Preview: Make Do and Mend Tour at Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre

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Make Do and Mend Tour

Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre

Thursday 29^th - Friday 30^th September 2016

A visually compelling and moving new play; three poignant local stories of women who have suffered and survived the trauma of Domestic Abuse.

Reflecting on childhood, motherhood and marriage, Make Do and Mend is a powerful production, telling real life stories of County Durham women who have suffered and survived the trauma of Domestic Abuse. Written in verbatim format, it invites the audience to experience first-hand, three poignant local stories, in a visually compelling and moving production.

Audiences have described the work as a “Visual and clever representation, an innovative way to communicate and resonate with people.”

Feedback from the preview performances of Make Do and Mend, to audiences in Newcastle and the European Parliament in Brussels, confirmed that this play has value for those affected by Domestic Abuse as an "empowering" reminder "of courage and hope and that there is a way out."

But it is also a valuable reminder that we are all responsible for bringing an end to this insidious crime; 87% of our preview audience said they would be “more likely to offer to help somebody they suspected was experiencing Domestic Abuse as a result of watching our play”.

The Women’s Voices Project (managed by Changing Relations) was set up in 2014 after the successful Durham Women Rising events in 2013, to give voice to local women and challenge the prevalence of violence perpetrated against them. They have since organised and delivered a number of creative events aimed at empowering women through participatory arts and enabling women survivors of Domestic Abuse across County Durham to shape a performance representative of their experiences.

Women they have worked with have described how important it was to feel that they “were being listened to.” This powerful performance aims to highlight the true extent of DA and its impact on victims and families and encourage our local communities to challenge unacceptable behaviours. They are confident that the result the production is sharing with you now is important, beautiful and true and that it will help more people seek support themselves as well as choosing to offer support to those who need it.

As well as touring to Arts venues and Schools, the company are working with Gentoo Housing in Sunderland and Northumbria University to trial the performance with a drama-based workshop as a training tool for health professionals and housing officers. They believe it has great potential to offer valuable insights into Domestic Abuse.

The producers are immensely grateful to the Big Lottery’s Awards for All programme, County Durham Community Foundation and Arts Council England and they’d like to extend our gratitude to the women and staff of Stanley’s Just For Women Centre for giving them the opportunity to take our work to the next level.

If you or someone you know would benefit from attending a women only performance see the website for details.

Check out the full 2016 Tour schedule by visiting: www.thewomensvoicesproject.com 

Tickets:

When: Thursday 29th and Friday 30th September 2016
Show Begins:7.30pm
Tickets: £7 Full Price / £5 Concession (Student, OAP, Artist, Unwaged) BOOK ONLINE HERE
Where:Alphabetti Theatre, The Basement, 18 New Bridge Street West, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AW
Age Recommendation:13+ (under 16's must be accompanied by an adult)

Preview: Wytch at Newcastle Castle Keep

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Wytch

Newcastle Castle Keep

Friday 14^th October to Monday  31^st October 2016

This October, one of the most mysterious and sinister parts of Newcastle’s history will be exposed inside the fortress that gives the city its name. The makers of ‘Hitler’s Headquarters’, Twenty Seven Live, have teamed up with critically acclaimed writer Lee Mattinson (Crocodiles, The Royal Exchange, Season Ticket, Northern Stage) to present ‘Wytch’: a theatrical event taking place at Newcastle Castle Keep.

By the 17th century, the Castle had outgrown its defensive purpose and was being used as a gaol for the county of Northumberland. Twenty Seven Live will present their performances in the Great Hall of the historic building. Beneath the audience’s feet lies the Castle’s basement where some of the accused ‘witches’ were imprisoned in the 17th century before their trials.

On 21st August, 1650, fourteen women and one man – condemned as “the children of Satan” – were hanged on the Town Moor: the largest mass execution for witchcraft in English history. This came towards the end of an era of paranoia, hysteria and fraud, triggered by the English Civil War.

The witch trials of Newcastle were some of the most notable in the country, and parallels can easily be drawn with the later Salem Witch Trials in the U.S. State of Massachusetts.

Learning Officer at Newcastle Castle, David Silk, explains: “Newcastle had suffered a turbulent decade with plague, and being besieged by the Scots in 1644. This all culminated in a craze for witch-finding in 1649 and 1650. We are very excited to have Twenty Seven Live bring to life the grisly past of our town, and that of one of the darkest chapters in the Castle’s history.”

