Brad Shaw today launches the Wonderland Challenge, in which 165 actors and voice artists have come together to record Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, with each performer reading one minute of the novel. Those involved include Gyles Brandreth, Ruth Jones, Juliet Stevenson, Michael Palin and Harriet Walter. Also reading extracts are Christopher Biggins, John Challis, Henry Goodman, Angela Griffin, Patricia Hodge, Alex Jennings, Griff Rhys Jones, Phyllis Logan, Kevin McNally, and eight cast members of The Archers. The project is in aid of the NHS, with over £3000 of the £10,000 target raised so far.
Five one-minute recordings will be released each day on www.wonderlandchallenge.com until the entire novel is available. The first ten minutes were released today, featuring Hayley-Marie Axe, Claudie Barba, Sarah Borges, Ellie Darvill, Brenda Longman, Julie Love, Catherine Millsom, Brad Shaw, Helen Suzanne, and Ferha Syed.
Brad Shaw said today, “As someone with ‘underlying health conditions’, I’m one of the twelve-week isolators. To stop myself going mad I learnt basic web design and launched isomeet.co.uk as a social and information hub during isolation. I also wanted to do something joyful to get me through, and having been a voice actor for many years I wondered if I could persuade other pro voice artists to record a minute of Alice in Wonderland and donate a tenner to the NHS. Within days, I had filled all 165 slots and a host of wonderfully talented high-profile actors also agreed to join. Each time I listen to a recording, I fill up a bit, they are all wonderful. It’s been a fabulous life-affirming project. I can’t wait for the public to hear it.”
For a trailer of the project, featuring readings from Christopher Biggins, Henry Goodman, Alex Jennings, Phyllis Logan, and Kevin McNally, with an introduction from Brad Shaw, please visit here.
Wonderland Challenge was created by voice artist Brad Shaw (@showreelz) to bring actors and voice artists together for a creative project, and to give back to the frontline NHS workers. Shaw is in self-isolation due to a stage 3 melanoma, and created his website as a social hub for others isolating, to share tips, anecdotes and useful links.
Bristol Old Vic announces free season of streamed shows as part of city-wide Arts Channel
Bristol Old Vic today announced three of the five titles that will be streamed on YouTube as part of the Bristol Arts Channel, a lockdown lifeline for audiences missing the buzz and community of Bristol’s brilliant arts scene. The Bristol Arts Channel will unveil its pilot programme next week, bringing together venues and artists from across the city to create moments of online togetherness in May and June. Founding partners include Bristol Old Vic, Watershed, Colston Hall, St Pauls Carnival, Trinity, Spike Island, St George’s Bristol, MAYK, Arnolfini, Paraorchestra & Friends and Bristol Museums with support from Bristol & Bath Creative R&D and The Space. More details on how artists and audiences can get involved will also be shared.
The programme will include streamed performances, live and archived, interactive events, carnivalesque experiments, online galleries and mini-festivals, all curated by Bristol’s cultural organisations to give audiences the pleasure and thrill of going out from the comfort of their own home. Curtain-raiser events include Colston Hall’s live-streamed music festival Bristol Takeover Online on Sat 23 May and Complicité‘s ground-breaking show The Encounter.
Bristol Old Vic’s season will form a part of Bristol Old Vic’s At Home offer, launched in April and designed to maintain the theatre’s close connection to its audiences, artists and city.
Bristol Old Vic’s pilot season will include Messiah, A Monster Calls and The Grinning Man, with two more titles announced shortly. Each production will preview on Friday evenings at 7pm and will be available through Bristol Old Vic’s website free of charge for a week.
Performances will feature additional material in order to make the experience closer to ‘going out’ while actually being at home.
Tom Morrissaid today, “Watching theatre on your screen at home is not the same as experiencing a play in a beautiful auditorium with hundreds of others. That is why our ambition for this pilot season is not only to make some of Bristol’s most-loved plays accessible to a wider audience, but also to give people a little taste of the magic they may experience when they step into our theatre on King Street, from arriving at the bar to taking your seat as the lights go down. It’s that transformational feeling of surprise and delight that we want to share and celebrate.”
From Fri 29 May, Bristol Old Vic will present the cinema capture of its critically acclaimed 2017 production of Handel’s Messiah. The dramatised production was staged by Bristol Old Vic’s Tony Award-winning Artistic Director Tom Morris, with design by Anna Orton (King Lear, Extraordinary Wall of Silence). It features internationally renowned soloists Catherine Wyn Rogers and Julia Doyle, The Erebus Ensemble (Songs of Hope) and Europe’s most celebrated Baroque orchestra, The English Concert, under the revered baton of Conductor Harry Bicket. Jamie Beddard (The Elephant Man) performs the central non-speaking role of The Beloved.
On Fri 7 Jun, Bristol Old Vic will co-present the Olivier Award-winning Old Vic production of A Monster Calls, created in association with Bristol Old Vic, Jonathan Church Productions and Global Creatures. Based on the bestselling novel by Patrick Ness and inspired by an original idea from Siobhan Dowd, the stage adaptation directed by Sally Cookson (Jane Eyre, Peter Pan) was captured featuring the original cast on camera at the Old Vic in August 2018. The play centres on thirteen-year-old Conor who is visited by a monster who has come to tell him tales from when it walked before, offering a dazzling insight into love, life and healing.
