News: First Live Theatre and Northumbria University joint Writer in Residence announced

First Live Theatre and Northumbria University joint Writer in Residence announced as Paddy Campbell

Live Theatre and Northumbria University are delighted to announce its first partnership Writer in Residence, launching a three year collaborative Writer Residency programme that will run from 2015 to 2018.

Paddy Campbell, writer of Live Theatre successes Wet House and Day of the Flymo, and a Northumbria University graduate will be the inaugural partnership Writer in Residence, from May 2015 to May 2016, developing new work and collaborating with students and staff at Northumbria University to enhance research and teaching. 

The appointment was announced to press at Live Theatre during the opening night of Rendezvous, which celebrated the life and work of novelist, poet and playwright Julia Darling. Julia was writer in residence at Live Theatre from 2001 to 2003, and this year marks the tenth anniversary of her death.

Max Roberts, Artistic Director, Live Theatre, said: “At a time where when Live Theatre is remembering the legacy of Julia Darling, one of its writers in residence who did so much to encourage other writers, it is appropriate that Paddy, who has come through Live Theatre’s writing development programme, is the first partnership Writer in Residence between Live Theatre and Northumbria University.”

Lucy Winskell OBE, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Business and Engagement), said: “I’m thrilled that the first Northumbria University and Live Theatre Writer in Residence will be one of our graduates, the playwright Paddy Campbell.  Paddy’s recent plays at Live Theatre have demonstrated his tremendous talent and I’m extremely excited to see what he produces next while working closely with staff and students at the University. This three-year collaboration will build on the University’s partnership with Live Theatre and our joint commitment to enhancing arts and culture in the region and beyond.”

Lucy added: “By working in partnership with internationally acclaimed arts organisations like Live Theatre, Northumbria will continue to invest in emerging creative talent to boost the economic, social and cultural development of the region and create new ways to inspire and engage students at the University.”

Paddy Campbell said: “I feel greatly privileged to have been given this opportunity. Live Theatre has supported my writing from the very start and I'm thrilled to have the chance to develop new plays for the company during my residency. I moved to Newcastle fifteen years ago to study at Northumbria University and had such a good time I decided to stay. I'm hugely grateful to Northumbria for their partnership in this residency and look forward to working with them during the next year.”

Paddy’s most recent play Day of the Flymo which follows a brother and sister as they come into contact with the care system will return to Live Theatre from Thursday 12 to Saturday 21 November. The play and had a sell-out run at Live Theatre in April 2015 and was awarded 4 stars by The Guardian.

Another previous writer in residence who has had a long and fruitful relationship with Live Theatre is Lee Hall whose work includes Billy Elliot and The Pitmen Painters. Lee’s latest play, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour has its English premiere at Live Theatre from 1 to 24 October.

Over the next three years the joint Writer Residency Programme will contribute to Northumbria’s ongoing partnerships with the cultural sector that nurture and support emerging creative talent across the North.

For more information about Live Theatre visit www.live.org.uk.

 Link to the Acoustic Circus Gateshead Staiths Cafe music event

The Jowheretogo Theatre Year 2014

The Jowheretogo Theatre Year

So what were the productions that made the Jowheretogo team smile, laugh and/or cry the most this year? Stephen Oliver looks back at an exciting 2014.

Funny play of the year: The Play That Goes Wrong which we saw at the Darlington Civic Theatre. This play had us laughing from start to finish – memories of watching Airplane! the movie at the cinema when we were very young. The show is still on in the London West End and a sequel Peter Pan Goes Wrong reaches Darlington Civic and Newcastle Theatre Royal in 2015. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/review-play-that-goes-wrong-at.html

Musical of the year: Urinetown which we saw at the St James Theatre in London and became the play we love to quote thereafter. Great memorable songs, coupled with a cracking storyline – a feature that was missing on a number of musicals this year. We would love to see it tour to the North East. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/review-urinetown-musical-at-st-james.html

Moving Play of the Year: the revival of Wet House at Live Theatre was superb. Joe Caffrey was in great form as one of the trouble souls in Paddy Campbell’s debut play. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/review-wet-house-at-newcastle-live.html

Small scale show of the year: Thirsty from The Paper Birds which we saw at The Arts Centre Washington was a rollercoaster of emotions as Jemma McDonnell and Kylie Walsh consumed large amounts of liquid whilst exploring friendship and the demon alcohol.

