Above photos by Sylvia Selzer
New Writing at Whitby Hall
Photo by The Ellesemere Port Pioneer
Action Transport Theatre Company and |
S P A C E |
A unique new writing adventure (and the perfect anti-pantomime festive evening!) |
In July 2005 the Action Transport Writers met to launch the S p a c e programme. In essence this was a site specific, mini commission writing programme inviting new and emerging writers to write for a particular space at our base here in Whitby Hall.
Out of props cupboards grew school boy crushes, out of cellars grew tragic tale of mining, and out of the writer’s room a quirky tale of two eccentric characters who find love the day man walked on the moon.
Two evenings of intricate, challenging, and funny short new plays from twelve new writers proved to be a festive evening of fun not be to missed.
As the spaces and plays were unique this was a magical and exciting Christmas writing event, and we asked our audiences to join us for the evening and embark on a creative adventure.
(We also reward ed those willing with mulled wine and mince pies!)
A selection of new plays on the menu…
Thursday 8 th December
The plays will be performed twice –
so please join us at either 5pm or 8pm
A festive and warm welcome awaits you at Whitby Hall with Mulled Wine and Mince Pies…
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Organised Chaos by Louie Ingham & Guy Christiansen
A simple love story
Two complex people
A mince pie, a pair of gloves and a tin of red paint.
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Fat Camp by Beverley Hancock
The grease of a Big Mac dribbling down their chin or the crunch
of a custard cream is a distant memory for the teens enrolled on "Fit or Fat Camp '05".
Sensible eating and bracing activities are the order of the day,
but Tam, Lil and Jack have other ideas.
Confined to washing up duties in a disappointingly food-free kitchen, the lure of the "Golden Arches" proves too strong and Tam plots a breakout.
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The System In Which We Live In by Faye Christiansen
Some people are by-products of the world we live in.
Everything you hold safe can be taken from you.
Forget the friends you think you have.
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You Can't Out-Run a Police Car by Jenny Mills
Think of all the weird things that could happen in a lost property cupboard...no, not those sorts of things.
It's a tale of raisins, skipping ropes and Scooby-Doo, and attempts at childhood rebellion.
So just ask yourself...what if?
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Herrings by David Selzer
Two people - one a man dressed as a woman, the other a woman dressed as a man: a teller of stories and a story teller;
an ex-NYPD Homicide detective and a celebrated writer of romantic fiction - meet by chance in the bridal suite of a
5-star Sunset Boulevard Hotel, Los Angeles, on 21 st July 1969, when humankind first landed on the Moon.
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Friday 9th December
The plays will be performed twice –
so please join us at either 5pm or 8pm
A festive and warm welcome awaits you at Whitby Hall with Mulled Wine and Mince Pies…
******************
The Sharpest Tool In The Box by Helen Rutherford
Gary is an ordinary guy. He does ordinary things.
That is, until someone rather less ordinary thrusts herself into his life.
She is Miranda – and she comes into his life with the offer of a lifetime.
******************
The Last Laugh by Sylvia Selzer
After his death, Celia, a middle-aged woman who is a successful actress returns to her father’s home, the home of her childhood.
While packing his belongings, she reflects on what she remembers as an idyllic childhood.
As she explores a long-forgotten part of her memory, a darker story is revealed.
******************
Masquerade by Anne Wynne
It is not easy to be completely honest even to those we love most.
So what do we do?
Sit tight in comfort and hope for the best or reveal our
heart's desire and face the consequences?
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Nervous by Sean Mason
Two stationery salesmen,
An explosive situation,
And five minutes from the end of the world...!
******************
Clash by Heather McGaw
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August 1916 by John Moorhouse
While the battle of the Somme rages in Europe, Billy
and Vin are working in the mines of the
South Yorkshire coalfield and looking forward to an uncertain future.
Quotes from the writers on the process and what attracted them to being an Action Transport Writer in the first place:
Lacking time and discipline (not necessarily in that order), any opportunity to escape the office and focus on writing is a bonus. The feedback and support given throughout the process is invaluable and I hope to continue working with AT for many projects to come.
Beverley Hancock, ATW
My piece for SPACE was one of the most difficult I have written so far, and I would have given up if not for the support of Action Transport. I find writing helps me to channel and control my creative process and can sometimes be a truly cathartic experience. It also prevents my brain from exploding and running out of my ears.
Faye Christiansen, ATW
Ideas for plays and poems come uninvited into my imagination. Sometimes they behave badly. ‘Herrings’ is about just such an occasion.
David Selzer, ATW
There is a desire within me to write and put simply - it just won't go away.
Anne Wynne, ATW
Why do I write? Because if I didn't I'd go insane. What makes me write? The continuing quest to escape the drudgery of every day life. I’ve been writing with Action Transport since the Leather Boy project began just over two years ago. I can only hope my play is inspiring, life-affirming and vaguely amusing.
Sean Mason
I have always been interested in writing but had only ever looked at playwriting briefly before working with action transport. The past two years have been a blur and I have found the whole experience to be both enjoyable and rewarding
Heather McGaw
I had never written a play in my life. Never wanted to. Never intended to. Then, one day, Kevin said “Write a play”, so I did. And it was rubbish. But with loads of encouragement from Kevin and Action Transport, I kept writing and I got better. I hope.
John Moorhouse