To finish off its first At Home season, on Fri 26 Jun, Bristol Old Vic will stream the trailblazing musical from Artistic Director Tom Morris, The Grinning Man. Following a triumphant premiere as part of the Theatre’s 250th Anniversary Season, the show went on to play in London’s West End in 2017 where it garnered a cult-following across the globe. Based on Victor Hugo’s The Man Who Laughs, the macabre musical tells the story of Grinpayne, a fairground act with a hideous smile, who is helped by an old man, a lone wolf and a blind girl as he journeys to share his terrible secret with the world. Brought to life by writer Carl Grose (Dead Dog in a Suitcase) and “powered by an outstanding score” (The Sunday Times) from Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler, the production features puppetry from Gyre & Gimble, the original puppeteers of War Horse. Bristol Old Vic hopes that this blackly comic conclusion to the season will prove that laughter really is the best medicine.
In the interim, ahead of the premiere of Messiah, Bristol Old Vic will be broadcasting Complicité’s The Encounter, a solo performance by Simon McBurney which was last seen on the Bristol Old Vic stage in 2017. Inspired by National Geographic photographer Loren McIntyre, who, in 1969, became lost in a remote part of the Brazilian rainforest, The Encouter incorporates ground-breaking binaural sound design to question our perceptions of time and our own consciousness. Audiences will be able to tune into the performance from Fri 15 May at 7pm from the Bristol Old Vic website.
The remaining two titles of Bristol Old Vic’s pilot season of streamed work will be announced on 29 May.
Click here to find out more about Bristol Old Vic At Home. Click here to subscribe to Bristol Old Vic’s YouTube channel.
LAMBERT JACKSON PRODUCTIONS AND THE THEATRE CAFÉ CONCLUDE THEIR LEAVE A LIGHT ON SERIES WITH A FAREWELL CONCERT BY BEVERLEY KNIGHT
Lambert Jackson Productions and TheTheatre Café today announce that after 72 shows, the Leave a Light On series will end on Friday 29 May at 6.30pm with a finale concert by Beverley Knight. Other performers in the final week include Adam Bailey, Scott Hunter, Joel Harper-Jackson, and David O’Reilly.
Jamie Lambert and Eliza Jackson said today, “Theatre is the lifeblood of the UK. We have always believed this, and we are grateful to have worked with The Theatre Café to bring entertainment to households around the UK and the world in a way that has supported so many artists. We have been so moved by the responses from both the performers who wanted to be involved and the audience members who have supported the shows. It hasn’t been without difficulty – creating a streaming platform of this size during a lockdown isn’t easy and we’d like to thank our amazing team at Gininet and all of the teams and the press who have supported this endeavour. We feel it’s a fitting end to the series to have Beverley Knight as the closing show, and we are going to continue working to see how we can play our part to help keep theatre alive for the foreseeable future.”
Over the 10-week series, Leave a Light On became one of the biggest paid for sources of theatrical entertainment in the country. By the end of the series, 72 artists will have performed 45-minute concerts from their homes, and over £30,000 will have been raised for those performers.
Lambert Jackson Productions and The Theatre Café would like to express their deepest gratitude to the artists involved for working hard to put on an incredible variety of shows, and also the audiences who purchased tickets to keep theatre alive during one of the most difficult and unprecedented times in history.
DAVID WALLIAMS’ GANGSTA GRANNY RETURNS TO DARLINGTON HIPPODROME
Tickets are on sale now for the award winning children’s story by David Walliams which is brought to life at Darlington Hippodrome from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 February 2021.
It’s Friday night and Ben knows that means only one thing – staying with Granny! There will be cabbage soup, cabbage pie and cabbage cake and Ben knows one thing for sure – it’s going to be sooooooooo boring! But what Ben doesn’t know is that Granny has a secret – and Friday nights are about to get more exciting than he could ever imagine, as he embarks on the adventure of a lifetime with his very own Gangsta Granny!
From the acclaimed producers of Billionaire Boy and Awful Auntie comes the award-winning West End production of this amazing story by David Walliams, the UK’s best-selling author for children.
Gangsta Granny runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Thursday 25 to Sunday 28 February 2021. To book or for more information call the Box office on 01325 405405 or visit www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk
Sparking ImagiNation: Roy Williams, Chinonyerem Odimba, Jon Brittain and Timberlake Wertenbaker among writers inspiring a nation of storytellers
Theatre Centre, in collaboration with Theatre503, has commissioned 19 of the UK’s most exciting playwrights to write a series of short pieces for the nation, for anyone to read and record a performance. A range of extraordinary talent from multi award-winning writers to thrilling new voices of the future have been brought together to make a digital anthology reflecting humanity and the unprecedented circumstances we are living in.