http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/review-thirsty-by-paper-birds-at.html

Whodunnit of the year was Jason Durr’s portrayal of Agatha Christie’s Poirot in Black Coffee which had us guessing to the end at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal. We saw a number of murders of stage this year but this show was a cut above the rest. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/review-black-coffee-at-newcastle.html

Amateurs showing the professionals how it is done play of the year has to be the moving Duet For One at the People’s Theatre in Newcastle. A fabulous look into some really difficult questions.  http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/review-duet-for-one-newcastle-peoples.html

Kids show of the year is one we hand over to the wee-man of the team.  Robert loved Get Santa! at Newcastle’s Northern Stage. A funny show that wasn’t afraid to connect with the young audience. It was funny and heart warming without any unnecessary innuendo.  http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/review-get-santa-at-newcastle-northern.html

Dance show of the year was the incredible The Five & The Prophecy of Prana from Boy Blue Entertainment. The mix of manga style characters and strong storyline had the Northern Stage audience captivated. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/review-five-prophecy-of-prana-at.html

Wedding of the year? Well we see a lot of coupling on stage and the great farce that was Perfect Wedding at South Shields Customs House was very funny and showed that the North East produces entertaining theatre. http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/review-perfect-wedding-at-south-shields.html

A massive thank you goes to the actors, producers, directors and theatres that have invited us along to the shows this year. Theatre remains a great night out and is not just about the Panto at Christmas. We have never seen a broadcast of a West End Show at a cinema because we now there is plenty of live entertainment out there in our wonderful theatres.

Looking ahead – 2015 is going to be another cracking year too!

Review: Wet House at Newcastle Live Theatre

“The only difference is that

we have the keys…”

Wet House

Newcastle Live Theatre

Until 11 October

Paddy Campbell’s first play was deservedly awarded three 2013 Journal Culture Awards and was given the status of one of the Guardian’s top ten plays of the year. We loved it at Jowheretogo but how will the latest run match up to the original?

Andy is a fresh graduate who decides to put his 2:2 in Art History to good use in the care industry. He ends up working in a Wet House – a place for the homeless that allows the residents to drink on the premises. Providing the care for societies’ forgotten people proves to be a challenge but Andy also has to deal with the staff who work there. The other key workers, Helen and Mike, have their history and their problems as they deal with drunks like Dinger, the heavily pregnant Kerry and new arrival Spencer.

Director Max Roberts has recognised the need to entertain and keep the light hearted moments in the mix. Add in a healthy amount of disturbing situations and it leaves the audience feeling like a ride on the old cork-screw.  This is a fabulous play to experience in the intimate surroundings of the Live Theatre.

The cast is terrific, Riley Jones plays the new member of staff well without being too wet and Eva Quinn is vibrant as the vulnerable Kerry. The one new comer to the cast is Simon Roberts who added a new dimension to the role of Spencer. Jackie Lye, as Helen and Chris Connel, as Mike, quickly draw the audience into their character’s complex issues. 

Once again it is Joe Caffrey who is phenomenal as the hopeless drunk Dinger in memorable moments such as trying to avoid a bath or singing the hits of Petula Clarke.  Dinger is one character that will make you laugh and cry in equal measure.

Wet House is a powerful drama with an awesome cast.

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo

There will also be a discussion on Sunday 5^th October on Homelessness & Addiction:  Discussion with writer Paddy Campbell and a chance meet the team behind the show on Tuesday 7^th October.

The production will tour to Hull Truck (14-18 October) and Soho Theatre, London (22 October – 16 November)

Ticket Details:

Wednesday 17 September to Saturday 11 October

LOCATION: Main Theatre

SUITABILITY: 14+, contains strong language, scenes of violence and adult themes

TICKETS: £22-£10, over 60s concs £22-£10, other concs £15-£5

DURATION: Approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes including an interval

www.live.org.uk

Hull Truck:www.hulltruck.co.uk 

Soho Theatre: www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/wet-house

Preview: Wet House at Newcastle's Live Theatre

Award Winning Play Returns

One of the Guardian’s Top 10 Plays of 2013, the brilliant “Wet House” is coming back to Newcastle’s Live Theatre from Wednesday 17^th September to Saturday 11^th October before going on tour to the Hull Truck Theatre (14^th – 18^th October) and Soho Theatre in London (21 October – 16^th November).

