Preview: Broke from The Paper Birds

Where Has The Wealth Gone?

Broke

Newcastle Live Theatre Tuesday 10–Wednesday 11 February

Arts Centre Washington Thursday 12 March

Broke is a new play by The Paper Birds coming to the region visiting Live Theatre on the 10^thand 11^th February and Arts Centre Washington on Thursday 12 March as part of a national tour.

What does it mean to be broke in 2014, as a person and as a country? Based on personal testimonies from nationwide interviews The Paper Birds return to their celebrated verbatim form of theatre to consider pennilessness in an age of personal (and national) debt

There are 13 million people in poverty in the UK and over half of these people are from working families. At Christmas 2013 the Red Cross started asking for food donations for the first time since World War II. What happens when you have to resort to sex work to pay the bills, or try to give up dealing drugs only to end up at a food bank when the money dries up, too? What happens when you have to sell everything you own to buy enough petrol for a journey across the country to visit your parents, or when at 28 you can’t buy anything more than cheap white bread to eat in the supermarket?

From the team behind last year’s celebrated Thirsty, this UK tour of Broke follows its sell-out success at the Edinburgh Fringe 2014. Sharing real life stories from the front line of poverty and debt in the UK, this new piece of verbatim theatre is a heartfelt and urgent look at the debt of a nation from displaced families and gambling addictions to beans on toast and blind leaps of faith onto the property ladder. Based on interviews taken across the UK in 2014, multi award winners The Paper Birds explore what it means to be broke, from ‘feeling the pinch’ to finding yourself penniless, in this visually stunning new production.

The Paper Birds Artistic Director Jemma McDonnell said:  “Broke is the first show we are making in a trilogy about class.  Armed with the statistic that the richest 1% of British people have as much as the bottom 55%, we started as we often do; by going out and speaking to people in food banks, in hostels, in charity and betting shops. As the 2015 Election approaches we are reminded that politics should not belong to the experts, it belongs to us all. Broke opens up a dialogue about austerity, inequality, about poverty and debt and shares some of the real stories and voices behind these shocking statistics.”

Company co-founder, devisor and performer Kylie Walsh said: “When making a new piece of political work, it’s always about what matters to me. I asked that question of myself, ‘what’s relevant to me, my life, my situation’? The answer was a four letter word: debt. I’m in debt. I owe thousands of pounds to credit card companies: and I’m not the only one. There are millions of us racking up huge bills that we can’t afford to pay back, that we can barely afford the interest on. And if I find myself in this situation, in full time work, what other stories can we unearth from across our culture? And crucially, how does the larger deficit, our nation’s debt crisis, filter down to me?”

The Paper Birds strive to create devised work that is culturally, socially and politically observational and conversationally urgent. Their productions emerge from a female perspective, and aim to address and evoke discussion, thought, and emotion when and where it is most needed, whilst retaining the company's signature visual and physical approach. Their past work includes In A Thousand Pieces (Fringe First and Fringe Review award winner, 2008), the highly celebrated sell-out Thirsty (2011) and 2013’s On the One Hand, with Northern Stage at St. Stephen’s. The company has also been shortlisted for Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award, The Stage’s Best Ensemble and Total Theatre’s Best Young Company.

Tickets:

Broke  comes to Live Theatre, Newcastle on Tuesday 10^thand Wednesday 11the February. Tickets cost £14-£10 (£12-£10 over 60s, £5 concs) and can be bought online at www.live.org.uk or from the box office on 0191 232 1232

Broke returns to the region and visits Arts Centre Washington on Thursday 12^thMarch. Tickets cost £8.50/ £6 (conessions) and are available from the Arts Centre Washingtonbox office on 0191 219 3455 or visit www.artscentrewashington.co.uk.

Company Information

Devised by The Paper Birds        

Directed by Jemma McDonnell

Composer Shane Durrant 

Audio Visual design by The Media Workshop

Lighting design by Kylie Walsh   

Set design by Fiametta Horvat and The Media Workshop 

Produced by Bonnie Mitchell

Performed by Jemma McDonnell, Kylie Walsh and Shane Durrant                

Broke is co-commissioned by and developed at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Greenwich Theatre. Funded by Arts Council England.