ImagiNation has been written by: Jon Brittain, Ryan Calais Cameron, Alex Critoph, Zinnie Harris, Matilda Ibini, Asif Khan, Geraldine Lang, Bethan Marlow, Eoin McAndrew, Nicholas McQuillan, Nessah Muthy, Amy Ng, Chinonyerem Odimba, Lettie Precious, Leo Skilbeck, Julie Tsang, Daniel Ward, Timberlake Wertenbaker and Theatre Centre patron Roy Williams.
In keeping with Theatre Centre’s commitment to generate exceptional work in a time of crisis, their anthology will bring people together through the art of storytelling and serve as a timely reminder that we are all coping differently. The stories will be released for everyone in the nation– individuals, families, flatmates, school children, care homes and youth theatres – to submit their version, bringing writers and communities together across the country in exciting and unpredictable acts of everyday creativity. Theatre Centre and Theatre503 will use a selection of these recordings to create a patchwork of the nation – a reflection of these stories told by a multitude of voices. They are pleased to have teamed up with Nick Hern Books, one of the UK’s leading play publisher and performing rights licensors, to be the Publishing Partner for ImagiNation.
Artistic Director of Theatre503, Lisa Spirling, comments, Theatre503 are buzzing to be a part of Theatre Centre’s brilliant ImagiNation project. This is a unique opportunity for us, one where we get to ask the best playwrights in the country (many of whom started their playwriting journey at Theatre503) to be inspired by the moment we are in, and to share that inspiration with the nation, who then tell that story for themselves
Rob Watt, Artistic Director of Theatre Centre adds, We wanted to be able to give families, young people, friends, flatmates something that they could have fun with, as a distraction or a way to reflect on the oddness we are all experiencing. I am super excited to be working with Theatre503 and nineteen frankly awesome writers. I can’t wait to see what the nation creates.
Theatre Centre is also providing fun tutorial videos to inspire and perfect the recordings. These will include top performance tips from actors, directorial insights into how to film and approach the text, as well as vocal coaching to enhance delivery and bring the stories to life.
Recordings can be submitted until 6pm Wednesday 10th June 2020 through Theatre Centre’s website
ImagiNation follows Theatre Centre’s previously announced digital writing course, seeking to champion the next generation of voices under the guidance of professional writers. Through these pioneering projects, striving to make opportunities for writers to keep creating work, Theatre Centre currently have an impressive 23 individual writers under contract over 31 commissions between April – June 2020, responding to the recent uncertainty with creativity and togetherness. Later in the year, in association with Soho Theatre, Theatre Centre will tour a powerful piece of new writing from award-winning playwright Charlotte Josephine, Birds and Bees, interrogating the complicated dynamics of teenage relationships in the digital age.
Line-up includes: Shane Richie, Jeremy Vine, Debbie McGee, Alex Ferns, Mark Watson (award-winning magician, juggler and stunt artist), The Bluebirds (vintage vocal group), Charley Farley Sunday Four and The Rock Choir
After the huge success of Guildford Fringe Theatre Company’s elaborate online festival, Guildford LIVE, they are doing it all again on Thursday 28 May at 6:30pm via www.Facebook.com/GuildfordFringe.
Guildford LIVE #1 was streamed live at the end of April to thank the key workers of Guildford. It has now been viewed by 9700 people and has raised almost £3000 for two local charities, The Royal Surrey County Hospital Charity and The Wysch Foundation. It was clear from the response that the public wanted another one and Guildford Fringe have been happy to oblige.
As well as Guildford LIVE, Guildford Fringe (alongside their sister company Gag House Comedy Clubs) have been producing online shows since the lockdown began, refusing to give up on their business. Shows have included comedy clubs, opera, sing-a-longs and magic shows and they have plans for a lot more in the near future.
Guildford LIVE is certainly Guildford Fringe’s largest online project and one that boasts an incredible line-up of well-known faces and local performing artists. The purpose of the show is to thank all the key workers out there who are working tirelessly to keep the borough moving and to ensure the residents’ safety. These people include all NHS staff, care workers, refuse collectors, essential shop workers, postal workers, emergency services, food bank staff and volunteers and the various council workers that work across the borough behind the scenes.
The show, which will be hosted by Guildford Fringe director Nick Wyschna, will feature a variety of entertainment with confirmed guests including Shane Richie, Jeremy Vine, Debbie McGee, Alex Ferns, Mark Watson (award-winning magician, juggler and stunt artist) and The Bluebirds (vintage vocal group) with returning guests Charley Farley Sunday Four and Guildford’s Rock Choir. There will also be positive messages and interviews from some of the key workers, the very people being celebrated.
Nick Wyschna, managing director of Guildford Fringe commented: “As soon as the last Guildford LIVE finished I sat down with my wife Charlotte and a glass of bubbly and said, ‘I want to do that again!’. As a performer, one of the things I miss the most is the feeling you get when you are in front of an audience, nothing in the world compares to it. I really didn’t think it could be achieved by performing online but it was. The comments and live reactions from the public gave me the biggest buzz. Pairing the performing buzz with the buzz of being able to publicly thank our key workers was more than I could have imagined and I am over the moon to be doing it again. I have a few goals this time, one being raising even more money than we did last time for our charities and the other being spreading the word even further so more people can enjoy the show!”