It was a big hit with audiences in Live Theatre’s 40^th anniversary year and went on to win many awards in the Newcastle Journal’s Cultural Awards. Wet House, a play about life in a homeless hostel, won three prizes including Performance of the Year and Writer of the Year. Plus, Wet House actor Joe Caffrey was named Performing Artist of the Year for his unforgettable performance as Dinger.

Based upon his own first-hand experiences of working in a wet house, Paddy Campbell’s startlingly original first full length plays asks who will look after the people that no one else will look after? The new show will feature many of the original cast so we have reproduced our review from the original show below (http://jowheretogo.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/review-wet-house-at-live-theatre.html).

There will also be a discussion on Sunday 5^th October on Homelessness & Addiction Discussion with writer Paddy Campbell and a chance meet the team behind the show on Tuesday 7^th October.

Ticket Details:

Wednesday 17 September to Saturday 11 October

LOCATION: Main Theatre

SUITABILITY: 14+, contains strong language, scenes of violence and adult themes

TICKETS: £22-£10, over 60s concs £22-£10, other concs £15-£5

DURATION: Approx. 2 hours and 30 minutes including an interval

http://www.live.org.uk/whats-on-book/wet-house-0

Hull Truck: http://www.hulltruck.co.uk/ 

Soho Theatre: http://www.sohotheatre.com/whats-on/wet-house/  

The Jowheretogo Review of the original production:

Review: "Wet House" at Live Theatre

An Alcohol-Fuelled Free-For-All

The Live Theatre in Newcastle has provided gritty drama in the past. Not known for "safe" theatre it faces issues head on and presents them with realism. This play, written by Paddy Campbell, a product of the Live Theatre writing course in 2007, and a one-time worker in such an establishment, is no exception.

The "Wet House" is a homeless hostel where alcoholics are allowed to drink, providing them with a "safe" place to exist and be sheltered and to keep them off the streets. Andy, fresh from failing at university, and ready to be a useful citizen, walks into this alternative reality where normal social rules no longer apply and it isn't only the residents who are dysfuctional and damaged.

The writing is exceptional, in my view, and one liners are delivered by the cast, especially Chris Connel with the skill of a seasoned stand-up. However this play, despite having laugh out loud moments had me close to tears with the tragic stories behind the characters, and the brutality meted out by Connel's character Mike on residents he felt deserved it.

Back in the day, my old Dad told me about the legendary Patricia Hayes playing a drunk in "Edna the Inebriate Woman" the BBC Play For Today in 1971 and her amazing performance. The drunks in this production were utterly believable, tragic, and at times hilarious. Joe Caffrey quickly transformed from the loveable smelly old tramp to a man who had lost his family through drink and saw no future for himself. Eva Quinn played  Kerry the  young woman set on a trail of self distruction and facing the loss of custody of her baby through drink and drugs. She expressed the anger and hopelessness of this character so well, I was close to tears.

Riley Jones, as Andy changed from the awkward young man with a normal life, to a mentally scarred individual with an unhealthy relationship with drink, in an alarmingly short time...with help from his messed-up mentor, Mike. Helen, another staff member was equally controlled by ex-army bully Mike and was played brilliantly by Jackie Lye. David Nellist had a hard role to play. Spencer, a convicted paedophile, terrorised and violently attacked by his "key worker" Mike, was a pitiful character, spiralling down into alcoholism to hide from the shame and hopelessness that filled his life.

This play was amongst the best theatre I have seen this year. The combination of comedy, violence and utter gloom these characters faced, made for an emeotional rollercoaster I hadn't bargained for. Live Theatre truly hit the spot with this production.

The Cyrenians work with vulnerable, disadvantaged and homeless people, to give them a roof over their heads and a support network. They will have representatives at the panel discussion. I have witnessed their work as I used to live next door to one of their houses on Westgate Road. The thing I noticed about the men that stayed there was not that they were threatening in any way. They seemed afraid to even say "hello" and surprised that us (students, as we were) would let on to them. Now I present a radio show in the basement of one of the charity's houses, its funny how things come full circle. They do such valuable work with people who may be difficult to cope with, and not always easy to sympathise with.

Everyone has a story.

"I'm a middle aged woman working as a tramp-farmer" (Helen)

www.live.org.uk

www.thecyrenians.org