jabberwocky Market also features performances from local artists and musicians. The festival showcases an amazing array of talent, including some very close to home. 

The festival hub will open at Darlington’s Covered Market from Thursday 18 September and will feature performances and events leading up to the official start of Jabberwocky Market on Thursday 2 October.

Solas Fae

Local dancer-choreographer Debbie Waistell opens this year’s festival with the premiere of her latest show for children and families, Solas Fae (Thursday 2 October - Cattle Market).  A story of love, loss and Christmas and inspired by traditional legends, this captivating performance takes place at the Cattle Market.    

Photo: Josh Hawkins Photography UK

of the gracefool collective

Jabberwocky Market’s popular Scratch night returns to Darlington’s Voodoo Café for one night only (Friday 3 October - Voodoo Cafe). This informal and sociable evening of theatre invites audiences to enjoy excerpts of five new shows. Those that want to are welcome to give feedback and chat to the creators and actors after the performance. 

Ballad of the Burning Star

Audiences in Darlington will have the opportunity to enjoy the politically charged, Ballad of the Burning Star (Saturday 4 October - Liddiard Theatre at Polam School) as part of Jabberwocky Market. This semi-autobiographical and timely production tells the story of an Israeli man brought up in a Jewish settlement build on occupied Palestinian territories. Told with biting wit and passion, this cabaret performance featuring drag, original songs and physical storytelling was heralded a success on its debut and has since gone on to win universal acclaim. The Observer called it ‘Brilliant… Breathlessly inventive’.

Photo: Selma Dimitrijevic

Darlington-born actor and playwright Gary Kitching brings his brand new show to Jabberwocky Market after a successful season at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Dead to Me (Saturday 4 October – Voodoo Café), is a dark, yet funny tale of a man named Steven and his visit to a local psychic. He quickly discovers, sometimes the dead can be easier to deal with. 

 

The Incredible Book Eating Boy

Children aged 4+ will have the opportunity to enjoy a live adaptation of Oliver Jeffers award- winning book, The Incredible Book Eating Boy.  Performed for just two people at a time, this intimate performance of the much-loved book transports audiences inside the bedroom of Henry, The Incredible Book Eating Boy. Watch as Henry discovers there’s a downside to his never-ending appetite for eating books.

 

Another event for families and children aged 8+ is Fish/Girl, a brand new adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson’s The Little Mermaid. On a stormy night in a seaside town, a local girl finds a stranded Mer Prince and helps him back into the water. Her feelings so strong for the creature, she follows it into the unknown. Audiences are invited to provide feedback on this unfinished work when it appears at Jabberwocky Market.

Folk in a Box

A music performance like no other, Folk in a Box (Saturday 4 October - Market Place) is just that – a one on one folk music venue in a wooden box. Created by Emily Barker and Dom Coyote, audience members enter, one at a time, through a small door to experience one song, from one musician. Its simplicity makes it so special. Having travelled across the world and back again, it’s now coming to Darlington as part of Jabberwocky Market and will feature local folk musicians.

 
Another exciting element of this year’s Jabberwocky Market is the appearance of a pop-up Fun Palace (Saturday 4 October - Market Place).  A global celebration of arts, science and learning, more than 100 Fun Palaces will appear across the UK and the world on Saturday 4 & Sunday 5 October in celebration of theatre director Joan Littlewood’s centenary, who together with architect Cedric Price, devised Fun Palaces.  These pop-up spaces can be anything the public wants them to be. It’s a fun environment for the people of Darlington to get creative.

Theatre Ad Infinitum –

Ballad of the Burning Star

Photo: Alex Brenner

In addition to all the live performances and workshops, Jabberwocky Market will also be hosting a panel discussion looking at ‘How social conflict affects the development of theatre’. Stella Hall, artistic director of Darlington’s Festival of Thrift, will chair the discussion with panel members including Nir Paldi, artistic director of Theatre Ad Infinitum (Ballad of a Burning Star). Additional panelists from across the world will join the discussion via Skpe.

Created especially for the people of Darlington, Jabberwocky Market is designed and run by theatre producers from the town, in partnership with internationally acclaimed partners and performances. The festival hub will open from Thursday 18 September with performances taking place everyday.