The charities that Guildford Fringe and Guildford Borough Council have chosen to support are Guildford Philanthropy and The Wysch Foundation. All money raised through donations will be split between these charities.
Cllr Caroline Reeves, Leader of the Council said: “We are proud once again to be working in partnership with Guildford Fringe who are providing our community with great entertainment and appreciation to our NHS and key workers. The first Guildford LIVE was absolutely brilliant, so many residents have told me how their whole family enjoyed it. We’re asking all residents to watch again, and this time virtually ‘bring’ a friend!’.
“The Mayor and I are delighted that the second show has selected Guildford Philanthropy as one of their causes. The charity was set up by the Council in 2014 with support from the Community Foundation to raise money for our borough’s more vulnerable residents and those who find themselves homeless.”
There is no need to book tickets for this event, just log on to www.Facebook.com/GuildfordFringe from 6:30pm on Thursday 28 May and enjoy!
If you would like to be reminded about the show, you can join the Facebook events page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/644171316313471/. You can also invite friends and family to this Facebook event page.
A BRAND NEW ONLINE RADIO PLAY RAISING FUNDS FOR THE THEATRE INDUSTRY
BROADCASTING ON WEDNESDAYS 20TH MAY AND 27TH MAY
Produced by the Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield:
THE UNDERSTUDY
By Henry Filloux-Bennett, based on the best-selling novel by David Nicholls
STARRING
Stephen Fry, Mina Anwar, Layton Williams, Emily Atack, Russell Tovey, Sheila Atim MBE, Sarah Hadland & more
The Understudy is a brand new radio play that will be broadcast in two parts on Wednesday 20th May and Wednesday 27th May to raise funds for the theatre industry which is facing a devastating impact from the Covid-19 health crisis. The Lawrence Batley Theatre in Huddersfield will split proceeds of this project with charities including the Theatre Development Trust (SOLT and UK Theatre), Acting for Others and Equity Charitable Trust.
Coming together at a time that matters the most, the stellar line-up of actors currently confirmed to perform in The Understudy includes Stephen Fry, Emily Atack, Sheila Atim, Layton Williams, Russell Tovey, Sarah Hadland, Mina Anwar and many more. The cast and creative team involved in The Understudy will take part completely in isolation and actors will record their lines at home that will be brought to life by an exceptional sound design team.
The public will be able to tune in to listen to The Understudy by buying a ticket, all of which will go to help individuals and organisations struggling because of Coronavirus.
Based on the novel by the best-selling author David Nicholls,The Understudy tells the story of an underdog – a failed husband, a failing father, a failing actor, and the impossible choice he’s going to have to make between stealing the show and stealing another man’s wife. Directed by Giles Croft, this is a stage adaptation written by Henry Filloux-Bennett that was originally commissioned by The Lowry. The sound, music and effects will be brought to life by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, Annie May Fletcher and Sophie Galpin.
Commenting on this timely project, Stephen Fry said: “I am just so delighted to be working on Henry Filloux-Bennett’s superb adaptation of David Nicholls’s The Understudy. I do hope lots of you will listen in and combine a good time with support for our wonderful theatre industry.”
David Nicholls comments: “I’ve always had soft spot for The Understudy and was hugely excited to see it come to life on a new online stage, and with such a great team. So much is changing, at such speed and I’m full of admiration for the way it’s now being reimagined. I can’t wait.”
A spokesperson for SOLT and UK Theatre said: “We welcome this initiative and are delighted that money raised will be donated to support theatres across the country – particularly outside London where the industry needs it most. It has never been more vital that our industry pulls together, and it is fantastic to see artists and performers using creativity and ingenuity to help support the theatre workforce through this difficult time.”
Synopsis
Actor Stephen McQueen has just landed a dream West End role. Well, that’s not quite true – he’s going to be is understudying film star (and 12th Sexiest Man in the World) Josh Harper in the brand-new show ‘Mad, Bad and Dangerous to Know’, but still…Whilst he’s waiting for his time to shine, he reflects on his career – one that has spanned everything from (non-speaking) Rent Boy 3 in ‘The Bill’ to his recent starring role as Sammy in the (low-budget) regional tour of ‘Sammy The Squirrel’s Seriously Silly Safari’.
With this new job Stephen’s stage career may be destined for the dizzying heights, but not everything is going quite as well. Stephen’s wife left him two years ago, wondering if he’d ever grow up; his daughter wonders when he’ll get an actual job; worst of all, he’s starting to fall for the leading man’s wife.
Part 1 of The Understudy will be released on Wednesday 20th May and Part 2 of The Understudy will be released on Wednesday 27th May. For more information, see www.understudyplay.com
Online Performing Arts Studio Launches with Leading West End Stars
Stagecoach Performing Arts, the UK’s largest extra-curricular performing arts schools, working with a host of West End stars, have launched a brand new website stagecoachathome.com with an ‘Online Learning Studio’ to engage young performers from their homes alongside home schooling.
stagecoachathome will see Stagecoach teachers be joined by acclaimed actor Simon Callow, Phantom of the Opera star, Lily De La Haye and Amy Oxley who has had starring roles in School of Rock, Shrek and Nativity, among others. The content such as masterclasses and top tips videos is produced exclusively for Stagecoach.
