Preview: Letters To Myself at Washington Arts Centre

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New show invites audiences to write a letter to themselves.

Letters To Myself

Washington Arts Centre

Thursday 8^th September 2016.

Theatre show Letters to Myself, which asks people to consider writing a letter to their past, present or future selves is heading to Arts Centre Washington on 8th September.

The writer behind the project, Becci Sharrock, has spent the last 6 months working across Sunderland and South Shields meeting individuals and groups, handing out letter writing kits and collecting the resulting letters.

Becci explains “Letters to Myself came about after hearing lots of friends talk about problems or situations and finish by saying something along the lines of, ‘I know what I’d say to myself if I were you’. I’m fascinated by the idea that we are sometimes unable to give ourselves the same brilliant advice that we give to friends and family. I’m interested in how we might become better at talking to ourselves, and what advice we would offer if we could.”

In January 2016, Becci was awarded seed funding from The Cultural Spring which allowed her to test this idea with a whole host of groups from Sunderland and South Shields. Becci continued “Working with Cultural Spring has been amazing and has allowed us to get out and about, meeting so many interesting people along the way. We’ve been in libraries, cafes, empty shops, talked to writing groups and W.I.s and even run workshops in schools. At every session we hand out free letter writing kits and simply ask those that we meet to consider writing a letter to their past, present or future selves. Then, if they want to, they can send it back to us so we can use it in the making of the show”

Letters received have been long and short, silly and soul searching but always insightful. Crucially, though they relate to very specific personal experiences, they do so in a way that resonates with the reader/listener. We have not been in love with that man, we didn’t meet our partner in that way, but we have been in love and we have had our hearts broken.

The company are now creating a show inspired by the letters that will preview at Arts Centre Washington.

“It’s been so inspiring to read everyone’s stories and experiences. People have been really generous and open with us and that’s a real privilege. The pressure’s now on us to make a show that does justice to that. We can’t wait for everyone to see it, to meet some of our letter writers again and see what they think and finally to get the show out on the road.”

Anyone who would like to write a letter for the project can do so via the website: www.letterstomyself.org.uk  

Letters to Myself has been supported by Cultural Spring, The Sammy Johnson Memorial Fund and using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

Tickets:

Letters to Myself will be on at Arts Centre Washington on Thursday 8th September at 7.30pm.

Tickets are priced £8.50/£6 (conc) and can be purchased from Arts Centre Washington online at www.artscentrewashington.co.uk or calling 0191 561 3455