Review: Money The Gameshow at Hexham Queens Hall

What’s the value of money?

Money The Gameshow

Hexham Queens Hall

Until 25^thSeptember then on tour

The bursting of the banking bubble affected us all back in 2008. Trying to produce an entertaining production about the causes of a financial disaster may not appear to be the material of a riveting yet extremely entertaining production and yet Clare Duffy has managed to achieve the impossible. By merging the story of the mismanagement of extremely large sums of money with the format of an interactive game show Unlimited Theatre have produced some quality theatre.

The audience are split into two competing teams: the gregarious Queenie leads one team whilst the risk taking Casino takes the other. Suzanne Robertson uses her charisma to encourage the audience, in her Queenie team, onto the stage to take part in challenges. Stuart Ryan, as Casino, has the competitive streak to match that of his female counterpart.  By using a set of straightforward games, the nature of the various banking gambles are explained as each team tries to get its share of the £10, 000 of real pound coins that start the show on the stage. 

It is real credit to the actors that people are made to feel at ease and never pushed to do anything that they don’t want to do – this is an interactive show that is not about embarrassing anyone other than the bankers and fund managers in the story.

The set and the lighting help make the scene feel more like a tv game show set than a theatre.  Just like a show on the box, the pace is rapid helping the time to fly by.

The production is a startling reminder of the collective belief that money has real value and in the ability of the few to make rash decisions with the property of the many.  As the show draws the audience in, it is able both entertain and educate. This is a great production as it leaves you pondering the serious questions as you leave. The end product is a thoroughly entertaining evening of which Unlimited Theatre can be justifiably proud.

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

Written and directed by: Clare Duffy

Assistant Director: Jenna Watt

Performed by: Suzanne Robertson (Queenie) and Stuart Ryan (Casino)

Designer: Rhys Jarman

Lighting Designer: Richard Godin

Sound Designer: Matt Angove

Original Music by: David Edwards

Stage Management by: Simon Perkins

An Unlimited Theatre and Bush Theatre co-production

On The Web:

Trailer: http://vimeo.com/93383644

Website: www.unlimited.org.uk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/untheatre

#moneygameshow

Tour Dates:

Bishop Auckland Town Hall – 22 September

Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham – 24 & 25 September

Saltburn Community Theatre – 26 September

Seaton Delaval Arts Centre – 27 September

The Customs House, South Shields – 29 & 30 September

Arts Centre Washington – 2 October

Alnwick Playhouse – 3 October

ARC Stockton Arts Centre – 8 & 9 October

Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre – 10 & 11 October

For booking information see: http://www.unlimited.org.uk/performance-calendar/

Preview: MONEY the game show on NE tour

MONEY the game show

Written and directed by Clare Duffy

Designed by Rhys Jarman Lighting Design by Richard Godin.

Sound Design by Matt Angove. Original Music by David Edwards

An Unlimited Theatre and Bush Theatre co-production

MONEY the game show is a playful journey through the madness of the financial system from Leeds-based Unlimited Theatre and London’s acclaimed new writing venue the Bush Theatre.

Casino and Queenie used to be hedge fund managers. Before the financial crisis of 2008, that is. Now, in an inspired - or desperate - career move, they’ve turned to performance art to share their stories of how to make (and lose) billions from economic downturn.

Playing with £10,000 in real pound coins, you are invited to bet long, short and hedge, as game show hosts Casino and Queenie challenge you to play a series of high stake games that show how the world’s economic system came to the brink of collapse.

Risk takers to the front, risk averse to the back. Welcome to MONEY the game show.

The Bush Theatre teams up with Unlimited Theatre to take a playful and politically sharp look at the roots of the 2008 financial crisis and its ongoing impact in 2014, as well as tackle the bigger questions: What is money? What is it worth? And what happens when we stop believing in it?

MONEY the game show was first developed as part of the Platform 18: New Directions Award, supported by The Arches, Traverse Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland. It was fully produced by Unlimited Theatre and the Bush Theatre, with the full production receiving its world premiere in Feb 2013. The Autumn 2014 tour is presented as part of REACH, a project bringing new theatre to the North East, managed by ARC Stockton and Dep Arts Ltd and funded by Arts Council England.