The site has been designed to support families in lockdown and provides a safe online community, activity and a creative outlet, essential for mental wellbeing and confidence building.
The Online Learning Studio is a monthly subscription for young people to participate in. For a monthly fee of £19.99, users have access to a selection of full-length 30-minute pre-recorded lessons, as well as exclusive-to-Stagecoach content by performing arts professionals. Further new content covering singing, dancing and acting will be added weekly.
Jo Scalpello, marketing director at Stagecoach Performing Arts, said, “We are very excited about this new launch. It is understandable that students are missing their in-person Stagecoach lessons and we hope that the fantastic selection of online lessons will keep children engaged, active and provide them with continuous learning whilst in lockdown. The team are thrilled to welcome so many notable West End performers to the Stagecoach community; these people are a huge inspiration to our students and teachers. This is an opportunity like no other as budding performers can hone their craft with leading stars of stage and screen. ”
Stagecoach Performing Arts is the UK’s largest network of extra-curricular performing arts schools for children, with over 50,000 students enrolled in their weekly classes worldwide. Stagecoach aims to make a difference in its students’ lives by teaching Creative Courage for Life(R). Early Stages classes are available for children aged four to six and Main Stages classes take place for six to 18-year-olds every weekend during term time.
stagecoachathome.com is also home to a recording of the latest imagining of The King and I, recorded Live at The London Palladium. You can bring the theatre home, for just £5.99.
The online lessons are now widely available, for a taste of the stagecoachathome Online Learning Studio you can see more here. For full information on Stagecoach Performing arts please visit their website or contact your local Stagecoach Principal.
While its Dean Street doors may be closed to performance for the foreseeable future, Soho Theatre continues to work behind the scenes alongside bringing work to its digital player.
David Luff, Soho Theatre’s Creative Director, said: ‘In this period of separation there is need, more than ever, for connection and stories of hope. Today we announce the launch of three filmed plays for Soho Theatre On Demand, each shining a light on diverse challenging life experiences but each laced with humour, insight and compassion.
Now is also the time to uncover new positive visions for the future and we have six stunning new writers join our Soho Six residency and a record number of Verity Bargate Award submissions. To continue supporting the next generation of writers we have seven masterclasses exploring different aspects of new-writing led by the Soho team and alumni.
Stay safe and we hope to see you soon back in Soho.’
Highlights are:
– Three new theatre films join our Soho Theatre On Demand platform from Tuesday 26th May: The Special Relationship, a darkly funny and biting verbatim satire by Hassan Abdulrazzak about the complex stories behind the deportation of ex-prisoners from the US; a specially filmed version of Patrick Sandford’s Groomed, a moving one-man play inspired by the writer/performer’s own life shot on location in a primary school; and Good Girl, the debut play by Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab alumna Naomi Sheldon, a comic and unflinching coming-of-age story which won critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017. All films will be available to rent for £4 each for 48 hours until August.
– Six writers join our Soho Six programme, each co-commissioned with a theatre or production company, and working in residence with Soho Theatre for a year to develop their artistic practice and write a new play:
– Willy Hudson (Bottom), co-commissioned with Daisy Hale
– Yasmin Joseph (J’Ouvert), co-commissioned with Actors Touring Company
– Nyla Levy (Does My Bomb Look Big in This?), co-commissioned with Tamasha Theatre Company
– Racheal Ofori (So Many Reasons), co-commissioned with Fuel
– Holly Robinson (soft animals), co-commissioned with 45North
– Danusia Samal (Out of Sorts), co-commissioned with Paines Plough
– A record number of 1,493 plays have been submitted to our Verity Bargate Award 2020, a 40% rise on 2017. The reading process continues and the shortlist and winner will be announced once the theatre reopens.
– New online playwriting and theatre masterclasses have been announced, led by writers Yolanda Mercy (Quarter Life Crisis), Dylan Coburn Gray (Citysong) and Milly Thomas (Dust, Clickbait), director Sara Joyce (Dust), producer Daisy Hale (PECS, Not F*cking Sorry), Soho Theatre’s Literary Manager Gillian Greer and its Creative Director David Luff.
– New online comedy masterclasses to also be announced soon
Under commission and in residence for a year, Soho Six plays a key role in Soho Theatre’s vision for developing and supporting writers. The Soho Six are six writers and artists under commission and in residence for a year as they create new work for our stages. The programme immerses each writer in the life of Soho Theatre, with regular contact with staff, exposure to new work across our three stages, getting to know our audiences and building, and the positive impact of peer learning with five fellow artists. Soho Six alumni include Arinzé Kene, Bryony Kimmings, Theresa Ikoko, Jessie Cave, Max & Ivan, Phil Porter, CharlotteJosephine, and Rita Kalnejais.