Tour Information

4 – 6 Feb                               West Yorkshire Playhouse

                                                Playhouse Square, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS2 7UP

                                                £14 | 7.30pm, Thurs and Fri matinees 2pm

                                                www.wyp.org.uk  | 0113 213 7700

9 Feb                                     Guildhall Arts Centre, Grantham

                                                Saint Peter's Hill, Grantham NG31 6PZ

                                                £12 (£10 concs, £5 U25s) | 7.30pm

                                                www.guildhallartscentre.com  | 01476 406158

10 – 11 Feb                          Live Theatre, Newcastle

                                                Broad Chare, Quayside, Newcastle upon TyneNE1 3DQ

                                                £14-£10 (£12-£10 over 60s, £5 concs) | 7.30pm

                                                www.Live.org.uk  | 0191 232 1232

12 Feb                                   Lincoln Drill Hall

                                                Free School Ln, Lincoln LN2 1EY

                                                £12 (£9 concs, £5 students) | 8pm

                                                www.lincolndrillhall.com   | 01522 873894 

13 Feb                                   StamfordArts Centre, Lincolnshire

                                                27 Saint Mary's Street, Stamford, Lincolnshire PE9 2DL        

                                                £12 (£10 concs, £5 U25s) | 7.30pm

                                                www.stamfordartscentre.com  | 01780 763203

23 Feb                                   Richard Whitely Theatre, Giggleswick

                                                Gigglesworth School, Settle, North Yorkshire BD24 0DE

                                                £10 (£8 for under 18s) | 7.30pm

                                                www.giggleswick.org.uk/rwt  | 01729 893180

24 Feb                                   The Core at Corby Cube

                                                The Corby Cube Parkland Gateway George Street, Corby, Northamptonshire NN17 1QG

                                                Tickets from £8.50 + booking fee | 7.30pm

                                                www.thecorecorby.com  | 01536 470470

25 Feb                                   Brewhouse Arts Centre, Burton-upon-Trent

                                                Duke St, Burton-upon-Trent DE14 1EB

                                                £10 (£8)  Students and schools £6 | 8pm

                                                www.brewhouse.co.uk   | 01283 508100

26 Feb                                   mac birmingham

                                                Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham, B12 9QH

                                                £14 (£12). Schools £12 (buy 10 get 1 free) | 8pm

                                                www.macbirmingham.co.uk  | 0121 446 3232

27 Feb                                   Uppingham Theatre

                                                32 Stockerston Road, Uppingham, Oakham, Leicestershire LE15 9UD

                                                £10 (£8.50). Schools £9.50 | 7.30pm

                                                www.uppinghamtheatre.co.uk  | 01572 820820

3 – 7 Mar                               Theatre Royal, Plymouth

                                                Royal Parade, Plymouth PL1 2TR 

                                                £14.70 (£10.70) | 7.45pm                                                               

                                                www.theatreroyal.com  | 01752 267 222                

10 Mar                                   Waterside Arts Centre, Sale

                                                1 Waterside, SaleM33 7ZF

                                                £12 (£10). Schools £6 | 7.30pm

                                                www.watersideartscentre.co.uk  | 0161 912 5616

11 Mar                                   The Met, Bury

                                                Market Street, Bury, Lancashire BL9 0BW

                                                £10 (£8). Schools £6 | 7.30pm

                                                www.themet.biz  | 0161 761 2216

12 Mar                                   Arts Centre, Washington

                                                Biddick Lane, Washington, Tyne and Wear NE38 8AB

                                                £8.50 (£6). Schools £5 | 7.30pm

                                                www.Artscentrewashington.co.uk | 0191 219 3455

Preview: The Sooty Show Live at South Shields Customs House

Bear-y Nice Show Comes

To The Customs House

The Sooty Show Live

South Shields Customs House

Saturday February 7

Everyone’s favourite puppet is celebrating 65 years in show business with a nationwide tour.

Sooty will joined by his canine chum Sweep, panda friend Soo and host Richard Cadell, for The Sooty Show Live at The Customs House in South Shields on Saturday, February 7.

