Premiere of stage
adaptation of David Almond’s award-winning novel
A
Song for Ella Grey
Newcastle Northern Stage
Tuesday 5th – Saturday 16th
September 2017
A
brand new production of David Almond’s award-winning young adult novel A
Song for Ella Grey will premiere at Northern Stage in Newcastle (5 – 16 September).
Adapted for the stage by David Almond himself and directed by Northern Stage
Artistic Director Lorne Campbell, the creative team will make the show with the
help of young people from across the North East.
 |
| Creative team with young people at Ella Grey workshop |
David
Almond's story sets the Orpheus myth in teenage Tyneside, travelling
from the beaches of Bamburgh to the bridges of Ouseburn. Hailed as one of the
most important writers for this generation of young people, the Tyneside author
is the winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, Whitbread Book Award, Carnegie
Medal and, most recently, the Guardian children’s fiction prize. Previous stage
adaptations include Skellig at Sage Gateshead and Miracle! An Opera
of Two Halves at Sunderland Minster.
David
explains, “I'm so happy that this story is coming to life again at Northern
Stage. It's based on an ancient tale but it's also very new. I've set it on
Tyneside, the place where I live, the place of my birth. It’s about ordinary
Tyneside teenagers with all their madness, joys and yearnings. At its heart is
a simple tale of a girl and a boy falling in love. It asks the question, Can
Love be stronger than Death?
 | |
| Northern Stage's Young Company - Photo: Von Fox Promotions |
“Somehow
we all know something about the tale of Orpheus, the wonderful musician who travels
to the Underworld to bring back his lost love. We all know the simple scary
line, ‘Don't look back! Don't look back!’ The story was often rather weird to
write - sometimes I felt as if Orpheus had visited me, that his spirit was
flowing through me; that his voice was singing underneath my words...”
 |
| Movement Director Martin Hylton - Photo Mark Savage |
The
creative team includes set and costume designer Jen McGinley – winner of the 2015 Linbury Prize; Movement Director
Martin Hylton; film maker Kris Deedigan who is working with
Northern Stage Young Company members to create film and projections for the
production; and sound designer/composer Mariam
Rezaei. Mariam works predominantly with turntables, piano, vocals and
electronics and she is creating and recording an immersive soundscape for A
Song for Ella Grey in collaboration with Young Company members aged 16-21.
 | |
|
David Almond joins vocal
session with
Amy Cameron- Photo Mark
Savage
|
Amy Cameron will play the lead role of Claire. Most
recently seen at Northern Stage in the critically acclaimed Get Carter as
Jack’s niece Doreen, Amy is originally from Sunderland and has appeared in
ITV’s Vera alongside Brenda Blethyn as well as stage roles including
Helene in A Doll’s House (Royal Exchange) and Puck in A Midsummer
Night’s Dream (Hallé).
 |
|
David Almond in vocal
session with
Mariam Rezaiel- Photo
Mark Savage
|
Director
Lorne Campbell says, “For me, David’s writing is everything fiction should
be, magical and fantastical without ever letting go of an unvarnished and
uncompromising reality. A Song for Ella Grey is an incredible book about
growing up, it contains all of the passion and intensity of being a teenager
while dealing with profound honesty and courage with death, grief and the
reality of surviving tragedy. The chance to not only make this incredible book
into a play but to do so working with the brilliant creativity of our Young
Company is an incredible pleasure and privilege.”
Tickets:
A
Song for Ella Grey opens
in Newcastle in September 2017.
Tickets start from £10 - for more information or to book tickets visit www.northernstage.co.uk or call 0191 230 5151.
Running time: 1 hour 30 mins (no interval)
Recommended Age: 14+ (some strong language)
Post-show talk: Wednesday 13 September with David Almond and Lorne Campbell
Please note: a section of this play will be performed in complete darkness
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