On the Soho Six commissions, Soho Theatre’s Creative Director David Luff said: “We are extremely proud to bring together such an outstanding group of writers on the Soho Six programme. These are artists with bold, unique and thrilling voices, matched with six of the most exciting theatre companies and producers working in the UK. I can’t wait to see what we all develop together over the coming year.”
Soho Theatre are proud to announce the following as our Soho Six playwrights for 2020/21:
Willy Hudson, co-commissioned with Daisy Hale, is a writer, actor and producer from Devon. His debut solo show Bottom premiered at Edinburgh 2018 followed by a run at Soho Theatre and a national tour. Bottom is published with Oberon Books and in development for television with Balloon Entertainment. In his theatre work he likes to confront social taboos with autobiographical storytelling, comedy and fusion of form. Willy is developing a slate of new projects and is working with creative producer Daisy Hale to launch Willy Hudson Ltd. Acting credits include: Bottom (Soho Theatre), Noble Nine (VAULT Festival), Islanders (Soho Theatre) and Peter Pan (Regents Park).
Yasmin Joseph, co-commissioned with Actors Touring Company,is a London-based writer. Her debut play J’Ouvert premiered at Theatre503 in 2019 and she was nominated for the Evening Standard’s Most Promising Playwright Award. Yasmin is the current writer-in-residence at Sister Pictures and is on attachment at the Royal Court Theatre as part of the Channel 4 Playwrights scheme.
Nyla Levy, co-commissioned with Tamasha Theatre Company, is a writer and actor. Being mixed race, Pakistani and Canadian, with Muslim and Jewish heritage, and born and bred in London, Nyla has always gravitated towards stories that explore experiences related to identity, culture and race. Nyla began in verbatim theatre, with her first play Different is Dangerous (Amnesty International Freedom of Expression longlist nominee), followed by Normal with a bit of Oomph!. Nyla co-founded Two’s Company which went on to tour Different is Dangerous to venues including Theatre 503, Nottingham Playhouse, The Lowry and Edinburgh Fringe. Nyla received Arts Council England funding to develop her first fictional play Does My Bomb Look Big in This? which was subsequently co-produced by Nyla and Tamasha Theatre Company at Soho Theatre, Tara Arts and in a regional UK schools tour. Nyla is currently writing an episode for Ben Chanan’s new series, YOU (Kudos/Sky), and an episode of Good Karma Hospital (Tiger Aspect). She is also developing Blues & Two’s (BBC Studios) and her original idea Little Runt (Jax/HBO Max). Nyla is part of Tiger Aspect’s mentorship scheme and the BBC Drama Writersroom 2019/20.
Racheal Ofori, co-commissioned with Fuel, is a writer and performer. She is one of The Guardian’s ‘12 Theatre Stars For 2020’ as well as one of Theatre Weekly’s ten ‘Rising Stars of 2020’. In TV, Racheal’s script Here Again is in development with Balloon Entertainment. She also developed the TV pilot Dysfunctional with Balloon, which was chosen for a Sky Table Read. In 2017 she was selected for a TV writing bursary with Creative Skillset and is currently in the writers’ room for Neil Gaiman’s Anansi Boys with Red and Endor Productions. She was also part of the writing team on the second series of Kiss Me First. Her latest stage show So Many Reasons, produced by Fuel Theatre, originally ran at the Camden’s People Theatre before a national tour and transfer to Soho Theatre. Her acting work spans across TV, film and theatre and includes Inua Ellam’s Three Sisters (National Theatre), Treadstone (Amazon), Enterprice (BBC) and Guns Akimbo, due to come out in late 2020.
Holly Robinson, co-commissioned with 45North, is a writer and casting assistant originally from Birmingham. She began her training at Playbox Theatre in Warwickshire before moving to London where she has been a member of Soho Theatre’s Writers’ Lab and the Hampstead New Playwrights Group. Her first play soft animals was longlisted for the Bruntwood Prize and shortlisted for the Tony Craze award. soft animals was staged by Soho Theatre in 2019 and Holly was nominated for Best Writer at the 2019 Stage Debut Awards. Her other work includes writing for Oxford School of Drama and small myth at Vault Festival. She is part of BBC Writersroom London Voices 2020.
Danusia Samal, co-commissioned with Paines Plough, is an actress, writer and singer. Stage acting credits include the Royal Court, RSC, Globe, and Royal Exchange. Screen credits include The Great (Hulu), Ghost in the Shell (Paramount/DreamWorks), and Tyrant(FOX). Danusia’s writing credits include: Out of Sorts (winner of Theatre503 International Playwriting Award); Busking It, inspired by Danusia’s experience as a London Underground busker(Shoreditch Town Hall / HighTide); Decolonising History (Tamasha Digital / SOAS University); Conditionally (Soho Theatre / Oxford School of Drama); Langthorne Stories (Soho Theatre / Waltham Forest). Danusia is currently collaborating on various projects with TV production companies. In 2019, she was commissioned to write her first TV drama as part of the BBC’s TV Drama Writers Programme.