Richard said: “Making the TV show is great fun, but you can't beat the reaction you get from a live audience.  Working on stage, there's a chance for some interaction and for the whole family to get involved, and I think it's important to make sure the adults enjoy the show as much as the children do. You get so much more of a buzz performing in front of a live audience - it's quite exhilarating, really!  The show is everything you'd expect from a Sooty Show - magic, music and mayhem! It's all about Sooty's birthday and the gang are desperately trying to get everything ready in time. Inevitably, things don't go according to plan, and when the ingredients for the cake are unleashed, things get a little bit messy!”

The Sooty Show is the longest running children’s programme in the world. 

Whether it’s children discovering the characters for the first time or adults enjoying the nostalgic experience with their little ones, The Sooty Show Live is for the whole family. With all the charm that Sooty fans, young and old have come to expect, this is a show that captivates its audience.

Sooty added: “I’m really looking forward to meeting Sooty fans old and new – and I can’t wait to squirt the Mums and Dads with my water pistol!”

Richard’s delighted to be on the road and helping to continue the Sooty legacy. He added: “I think I'm quite in awe about the whole thing and, obviously, I'm hugely proud to be the man who looks after Sooty.  Everyone who works on the show is passionate and enthusiastic and totally devoted to preserving this little bear's legacy, and I'm sure Sooty will go on to entertain children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren for many more years to come!   The best thing about my job is that I get to work with Sooty! It's an absolute dream come true for me and I couldn't ask for anything more. It's also great to meet people from all walks of life who come up to me after the live shows and share their own childhood memories of Sooty - most of them have children themselves now! It's an honour to see how this little bear has entertained so many people for so many years, and I'm immensely proud to be a part of it.”

Tickets:

The Sooty Show Live is on at The Customs House at 11am and 2.30pm on Saturday, February 7. Tickets are £12, £10 concession and £38 for a family ticket.

Tickets are available from the box office on 0191 454 1234 or by visiting www.customshouse.com.

Preview: Godspell In Concert at Sunderland Empire

Casting Announced For 

Godspell In Concert

Godspell In Concert

SunderlandEmpire

Sunday 3 May 2015

This spring Godspell In Concert, the legendary rock musical from Stephen Schwartz, the Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer of WICKED, returns to the UK's stages and will be at the Sunderland Empire for one night only on Sunday 3 May 2015.

Following its nationwide search for local choirs to take part in ensemble roles, the production's lead cast are today revealed.

Jade Ewen

Jade Ewen makes up one third of the multi-million selling pop group Sugababes. The Brit Award winning group have sold in excess of 15million records worldwide, including 6 UK number 1 singles and 6 UK top ten albums. Jade originally came to fame in 2009 representing the UK at the Eurovision Song Contest. Having been chosen by the public she performed the Andrew Lloyd Webber penned It's My Time achieving fifth place making her our most successful act in the last 13 years. Notable theatrical roles include Young Nala in the West End production of The Lion King and Clara in Regent's Park Open Air Theatre staging of the classic Gershwin piece, Porgy and Bess.

Andy Abraham

Since coming second on the X Factor in 2005 - where he was dubbed 'Voice of the People' thanks to his searing, soulful interpretations - Andy Abraham has sold out the Royal Albert Hall, released four albums (which have sold over half a million copies) and has taken theatre audiences by storm with the UK's leading big band on his History of the Big Bands theatre tour. He returns to the roles of Judas Iscariot and John the Baptist following his celebrated performance in Godspell In Concert's 2014's charity gala at Shaftesbury Avenue's Lyric Theatre held in support of the Make-A-Wish-Foundation UK.

Leanne Jarvis

Leanne Jarvis came to prominence following stunning performances on the BBCShow The Voice UK. Described as a naturally gifted singer with amazing range and tone, Will.I.AM turned his chair in support of Essex girl with huge heart and an even bigger voice.

Tom Senior

Tom Senior is introduced to the show in the role of Jesus. 'With a string of top musical theatre credits behind his name including Fame, Billy, H.M.S Pinafore and as lead vocalist in the European tour of The British Pop Invasion, Tom is currently appearing in the West End production of Jersey Boys at the Piccadilly Theatre

By permission of Stephen Schwartz, composer of Wicked and Pippin, Russell Scott and Mark Pettitt for Godspell in Concert UK Ltd will produce the 12 week UK tour, which features the Broadway revival score. Kenneth Avery-Clark directs the production which was critically lauded at its London performance and Russell Scott, Musical Director is at the helm of the show's spectacular new orchestration

On The Web:

Website: www.godspellinconcert.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/GodspellUK

Facebook: www.facebook.com/godspellinconcert

Tickets:

Tickets available in person at the Box Office from £21 or from £23.90 via the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* or online at www.atgtickets.com/Sunderland *

*Booking fees apply to telephone and online bookings.