The witches have more recently been in the local News, when their remains were dug up in the graveyard of St Andrews Church on Newgate Street in 2008, reminding the people of Newcastle of these women and their unnerving deaths almost four hundred years ago.

‘WYTCH’ by Mattinson takes place outside the usual operating hours of the Keep, which is the oldest surviving landmark in the city, and this production will shine a light on some of the unfortunate characters that were imprisoned within its walls.

“Wytch has been unlike any other project I've worked on. I'm usually faced with a blank page on which I can write whatever my heart desires. But with Wytch, came the responsibility to dramatise the very real executions of very real people with little more than a list of names to hand. It explores a climate of paralysing paranoia that lay hidden in the city's history all along and the baffling reality that the world not once hung witches but also wizards.”

Tickets:

Wytch runs from Friday 14^th October until Monday  31^st October 2016 at 7:30pm (with no shows on the 16th, 20th, 22nd, 29th and 30th)

Tickets are £15, with £12.50 concessions and go on sale on the 5th September at 7pm.

See https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/140797 to purchase, or www.twentysevenprodutionsuk.comfor videos, links and more information.

Review: Mary Poppins at Newcastle Theatre Royal

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PRACTICALLY PERFECT MARY POPPINS TAKES OFF

Mary Poppins

Newcastle Theatre Royal

Until Saturday 29^th October 2016

Photo: Johan Persson

Mary Poppins is a popular film and it has made the successful transition to a stage musical. A big West-End production has the wow-factor as a large vibrant cast deliver a thoroughly entertaining show. No wonder that the Theatre Royal audience were on their feet applauding at the end.

Photo: Johan Persson

The story involves the dysfunctional Banks family. George Banks (Neil Roberts) is a strict disciplinarian whose job in the bank is central to his life and his core values. He leaves running the house and domestic matters to his wife Winifred (Rebecca Lock) who was an actress. Their two children are hard to control. Young Jane Banks (Felicity Banks) is messy and has a bad temper. Her brother Michael (Diego Sanna) is not one for following rules.

Photo: Johan Persson

The poor behaviour of the children results in a high turnover in nannies. The children suggest that they’d like someone kind and fair, an idea immediately dismissed by their father but almost immediately Mary Poppins (Zizi Strallen) lands in Cherry Tree Lane to take on the role. Mary takes the children for a magical walk in the park and they meet her friend, the chimney sweep Bert (Matt Lee) and other characters like the Admiral (Graham Hoadly) who is chasing the affection of Miss Lark (Sophie Caton). Whilst the kids are quickly won around, it’ll take a miracle to change the attitude of their father.

Photo: Johan Persson

Cameron Mackintosh has produced a large scale show with high production values. Director Richard Eyre’s action scenes ensure that each person on the stage is in character and interacting with one another. Choreography from Matthew Bourne is tight and entertaining.

Photo: Johan Persson

Some of the wow factor comes from the bright, colourful set and costumes, designed by Bob Crowley, and Natasha Katz’s lighting design.

Photo: Johan Persson

The final icing on the cake is the tight live music from the 12 piece orchestra under the direction of Ian Townsend. They helped with keeping up the energy of the show. Even though it runs for 2 hours 45 minutes, the show flies by and doesn’t lag. The new songs fit in nicely between the old classics like A Spoonful of Sugar and Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

Photo: Johan Persson

On stage there is a great chemistry between the members of the cast. Zizi is well cast at Mary Poppins, the glint in her eye and control of the children is just how you’d imagine the character.  Matt Lee is a much better “one of the lads” Bert than Dick Van Dyke achieved. Neil Roberts captures the father really well whilst Rebecca Lock has a beautiful voice, as showcased in the song Being Mrs Banks.

Photo: Johan Persson

The Banks’s children are being played by a pool of children. On this evening’s show Felicity and Diego act with a maturity which is amazing considering that they’re only 11 and 10 years of age respectively. They didn’t put a foot wrong all night.

Photo: Johan Persson

The colourful set and special effects really add to what is already a magnificent show. Really ingenious set design facilitate the wonderful pace of the show as it changes from house to park to bedroom to the rooftops without stopping the action.  

