2013
2013 saw our inaugural StageWrite week; and what a week it was… Since it was the first year we had no idea what the quality of submissions would be like, or indeed if anyone would even submit! But submit they did and we were astounded at the quality of writing that was out there. We had a brilliant week working with an amazing company of writers and actors. Here’s a snapshot of what went on…
CAKE by John Handscombe and Lizzie Thomas
Directed by: Philip Mardlin
Cast: Lizzie – Harri Mardlin
Samuel/Fred/Hugh – James Harrison
James – Ivan Wilkinson
Elsie/Mrs Poulson- Cally Lawrence
Kelly/Sammy – Natalie Castka
An estranged daughter returns home to get involved with the family’s bakery business, putting up with her father and brother’s eccentricities in the process. Cake is the pilot of a sitcom written for radio…
THE TRUTH ABOUT BRITNAY SHITHOUSE by Mike Carter
Cast: Performed by Famous and Divine
Britnay – Frank
Dolly – Dorothy
Make-up – Mia Heathcote-Fisher
Britnay Shithouse, a crumbling neo-punk drag diva, prepares for another performance in a tawdry club. Dolly, the manager who’s bankrupted them both, wants Britnay to return to the big stage and reclaim her former glory, but struggles just to hold her together long enough to give tonight’s performance. In the dressing room before the show, where what’s real and what’s not collide and tensions run high, the pair battle with their strained relationship and the adulation and hate of Britnay’s fans. Is it possible that Britnay can go on? And what will happen if she does?
ALL’S WELLS by Ryan Millar
Directed by: Ivan Wilkinson
Cast: Will Phelps – Nav Sidhu
Penelope Farrington – Natalie Castka
“… it’s hard to explain to people who haven’t experienced, y’know, life. There’s so much out there…” Two people searching for something. Will they find it together or go their separate ways? A gentle comedy exploring the fragile cycle of relationships.
THE WIDOW – by Liam Thatcher
Directed by: Cally Lawrence
Cast: Widower – Andrew Williams
How do you rebuild your life when all you have left are fragmented memories and peculiar obsessions? The Widow is a dark comedy about a young man starting from scratch, armed only with a passion for envelopes, a fear of death and a strange affinity with Bertrand Russell.
CONFETTI – by Tim Foley
Directed by: Phil Mardlin
Cast: Harry Echo – Albert Welling
Mike – Kaloyan Stoyanov
We are gathered here today to remember Harry Echo… A dark comedy about a father’s struggle with grief.
FRACTURED – by Phil Mardlin
Directed by Lizzie Thomas
Cast: Charlie – James Simmonds
Tom – Ivan Wilkinson
Jim – John Handscombe
Charlie and Tom have never been the closest father and son, but when Charlie becomes ill and Tom is forced to take care of him, the cracks begin to show. Will they be able to mend their relationship before it’s too late?
THE VALLEY – by Tamara Micner
Directed by John Handscombe
Cast: Ali – Natalie Castka
Dana – Lizzie Thomas
Lauren – Harri Mardlin
Brett – Phil Mardlin
Nikki – Lizzie Thomas
Dan – Ivan Wilkinson
Neil – Nick Huntington
Ben – James Simmonds
Jones (OOV) – James Simmonds
Daria – Cally Lawrence
Ali’s having a crisis and refuses to leave the woods. Ben and Lauren have invested millions in a startup whose founder has suddenly disappeared. Nikki, Dan, and Neil are desperate to get funding and get out of debt: will they find a way before their company – and their friendship – fall apart?
OUR BRAVE NEW FUTURE – by Andrew Maddock
Directed by Cally Lawrence
Cast: Ashton/Simeon – Nick Huntington
Cassie – Harri Mardlin
Adrian – Ivan Wilkinson
Lilly – Natalie Castka
Harry – Phil Mardlin
What if the world could go back to before nobody cared what phone you had? You know, before this world we’ve grown into and not lived in, existed. This free for all, pay as you go, micro transaction…