Clare Duffy is a founding member of Unlimited Theatre, a freelance playwright and has recently completed a PhD by practice in writing for performance at Glasgow University. Her first full length play, Crossings, was commissioned by Sgript Cymru, won a Pearson award and a year-long residency at the West Yorkshire Playhouse where she wrote A Good Man. She has co-written most of Unlimited's work, including Neutrino, Zero Degrees and Drifting, Tangle, The Moon The Moon, Mission to Mars and The Giant and The Bear. Other works include Local Reality Expo (CCA, Unity Theatre / Homotopia, Chapter Arts Centre), The Fall (BBC Radio 4), Black Tonic (The Other Way Works, national touring) and Ana (Stellar Quines and Imago Theatre, Montreal). In 2011 Duffy was awarded the Platform 18: New Directions Award to begin work on MONEY the game show (Traverse, The Arches).

Based in Leeds UK, Unlimited is what happens when the artists Clare Duffy, Jon Spooner and Chris Thorpe make new work together. This work is always co-created with equal partnership in the creative process and in collaboration with an expanding pool of associate artists, scientists, technologists and educators. At its heart is a sincere engagement with its audience both in the process and moment of (co)creation. Unlimited formed in 1997 and is currently the resident company at West Yorkshire Playhouse. Recent shows include The Noise, The Giant & The Bear, Mission To Mars and The Ethics of Progress and recent awards for the company include Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Achievement in Space Education and Outreach 2011; National Charity Awards 2011 (Arts, Culture and Heritage); and WISE Champion Award 2011.

On The Web:

Trailer: http://vimeo.com/93383644

Website: www.unlimited.org.uk

Twitter: www.twitter.com/untheatre

#moneygameshow

Tour Dates:

Bishop Auckland Town Hall – 22 September

Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham – 24 & 25 September

Saltburn Community Theatre – 26 September

Seaton Delaval Arts Centre – 27 September

The Customs House, South Shields – 29 & 30 September

Arts Centre Washington – 2 October

Alnwick Playhouse – 3 October

ARC Stockton Arts Centre – 8 & 9 October

Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre – 10 & 11 October

For booking information see: http://www.unlimited.org.uk/performance-calendar/

Preview: MONEY the game show at Seaton Delaval Arts Centre

MONEY the game show

Seaton Delaval Arts Centre

Saturday 27th September 2014
Written and directed by Clare Duffy.

MONEY the game show is a playful journey through the madness of the financial system from Leeds-based Unlimited Theatre and London’s acclaimed new writing venue the Bush Theatre. 

Casino and Queenie used to be hedge fund managers. Before the financial crisis of 2008, that is. Now, in an inspired - or desperate - career move, they’ve turned to performance art to share their stories of how to make (and lose) billions from economic downturn. Playing with £10,000 in real pound coins, you are invited to bet long, short and hedge, as game show hosts Casino and Queenie challenge you to play a series of high stake games that show how the world’s economic system came to the brink of collapse. 

Risk takers to the front, risk averse to the back. Welcome to MONEY the game show.

The Bush Theatre teams up with Unlimited Theatre to take a playful and politically sharp look at the roots of the 2008 financial crisis and its ongoing impact in 2014, as well as tackle the bigger questions: What is money? What is it worth? And what happens when we stop believing in it? 

MONEY the game show was first developed as part of the Platform 18: New Directions Award, supported by The Arches, Traverse Theatre and National Theatre of Scotland. It was fully produced by Unlimited Theatre and the Bush Theatre, with the full production receiving its world premiere in Feb 2013 and it now tours England and Scotland in Spring 2014.

This performance comes to the Seaton Delaval Arts Centre as part of REACH, a project bringing new theatre to the North East, managed by ARC Stockton and Dep Arts Ltd and funded by Arts Council England. Over the next 4 years a number of critically acclaimed and new pieces will be showcased at the centre for audiences to enjoy and experience.

On The Web:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/untheatre 

Facebook: www.facebook.com/untheatre

Website: www.unlimited.org.uk/projects/money
Trailer: Trailer link 

Tickets:

MONEY the game show takes place on Saturday 27th September 2014 at 7.30pm with tickets priced at £8.00 and £6.00 for concessions. Tickets available from the Box Office on 0191 237 5460 or online at www.seatondelavalartscentre.com.

Tour:

September 22, 2014 Bishop Auckland Town Hall

September 24-25, 2014 Queen's Hall Arts Centre, Hexham

September 26, 2014 Saltburn Community Theatre

September 27, 2014 Seaton Delaval Arts Centre

September 29, 2014 The Customs House, South Shields

September 30, 2014 The Customs House, South Shields

October 2, 2014 Arts Centre, Washington

October 3, 2014 Alnwick Playhouse

October 8, 2014 ARC Stockton Arts Centre

October 9, 2014 ARC Stockton Arts Centre

October 10-11, 2014 Hartlepool Town Hall