Photo: Johan Persson

Mary Poppins is, quite rightly, creating a real buzz around Newcastle. A great cast in a stunning production is a real draw for the theatre going public. Our family left the show with grins on our faces as we had seen something rather special.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver the North East Theatre Guide – follow Stephen at @panic_c_button

Read the North East Theatre Guide Preview http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/preview-mary-poppins-at-newcastle.html

 

Photo: Johan Persson

Tickets:
Mary Poppins plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal from Friday 9^th September – Saturday 29^th October 2016. Tickets are from £22.50 and can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge). 

Preview: One Man, Two Guvnors at Newcastle People’s Theatre

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“I’ve got two jobs! How did that happen? Should be alright – as long as I don’t get confused …”

One Man, Two Guvnors

by Richard Bean

Newcastle People’s Theatre

Tuesday 4 to Saturday 8 October 2016

Cocky wide-boy Francis Henshall legs it to Brighton when he’s sacked from his skiffle band.

Ever ravenously hungry and desperate for money, he gets jobs with two very dodgy underworld bosses. Things should be fine as long as they don’t find out about each other, right?

Richard Bean’s award-winning adaptation relocates Carlo Goldini’s 18th century Venetian farce The Servant of Two Masters to 1960s Brighton, losing none of the knockabout pace and comic momentum on the way.

One Man, Two Guvnors is a hilarious romp that has garnered plaudits from the West End to Broadway. So come and be swept along in this heady cocktail of mistaken identity and wise-cracking slapstick, with plenty of pratfalls and a live band along the way!

Richard Gardner (pictured) stars as Francis, the role made famous by James Corden.

This is not Richard’s first time as the hapless chancer, though, having played the part earlier this year with the Queen’s Hall Theatre Club. The Hexham Courant hailed him as “the star of the show”.

Richard says ““I wasn’t ready to retire Francis. It’s the role of a lifetime” so when the opportunity came up to audition for our production, he jumped at it.

This is Richard’s first play with the People’s, but he’s certainly been thrown in at the deep end and is enjoying every moment. “The rehearsal process has been an absolute joy. The People’s works to such a high standard and the members have all been so friendly and welcoming. I’m excited to be given the chance to develop the character further and take it to the stage with new vigour.”

Tickets are selling fast so give the Box Office a call or book online sooner rather than later so you’re not disappointed!

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Tickets:                                       

The £1M redevelopment work continues, but the theatre is still very much open!

Customers can book tickets in advance by telephoning the Box Office on 0191 265 5020 (option 2) during opening hours, or go online to www.peoplestheatre.co.uk. Tickets can also be bought in person on the door from an hour prior to the performance starting, subject to availability. 

Preview: Two Man Show at Newcastle Northern Stage

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After grappling with feminism and tackling porn, RashDash wrestle with masculinity

Two Man Show

Newcastle Northern Stage

Thursday 6^th – Saturday 8^th October 2016

“RashDash are the punk princesses of late night theatre” Guardian

Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen are women playing women playing men in a show about how patriarchy is bad for everyone, and how being a man can be a dangerous, difficult and confusing act. 

In their trademark raw and visceral performance style combining physical theatre and live music, Abbi and Helen asks what it is to be a man in a feminist future, how language is geared towards empowering men, and what men and women really understand about each other.

Photo: Richard Davenport

This October, RashDash are taking their smash hit Edinburgh production Two Man Show on tour coming to Northern Stage this October. A divisive and controversial new show exploring masculinity, the show won a prestigious Fringe First Award from the Scotsman, and was nominated for a Total Theatre Award, and won a Stage Award. Abbi and Helen tackle big issues in their shows, their last show took on the porn industry at the National Theatre and on tour in We Want You To Watch, and before that they explored how women are talked about in the media in The Ugly Sisters…

Performers Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen said, “This is an exciting time to be a woman. This is the beginning of the end of patriarchy. We’re alive and we want to be part of the change. This show is an invitation to men to be part of it too. If you’re not already.  It’s an invitation to create a new language that will allow us to think new thoughts. It’s an invitation to create more space for the people we really are. The show is live music, movement and women playing men and it’s a mass of contradictions. Like the world. Expect to be moved and confused, provoked, tickled and alarmed.”