Since 1982, the Verity Bargate Award, Soho Theatre’s foremost playwriting award, has uncovered the best new and emerging writers. It has launched the careers of some of Britain’s most established playwrights and screenwriters including Matt Charman (Bridge of Spies), Vicky Jones (HBO’s Run), Toby Whithouse (Doctor Who) and many, many more. This year’s award, supported by Character 7, will be judged by a panel of industry experts including former Soho writers Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Arinzé Kene and Laura Wade, screenwriter Russell T Davies, actress and playwright Lolita Chakrabarti. The award is chaired by film and television producer, Character 7’s Stephen Garrett.
Soho Theatre’s Literary Manager Gillian Greer said: ‘It has been a stellar year for our flagship playwriting prize, the Verity Bargate Award. With a whopping 1,493 submissions, a 40% rise on 2017, the Award is larger than ever before and we’ve been blown away by the quality of plays received. Our reading process will continue as normal while our building is closed, and we plan to announce our shortlist and winner upon reopen.’
Soho Theatre’s digital service, Soho Theatre On Demand, is currently broadening the range of work available so that audiences can continue to see great theatre, comedy and cabaret, and provide a platform for independent artists, theatre companies and practitioners at this time when venues are closed to performances. Next week’s release includes three theatre films: Synergy Theatre Project’s The Special Relationship written by Hassan Abdulrazzak and directed by Esther Baker, Ingenious Purpose’s Groomed, written and performed by Patrick Sandford, and Good Girl, written and performed by Naomi Sheldon.
On the launch of these new films, Soho Theatre’s Creative Director David Luff said: “We have selected three of the best recordings over the past few years, three superbly written, thrillingly performed and brilliantly filmed plays with vital and gripping stories. Each of these writers have strong connections with Soho Theatre, having written, directed or trained with us, and I’m delighted to share their work with a global audience in this time of lockdown on our international Soho Theatre On Demand platform.”
Synergy Theatre Project presents
THE SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP (2020)
Written by Hassan Abdulrazzak
Directed by Esther Baker
With Amrita Acharia, Moyo Akandé, Nicholas Beveney, Yvette Boakye, Miranda Foster, Fergal McElherron, Duncan Wisbey.
The play will be available to rent 26th May – 26th August
Filmed at Soho Theatre in March 2020, a darkly funny and biting satire which exposes the complex and heart-breaking stories behind the deportations of ex-prisoners from the US.
A grain of cocaine, a digit on a breathalyser, a forged cheque, a DEA sting or murder one? Caught in the transatlantic tango between Trump and May and smugly presented by a gun-toting immigration officer, these are
verbatim stories of double punishment and separation. Gripping accounts of justice and separation are brought to vivid life in a fast-paced and theatrically daring production using savage comedy, surreal metaphor and verbatim testimony from those who ended up on the wrong side of the criminal justice system.
Synergy Theatre Project creates ground-breaking work across theatre and the criminal justice system. The Special Relationship was developed from interviews with ex-prisoners and experts in immigration and criminal law, the award-winning playwright Hassan Abdulrazzak carves a rich dramatic narrative and uncovers vital questions around identity and place as he gets behind the political rhetoric of those caught up in the quagmire of immigration detention and deportation.
Praise for The Special Relationship
‘a powerful force’ ★★★★ Sunday Times
‘a fascinating insight into the arbitrary nature of deportation’ ★★★★ Theatre-News
Ingenious Purpose presents
GROOMED (2019)
Written and performed by Patrick Sandford (former Artistic Director of Nuffield Theatre Southampton)
Directed by Nancy Meckler
Music by Simon Slater
The film will be available to rent 27th May – 27th August.
How can a Truth be told?
How can a Secret be spoken?
A betrayed schoolboy, a Japanese soldier, and the inventor of the saxophone…
Presented at Soho Theatre in 2017, the play won the Broadway Baby Bobby Award, Fringe Review Outstanding Theatre Award and the Fringe Guru Brighton Fringe Award for Theatre at the 2016 Brighton Fringe. In 2019 Groomed was powerfully reinvented as a film, shot entirely on location in a primary school classroom. Honest and provocative but never depressing, three poignant narratives are brought together to show how, when a story is told, it can save your life.
Praise for Groomed
‘With exemplary honesty Patrick Sandford sheds much needed light on some dark places’ ★★★★ Guardian
‘A remarkable piece of theatre’ ★★★★ Financial Times
GOOD GIRL (2017)
Written and performed by Naomi Sheldon
Directed by Matt Peover
Designed by Alison Neighbour
Photography by Felicity Crawshaw
The play will be available to rent 28th May – 28th August.
Winner of Voice’s Pick of the Fringe and Funny Women’s Best Show award, the exceptional debut play from Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab alumna Naomi Sheldon comes to Soho Theatre On Demand, filmed at the Old Red Lion Theatre in December 2017 before its Trafalgar Studios transfer in 2018.
‘One of these days, am I going to evaporate? Right here?’
Growing up in the 90s, GG and her mates obsess over music, vaginas and witchcraft. But there’s a problem. Living feels too extreme. To be one of the good girls, GG learns to make herself numb, but at what cost?
