Preview: Gods Are Fallen and All Safety Gone at Newcastle Northern Stage

Greyscale presents:

Gods Are Fallen and All Safety Gone

Newcastle Northern Stage

4^th – 6^th June 2015                         

A mother and daughter from the local community join an all male cast on stage each night of the run, in a dynamic and subtle exploration of the most intense of family relationships

Written and directed by Selma Dimitrijevic

‘It feels less like a traditional theatrical suspension of disbelief and more as if some kind of transference is taking place’ «««« Lyn Gardner         

‘A superbly subtle analysis of the comedy and agony of this closest of family relationships’

«««« Scotsman

Photo by Idil Sukan

Borrowing its title from John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, this highly celebrated work from one of the UK’s foremost contemporary theatre companies explores a moment of realisation universal to all; a child’s eventual recognition of their parents as a fellow human being. The show, performed by an all-male cast, presents a lifetime of conversations all condensed into an hour of subtle and intimate performance, observed live by a real life mother and daughter from theatre’s local community.

‘Beautifully, cleverly and intelligently performed’ (Andrew Haydon, Postcards from the Gods), by Scott Turnbull (Independent 'One to Watch') and Sean Campion (Selfridges, ITV), the performance plays out the story of a 30-something daughter visiting her aging mother, and depicts the most simple of conversations from baths, to tea, boyfriends and the weather. Using repetition with subtle developments and changes, the piece produces a dynamic analysis of a lifetime of interactions between the two, gently pulling apart an ever-evolving relationship with adistinctly inevitable end.

Director Selma Dimitrijevic said, ‘When Almeida offered us a bit of time and money to develop a new project I knew I wanted to do our own version of Gods. I also knew that Scott and Sean, would be perfect for it, and the fact that they weren’t the “right” gender didn’t make any difference. Making of the show turned out to be the defining point for the company. It was at the same time the easiest and the most difficult thing we did as a team. We stripped it down to basics, two actors, two guests and the audience; so there is nowhere to hide. Every time we do it, we basically say: “here, this is who we are, this is what we feel”, and our fantastic audiences seem to be ready to do the same.’

Selma Dimitrijevic is artistic director of Greyscale. As a director and writer she has worked with venues and companies both nationally and internationally, including Northern Stage, The Gate, The Bush, Almeida, Dundee Rep, Tron and Camden Peoples Theatre. Recent works include The Gamblers (Greyscale/Dundee Rep), Gods Are Fallen And All Safety Gone (Greyscale) and Dead To Me (Gary Kitching and Co.) Her plays have been performed in UK, Croatia, Russia, Ukraine and Canada. She is currently working on a new production War Is Boring/War Is Fun, which will tour later this year.

Greyscale is a Newcastle based international theatre company formed by a group of established directors, writers, actors, and designers interested in exploring the fringes and gaps of the theatrical process. The company strive to make carefully structured, powerfully live, political and anarchic theatre for a modern audience. In addition to Selma Dimitrijevic, company members include founder member Lorne Campbell, who is now the artistic director of Northern Stage, designers Oliver Townsend, Garance Marneur and Jon Bausor, writer David Ireland, and performers Sandy Grierson and Jimmy Akingbola.

On The Web

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GreyscaleTC  #GodsAreFallen

Website: www.greyscale.org.uk  

Running Time: 55 minutes | Suitable for ages 14+

Directed bySelmaDimitrijevic

Assistant Director Maria Crocker
Designed by Oliver Townsend

Cast: Sean Campion, Scott Turnbull

Tickets:

4 – 6 June           Northern Stage, Newcastle

                             Barras Bridge, NE1 7RH

                             7.30pm | £10 (£8 concs)
                                                www.northernstage.co.uk  | 0191 230 5151

Tour:

21 Apr                                   Farnham Maltings, Surrey

                                                Bridge Sq, Farnham, Surrey GU9 7QR

                                                7.30pm | £12 (£10 concs)

                                                www.farnhammaltings.com  | 01252 745444

23 Apr                                   Harlow Playhouse

                                                Playhouse Square, Town Centre CM20 1LS

                                                8.15pm | £12 (£6.50 U21)

                                                www.playhouseharlow.com  | 01279 431945

24 Apr                                   New Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury

                                                The Friars, Canterbury CT1 2AS

     8pm | £12.75 (£10.75 concs)

                                                www.marlowetheatre.com  | 01227 787 787

26 Apr                                   Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset

                                                9 South Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3NR

7.30pm | £10

                                                www.bridport-arts.com  | 01308 424 204

28 Apr                                   Old Fire Station, Oxford

                                                40 George Street, Oxford OX1 2AQ

7.30pm | £12 (£10 concs)

                                                www.oldfirestation.org.uk  | 01865 263980

30 Apr                                   Letchworth Arts Centre, Hertfordshire

                                                2 The Arcade, Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire SG6 3EW

                                                7.30pm | £10 (£12 on the door)

                                                www.letchwortharts.org  | 01462-670788

1 May                                    Cranleigh Arts Centre, Surrey

                                                1 High Street, Cranleigh GU6 8AS

                                                8pm | Prices TBC

                                                www.cranleighartscentre.org  | 01483 278000

2 May                                    The Phoenix Theatre and Arts Centre, Hampshire

                                                Barbados House, Station Road, Bordon GU35 0LR

                                                7.30pm | £10 (£9 concs/members)

                                                www.cranleighartscentre.org  | 01420 472664

6 – 9 May                              Tron Theatre, Glasgow

                                                63 Trongate, G1 5HB                                        
                                                8pm | £10 - £7.50
                                                www.tron.co.uk | 0141 552 4267

12 – 31 May                         Camden People’s Theatre, London

                                                58-60 Hampstead Road, NW1 2PY

                                                7.30pm (Tues - Sun) | £12 (£10 concs)

                                                www.cptheatre.co.uk | 020 7419 4841

4 – 6 June                             Northern Stage, Newcastle

                                                Barras Bridge, NE1 7RH

                                                7.30pm | £10 (£8 concs)
                                                www.northernstage.co.uk  | 0191 230 5151

12 – 13 June                        Royal Exchange, Manchester (The Studio)
                                                St Anns Square, M2 7DH
                                                7.30pm| £12
                                                www.royalexchange.co.uk  | 0161 833 9833

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