What's on?
MARCH 2010
THE ROOTS OF LOVE + AS WE FORGIVE THEM (DOUBLE BILL)
Mediamedea presents a double bill of plays by Cathy Crabb and Richard Vergette.
FRIDAY NIGHT SPECIAL OFFER !!!
Keep your ticket stub to this show and gain discounted entry into Islington Mill. Inspired by Studio Salford's very own Embryo night, Norte Chico at Islington Mill will be taking place on Fri 19 March from 7.30pm - 1.00am in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support. Poetry, comedy, short film, singer/songwriters, bands, DJs, an extraordinary RAFFLE... and so much more. Check out www.islingtonmill.com for more details. £5 entry, £3 with your ticket stub from this show!
THE ROOTS OF LOVE by Cathy Crabb.
Inspired by the all time classic What Becomes of the Broken Hearted by Jimmy Ruffin.
This is a short and intense play about a relationship between a man whose son died as a boy and his son's childhood best friend. The audience witness the last twenty minutes of a twenty year friendship between two unique and charismatic men. A relationship built on remorse, guilt, love and vivid imaginations.
AS WE FORGIVE THEM by Richard Vergette.
America, November 2008: the new President is elected amidst an 'audacity of hope'. For newly elected Democrat Congressman, John Daniels, this should be a time of celebration. Instead he must decide the fate of his daughter’s murderer: should he exact revenge or grant redemption... or both?
"As We Forgive Them is an involving and sometimes moving story which is enhanced by a pair of marvellous performances" - UK Theatre Network
"Both Vergette and Joe Simms, who plays the prisoner Lee Fenton are two first rate, professional actors and it shows in their delivery and timing. As they progress from tutor and pupil to a very different relationship, it's one full of unexpected surprises" - Manchester Evening News
"Just as with Vergette's previous 24:7 play (‘An Englishman’s Home’), this is an intense, intelligent piece of drama that appears to lead the audience in a familiar direction and then completely flips its perspective to take it somewhere unexpected. In this play there are two twists right near the end: a revelation from Daniels about his scheme to educate Fenton that the prisoner never suspected even in his most cynical moments, followed by a superb come-back revelation from Fenton, which he twists again" - British Theatre Review
"Vergette’s script tackles themes of guilt, redemption, forgiveness and ambition but does so within the framework of an absorbing thriller that secures complete concentration. Like the best writers he flatters the audience into thinking they have guessed the ending and then throws in a credible surprise twist" - What’s On Stage
DIRECTOR: Neil Bell / Andrew Pearson. PERFORMED BY: Lee Antley and Joe O’Byrne / Joe Simms and Richard Vergette.
Dates: Wed 17th Mar - Sat 20th Mar Starts: 7.30pm Ends: 9.50pm* Tickets: £7 / £5 reserve tickets
2
APRIL 2010
TAG TEAM
By Ian Winterton. Presented by Balloon Head Productions in association with Shred Productions.
Who gets to go first?
"Your clothes are your plumage. Your feathers. This shirt - fucking nice, top drawer feathers. I'm a peacock. I'm THE peacock. Your get-up - manky feathers. Feathers like on those pigeons you see hobbling around the Tube with half a foot missing. Me: peacock. You: fucked up pigeon. I'm just saying."
"Way to boost my confidence."
Over-confident Jez and insecure Alan arrange to meet two women via a dating website but only one turns up. Has her friend really cancelled and why does Jez not seem remotely surprised?
Balloon Head's last production at Studio Salford, Wednesday, has been programmed to appear at The Lowry Theatre in August, with a national tour planned for the latter half of 2010.
Further info: Ian Winterton, 07722 850 940 / ian.winterton [at] virgin.net / www.balloonheadproductions.com
"alarming but amusing... superb... remarkably well written" - City Life
DIRECTOR: Trevor MacFarlane. PERFORMED BY: Annamarie Bayley, Chris Hoyle, Zoe Matthews, Matt Milburn.