A bold, provocative and laugh-out-loud funny coming-of-age tale, Good Girl interrogates the experience of a young girl growing up in the 90s, a timely and distinctive piece that offers a vital new perspective to current dialogue about female experience. Sheldon’s inclusive and disarming form of storytelling allows her to candidly explore sex, masturbation and mental health and examines the dangers of defining ourselves by the opinions of others.
Praise for Good Girl
‘Cutting edge truth and hilarity from one of the freshest young voices of the century. Don’t miss Good Girl.’ Emma Thompson
‘Flawless’ ★★★★★ Voice
‘contemporary, relevant and, most importantly, incessantly funny’ ★★★★ WhatsOnStage
Soho Theatre is excited to announce a programme of seven masterclasses to support budding theatre makers developing work from home. The series will be held weekly on Zoom and will feature masterclasses on various aspects of playwriting and new theatre practice to support the development of new plays from artists in lockdown:
Wed 3rd June Writing from Experience, with playwright Yolanda Mercy (Quarter Life Crisis)
Wed 10th June Writing and Form, with Verity Bargate Award winner Dylan Coburn Gray (Citysong)
Wed 17th June Writing Characters, with Soho Theatre Literary Manager and playwright Gillian Greer
Wed 24th June Story, Structure and Dramaturgy, with Soho Theatre Creative Director David Luff
Wed 1st July Directing New Writing, with director Sara Joyce (Dust, Armadillo)
Wed 8th July Producing New Work, with producer and artist Daisy Hale (PECS, Not F**cking Sorry)
Wed 15th July Making A Solo Show, with playwright and performer Milly Thomas (Dust, Clickbait)
On these new workshops, Soho Theatre Literary Manager Gillian Greer said ‘Did Shakespeare write King Lear while quarantined? Who knows! But it’s clear that artists are using this time to mine their creativity, to try things, experiment and discover, and we are delighted to be able to offer this comprehensive set of masterclasses to support that amazing work.’
Furthermore, a new series of online comedy masterclasses will be announced soon.
COMBATTING COVID-19 WITH CULTURE: WORLD’S FIRST MULTIMEDIA THEATRE DISCOVERY PLATFORM LAUNCHED Thespie showcases over 1000 theatre shows & resources from across the globe: filmed performances, livestreams, podcasts, artist talks, educational resources and more
Headline Details: ● Thespie brings together world-class arts offerings across video & streaming, audio, ebooks, and educational resources for children and adults ● Launched to help amplify and support the work of arts organisations and artists as they continue to release inspiring programming amidst the Covid-19 global shutdown ● Features easy to navigate content from the world’s leading cultural institutions and content platforms including: National Theatre Live, Sadler’s Wells, Royal Court Theatre, Met Opera, Audible & Disney ● Hailed by the industry for broadening audience engagement and providing a novel and much needed source of inspiration and consolation during difficult times ● Founded by Tyler Stoops, tech and arts leader ex-Amazon, Disney, and Met Opera
The launch of a new, online discovery platform for theatre and the performing arts is being hailed as a lifeline for both theatre audiences and the industry today. The first of its kind, Thespie helps people engage with the arts across a broad spectrum of digital media while venues around the world remain closed due to social distancing measures resulting from Covid-19.
Thespie aggregates listings of digital theatre resources in a structured, easy to navigate discovery experience. Users can filter to their favourite genres, browse for specific moods and maintain a list of things they want to save for later.
The platform features a diverse array of over 1000 resources – available either onsite, or by linking directly to a partner’s website. Users can watch livestream play performances, movie musicals, or artist talks; listen to audio dramas, musical theatre concerts, or theatre podcasts; discover theatre ebooks, scripts or digital songbooks; or explore digital exhibits, student guides, or family activities related to theatre. Click HERE to see a list of content highlights currently listed on Thespie.
Thespie facilitates discovery across genres and media formats, and is underpinned by a bespoke Arts taxonomy and data model, which uses a machine learning algorithm to identify similarities between works and facilitate discovery across the site – akin to Netflix.
Thespie not only enables arts practitioners to distribute and self-monetise their work by reaching and engaging with new audiences, it makes it easy for those stuck at home craving culture to discover and access the rich variety of arts content available online from across the world.
Thespie founder, Tyler Stoops, has spent his career at the intersection of technology and the arts and is passionate about increasing people’s engagement with theatre. His early career spanned technical theatre, artistic planning and technology projects at two of the world’s most prestigious opera institutions, the Santa Fe Opera and the Metropolitan Opera in New York. An MBA at the Wharton School led him to the Walt Disney Studios and then seven years at e-commerce giant Amazon during which time Tyler worked across Kindle, publishing, brick-and-mortar bookstores, and a theatre ticketing business.
Commenting on the launch, Tyler Stoops said: “I’ve been so humbled by the generosity of spirit displayed by artists and theatre-makers during this crisis, and our ambition at Thespie is to amplify their work so it can reach as broad an audience as possible. When Covid-19 hit, we quickly saw that building Thespie’s work to a global, multimedia scale could help audiences continue their journey of exploring theatre during this time where we can’t be together in person.”
