Thursday 3 – Saturday 5 December 2015
Turning Pages
Turning Pages is an exhilarating selection of new short plays written by young playwrights which opens this week and runs at Live Theatre from Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 December 2015.
The six plays will be brought to life in Live Theatre’s Main Theatre by a professional cast that includes Chris Connel (The Pitmen Painters, Wet House), Natalie Jamieson (Michaela’s Mistake) and Donald McBride (The Pitmen Painters, Chalet Lines).
Written by talent young writers aged 13 to 15 year olds from Furrowfield School, Gateshead and Red House Academy, Sunderland, Turning Pages promises an eclectic mix of colourful characters and stories with plenty of laughs along the way. The plays include a futuristic warning against vanity, dares and doctors, dolls and diagnoses.
Over a number of weeks the young playwrights worked with established writers including Paddy Campbell (Wet House, Day of the Flymo), Laura Lindow (Your Aunt Fanny) and Lee Mattinson (Chalet Lines, Donna Disco) to help develop their plays throughWrite Stuff, Live Theatre’s acclaimed playwriting programme for young people.
Following a sold-out script-in-hand performance in Live Theatre’s Studio Theatre earlier this year, these six selected plays have been further developed and rehearsed with professional actors and directors for full productions in the Main Theatre.
The plays written by students from Furrowfield School in Gateshead are Doctor Death by Lee Harrison, Soulless and Goallessby Leonnie Lartey and Scary House by Reece Weightman. The plays written by students from Red House Academy in Sunderland are Could It Be A Tuna? by Nathan Beckett, Memories Of The Sea by Amy Connor, and Never Never Land by Lauren Dickson.
Zoë Whitby, English Co-ordinator at Furrowfield School said:
“Write Stuff is a project that mentally and physically engages young people in the writing process. Writing skills are being developed, confidence is growing and young writers have become totally engaged in a project that they are beginning to drive for themselves. I can’t wait for the end result.”
The Good Review, said about plays developed through the same process by Live Theatre with young writers from Excelsior Academy, Newcastle:
“This was a special evening, a sort of artistic epiphany… It shatters the illusion that theatre is inaccessible and offers live art to a brand new, young and exciting audience. What a fabulous initiative and what a marvellous, thrilling night at the theatre.” ★★★★★ The Good Review
Audiences at previous performances said:
“A fantastic evening. The writing and performances were breath-taking.”
“Very impressive and entertaining range of drama, comedy and action. Very talented writing on show. It is great to see new and exciting ideas brought to life by Live Theatre.”
“Well produced, very good acting, good timing and scripts – excellent opportunity for young writers.”
Turning Pages is at Live Theatre, Newcastle at 7.30pm from Thursday 3 to Saturday 5 December, with two morning performances at 10.30am on Thursday 3 and Friday 4 December. Tickets cost £8 with £6 concessions and are available from Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232 or online at www.live.org.uk
Listing:
Thursday 4 December – Saturday 6 December
Turning Pages
Turning Pages is an exhilarating selection of new short plays written by young playwrights from Furrowfield School in Gateshead and Redhouse Academy in Sunderland. Performed by professional actors Turning Pages promises an eclectic mix of colourful characters and stories with plenty of laughs along the way.
DATE: Thursday 4 December – Saturday 6 December
LOCATION: Main Theatre
DURATION: 1hr 45mins
SUITABILITY: 11+
TICKETS: £8, £6 concessions
About Live Theatre
Live Theatre is recognised as one of the great new writing theatres on the international stage. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne it is also deeply rooted in its local community.
Live Theatre produces work as varied and diverse as the audiences it engages with. As well as championing the art of writing for stage by producing and presenting new plays, Live Theatres uses theatre to unlock the potential of young people and finds, nurtures and trains creative talent. Through its creative enterprises it is also developing new models of business sustainability and growth.
Founded in 1973, the theatre was transformed in 2007. The result is a beautifully restored and refurbished complex of five Grade II listed buildings with state-of-the-art facilities in a unique historical setting, including a cabaret style theatre, a studio theatre, renovated rehearsal rooms, a series of dedicated writer’s rooms as well as a thriving café and bar.
Live Theatre is a national leader in developing new strategies for increasing income and assets for the charity. New developmentLive Works joins The Broad Chare pub, online playwriting course www.beaplaywright.com and The Schoolhouse (an office space for creative and digital businesses), as one of Live Theatre’s capital and digital creative enterprises, increasing its future income through additional new unrestricted funds.
For more information see www.live.org.uk
Live Theatre is grateful for the support of Arts Council England and the Newcastle Culture Investment Fund through the Community Foundation, and its many other friends and supporters.
Cait Read
Marketing Manager
Live Theatre
Broad Chare
Quayside
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 3DQ
I work Tuesday to Fridays at Live Theatre
Tel: (0191) 229 2378 (direct line)
Fax: (0191) 232 2224
Box Office: (0191) 232 1232
www.live.org.uk
Turning Pages, the newest selection of short plays to emerge from Live Theatre’s acclaimed playwriting initiative Write Stuff is performed at Live Theatre from Thursday 3 – Saturday 5 December. Join us for an eclectic mix of colourful characters and stories with plenty of laughs along the way.