Dates: Wed 7th Apr - Sat 10th Apr Starts: 8.00pm Ends: 9.00pm* Tickets: £7 / £5 reserve tickets
3
EMBRYO 59
The start of something new...
Studio Salford, our In-House Companies, visiting companies & special guests present our eclectic cabaret of performance work in development. Expect to see stand-up poetry, singer / songwriters, comedy, musicians, 10 min excerpts of scripts currently being written, short films, live bands and much more!
PREMIERE / NEW WRITING / IN-HOUSE / VISITING / FILM / POETRY / MUSIC / COMEDY / CABARET
Dates: Fri 16th Apr Starts: 8.00pm Ends: 11.00pm* Tickets: £5
JUMBLE
By Sally Lawton. Presented by TSL Productions.
Nigel has been head teacher at Baker Dale Primary School for seven years. His PA’s obsessed with him, his wife (a head teacher at a better Primary School) hates him and he’s feeling the pressure – so he does what any other self-respecting head teacher would do, he forges this year’s SATs results.
All he wants to do is forget he ever did it and bury his head under a rock, but the PTA are trying to plan their annual jumble sale and the arrival of Maggie – the blonde bombshell from the city stirs up feelings he never thought he had.
But who is Maggie? And what does she want at Baker Dale?
Further info: www.tslproductions.co.uk
Dates: Wed 28th Apr - Sat 1st May Starts: 8.00pm Ends: TBC Tickets: £7 / £5 reserve tickets
4
MAY 2010
BROKEN BISCUITS
Presented by Swine Theatre.
A kitchen sink drama where the kitchen sink is full of spiders sent by the government to steal your brain.
Idealistic social worker ENID sets out to find the source of the mysterious new sort of mentalness. which is destroying her estate. She is soon drawn into a seething world of insect obsessed professors, nazi poofs, and damaged confectionary...
WHAT is driving the entire estate HATSTAND?
WHY doesn't Enid have a personality - and where can she nick one from?
WHO is the mysterious BOB - and why is he giving everyone the wrong medication?
A comedy for anyone who ever screamed THIS PLACE IS DRIVING ME MAD
-but didn't leave.
Contains invisible badgers.
"Extraordinary, mind-bending... Utterly compelling" - Kevin Bourke, Manchester Evening News
DIRECTOR: Swine Theatre. PERFORMED BY: Ian Curley, Rachel Priest.
Dates: Wed 12th May - Sat 15th May Starts: 8.00pm Ends: 9.45pm* Tickets: £7 / £5 reserve tickets
5
JUNE 2010
WHEN I GROW UP TO BE A MAN
By Ellie Rose. Presented by Unearthed Theatre.
I know everything now I'm 15. Except ... I don't!
When I Grow Up To Be A Man follows Lola on a journey to find her place in the world, a place she can finally be comfortable in. Only comfort like this isn't an easy find. A fight through social ‘normality’ and the gender traps that surround her - and perhaps us all.
www.elliemeiganrose.co.uk/unearthed-theatre.html
"Entertaining funny and thought provoking. With wonderful performances, this show will resonate with anyone who can remember their younger years" - Student Direct
DIRECTOR: Ellie Rose.
Dates: Wed 2nd Jun - Sat 5th Jun Starts: 8.00pm Ends: TBC Tickets: £7 / £5 reserve tickets
6
EMBRYO 60
The start of something new...
Studio Salford, our In-House Companies, visiting companies & special guests present our eclectic cabaret of performance work in development. Expect to see stand-up poetry, singer / songwriters, comedy, musicians, 10 min excerpts of scripts currently being written, short films, live bands and much more!
PREMIERE / NEW WRITING / IN-HOUSE / VISITING / FILM / POETRY / MUSIC / COMEDY / CABARET
Dates: Fri 11th Jun Starts: 8.00pm Ends: 11.00pm* Tickets: £5