Jabberwocky Market is part of the Collaborative Touring Network, seven producers from across the UK coming together to present inspiring performances from Battersea Arts Centre and local producers to a new generation of theatre-goers. Jabberwocky Market is also supported by Creative Darlington, Darlington Borough Council, Darlington for Culture and local people and businesses. 

On the web

Website:        www.jabberwockymarket.org.uk

Twitter:           www.twitter.com/JabbMarket   

Facebook:   www.facebook.com/JabberwockyMarket

Tickets:
This autumn’s Jabberwocky Market runs from Thursday 2 – Sunday 5 October. For details of all the events and performances at this year’s festival, and to book tickets, please visit www.jabberwockymarket.org.uk.

Pay it forward tickets will be returning this year. Simply purchase an additional ticket and the ‘PAY IT FORWARD’ ticket will be made available to someone that couldn’t otherwise attend. Audiences will also be invited to ‘pay what you can’ at select performances throughout the festival. 

 

Preview: Dead To Me at Newcastle Northern Stage

Dead Funny Show

Arrives at Northern Stage

Dead To Me

Newcastle Northern Stage

Tuesday 30 September - Friday 3 October 2014

Photo: Selma Dimitrijevic

to: Selma Dimitrijevic

Dead To Me is a disturbingly funny story about a man’s troubled relationship with a psychic and her spirit guide and comes to Newcastle's Northern Stage from Tuesday 30th September until Friday 3rd October 2014

"Blah blah blah PSYCHICS blah blah blah MUST BE REAL blah blah blah HOW COULD THEY KNOW THAT? blah blah blah TALKING TO THE DEAD blah blah IT’S JUST RUBBISH blah blah.”

Sometimes we only hear what we want to hear. Steven is a believer - he believes in reason, logic and humanity. The Psychic believes in the spirits. The dead are always right. Dead to Me is a disturbingly funny story about a man and his troubled relationship with a psychic and her spirit guide. When the truth is confronted, an irreversible chain of events is set in motion and Steven finds out that living people can be unnecessarily cruel because of course the dead are easier to deal with.

Photo: Selma Dimitrijevic

The show has been written by Gary Kitching and is directed by Selma Dimitrijevic.  Director Selma Dimitrijevic said:  "Gary Kitching has been angry about the exploitative, predatory nature of psychics and mediums for years, and instead of going and doing something illegal, he has written a play about it. The play examines the reasons why people seek solace and help from strangers who claim they can speak to the dead, instead of reaching out to their friends and family."

Photo: Selma Dimitrijevic

Writer Gary Kitching is a North East based actor and writer whose show “Me and Mr C” was performed at Northern Stage’s St. Stephens Edinburgh venue in 2012.  Gary said:  “I have been drawn to the supernatural and weird since being a young boy. Watching Friday night Hammer horror films definitely got me hooked in that world. As a teenager and into my early twenties, I would believe pretty much anything that I came across that was spiritual, new age or mystic. I even spent good money on visiting a few psychics and to my shame owned a set of ancient (mass produced) runes. I wanted to believe that there was more to this life than the confines of reality. However the more I read about psychics, healers and general mystics the more it became clear to me that these people where far from the benevolent compassionate personas they wished to portray themselves as. They seemed to me to be greedy unscrupulous vultures picking at the bones of another human’s personal grief and insecurities. It made me angry. It made me realise that instead of escaping the confines of reality what I needed to do was embrace reality, logic and reason. We are all on this planet for a finite time. If we used that time to engage with our fellow humans to share each other’s grief, doubts and joy the world in my view would be a happier and healthier place. Just because I believe a unicorn lives in my garden; it doesn’t mean they actually exist.”

Tickets:

Tickets: £10 / £8 concs / £15 with When We Embraced (Jowheretogo Preview to "When we embraced" link)

Running time: 1 hour

Age recommendation: 12+

Multibuy Book an additional show and get your tickets cheaper! Look out for the logo.

3+First Night: Buy 3 or more tickets for Tues 30 Sept and get 50% off (excluding concessions tickets).

To book see www.northernstage.co.uk/whats-on/dead