Preview: Breakfast Hearts / Choirplay at Live Theatre

A pioneering new theatre company present a double bill of plays by award-winning writer Robin French

Wednesday 15 to Saturday 18 October, 
Breakfast Hearts / Choirplay
Presented by The Six Twenty
Written by Robin French 
Directed by Melanie Rashbrooke

Due to demand the run of Breakfast Hearts / Choirplay is being extended at Live Theatre. They've added two extra performances on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 February. The Wednesday and Thursday performances are now sold out.

From Robin French, the award-winning writer of Bear Hug (Royal Court) and screenwriter of Cuckoo(BBC 3), comes a double bill of piercingly funny and irreverent plays about what it means to live and love in the 21^st century – with Ikea and cannibalism.

Breakfast Hearts / Choirplay is presented by The Six Twenty from Wednesday 18 February to Saturday 21 February at 7.30pm in Live Theatre’s intimate Studio Theatre. The Six Twenty is a pioneering new theatre company, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, created by theatre director Melanie Rashbrooke.

Breakfast Hearts is a dark and disturbing comedy following two mismatched couples determined to find love. This sharp satire offers a startling exploration of the harsh realities of relationships. And cannibalism.

Breakfast Hearts features an exciting cast of up-and-coming north east talent including Alex Tahnée, one eighth of north east theatre company The Letter Room, as a wife that can’t swim who is obsessed with buying a pool and Chris Foley (10 Minutes To...Take Off, Mixtape and Write Stuff, Live Theatre) as a loud-mouth insurance broker who saws his secretary (Amy Foley) in half. They’re joined by an innumerate accountant (Stan Hodgson) and his obsessive girlfriend who has unexpected urges (Katie Powell) and her first husband (Steven Blackshaw). Joining the Breakfast Hearts cast in Choirplay are Glen Collier, Jessica Dawson, Zoë Hakin and Hannah Walker.

Choirplay is an audacious experiment with form and style in which the eternal problem of finding happiness is pitted against our insatiable modern desire for never-ending choice. Featuring a cast of ten, Choirplay takes a wry and cynical swipe at our endless battle with wanting more. Society’s individuals blend to become one in this hauntingly compelling play of voices searching for the ultimate fulfilment of true happiness.

The plays were originally produced as work-in-development showings at Theatre503 in 2007, by Tickle Productions. The Six Twenty are previewing the shows for the first time as full scale productions.

As Melanie Rashbrooke, The Six Twenty’s artistic director explains:

“I’m thrilled to be previewing this double bill at Live Theatre early next year as The Six Twenty’s first official production. Ever since I was involved with the initial work-in-development showings of Robin’s plays, at Theatre503, I’ve always wanted to direct them and see them produced as full scale shows. I’m particularly excited to bring the double bill to Newcastle and preview them at Live Theatre, which is a powerhouse of bold new theatre. We’ve got a fantastic cast of emerging north east talent who are going to bring these piercingly funny and poignant plays to life. I hope you can join us”

Robin French’s first play, Bear Hug, was produced at The Royal Court in 2004, and he was one of Paines Plough and Channel 4’s Future Perfect writers. He was chosen by The Observer as one of Britain's brightest up and coming talents in 2005. He has twice been chosen as a Broadcast Hotshot (2006 and 2008). His short film Crocodile won production funding from the BFI and was nominated for a BIFA for Best British short. In 2014, the completed film went on to win awards at Cannes, Encounters, and Guanajuato festival in Mexico.He’s also recently co-written the hit BBC3 sitcom Cuckoo with his best friend from school, Kieron Quirke.

“Blazingly funny, intensely disturbing and audaciously ambitious”
The Times on Bear Hug

Tickets

These bold and ambitious shows will be performed in Live Theatre’s Studio Theatre from  Wednesday 18 February to Saturday 21 February  at 7.30pm. Tickets for Breakfast Hearts / Choirplay cost £8 full price and £6 concessions and can be booked by contacting Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232 or by visiting www.live.org.uk.