RashDash are theatre makers and performers Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen. They make theatre combining movement, music and text. Their work is a combination of radical feminist ideas explored through an articulate physical style in a form that they continue to reinvent. RashDash has won two Fringe First Awards (in 2010 and 2011), The Tods Murray Awards for Best Book and Innovation in Musical Theatre, and have received nominations for Total Theatre and Off West End Awards. Their shows include Snow White and Rose Red (Cambridge Junction), We Want You to Watch(National Theatre and national tour), Oh, I Can’t Be Bothered (Finland, Soho Theatre and tour), and The Ugly Sisters (Edinburgh Fringe and national tour).

Becky Wilkie is a composer and musician and a regular collaborator with RashDash having worked on Another Someoneand The Frenzy. Becky has toured internationally with Fear of Menand Bright Light Bright Light and is a regular composer and performer on the Manchester music scene.

Northern Stage in Newcastle has a reputation for breathing new life into classic texts, curating ambitious and sometimes daring contemporary theatre and working with thousands of people every year in a strong participation programme. This is the fifth year that Northern Stage has hosted a programme at the Edinburgh Fringe, presenting some of the most interesting theatre from across the north of England and beyond.

On The Web:

@RashDashTheatre | #TwoManShow | www.rashdash.co.uk

Running Time: 60 minutes | Suitable for ages 14+

Cast & creatives:

Devised and performed by Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen   

Music by Becky Wilkie             

Designed by Oliver Townsend                                                    

Lighting Design by Katharine Williams   

Tickets:

Two Man Show comes to Newcastle Northern Stage on Thursday 6th – Saturday 8th October 2016 at 8pm. Tickets cost £15.50 (concs £13.50) and are available online at www.northernstage.co.uk or from the box office on 0191 230 5151.

Preview: Where Do All the Dead Pigeons Go? at Stockton Arc

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From Teesside to the moon – local man’s play is set for big laughs at ARC this week

Where Do All the Dead Pigeons Go?

Stockton Arc

Thursday 22^nd September 2016

An award-winning theatre maker, actor and Stockton lad is heading to ARC on Thursday to put on quite a show about his beloved Teesside.

Scott Turnbull’s new show Where Do All the Dead Pigeons Go? is not about pigeons at all, but is full of comedy, farce, drawings and anecdotes with some regular nods to Scott’s Stockton roots and his beloved Middlesbrough football club.

It features a funny yet moving friendship with a computerised character based on Middlesbrough FC legend Tony Mowbray, an unusual job advert in a local paper and a rather odd scene about foxes.

Part of the show revolves a character called Darren Smith who moves to the moon after applying for a job he’d seen in a local paper.

The show gained some excellent reviews when it was performed at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and now Scott is excited to bring it to ARC where he is hoping that Teessiders will be able to relate to the humour and local angle of the show.

Speaking about the play and his Teesside upbringing which has helped form its content, Scott said:  “Back in the 80’s when I shared a room with my older brother Neil, we had posters all over the walls- Debbie Harry, Erasure, Pink Floyd and pride of place amongst them all was the 1988/89 Middlesbrough team photo. My brother had somehow managed to get all the players signatures, by spending wet and windy afternoons outside the old Ayresome Park, with my uncle Bill. Naturally, I grew up a fan of the club and an admirer of all things red and white. 

“This year I decided to write my first play. I knew that I wanted to put a little piece of Middlesbrough on stage, and ended up creating Where Do All the Dead Pigeons Go? It's all about Darren Smith- Teesside’s very own ‘man on the moon’. 

“He lives aboard Moon-base 1 with his best friend the T-100. The T-100 is a highly intelligent ‘Zenith-Data, Computer System Robot’ based on former Middlesbrough captain Tony Mowbray…Its surreal, funny and sad all at once. Its also not your average piece of theatre. I think it would appeal to a lot of people in Teesside..after all, it’s kind of written for them!”

Scott graduated from Stockton Riverside college over ten years ago and has worked as a successful actor ever since with appearances on Byker Grove and The Bill. He has worked extensively in theatre, mainly at Northern Stage in Newcastle and also does live voice-over work for Sky One.

Tickets:

You can catch the show at ARC this Thursday at 7pm and it is priced on ARC’s Pay What You Decide pricing, which means you only pay after watching the show and how much you pay is completely up to you, however booking a seat beforehand is advised.

Seats can be booked by calling ARC’s Box Office on 01642 525199 or online at www.arconline.co.uk.

Suitability: 16+