When an infamous criminal is incarcerated in a London jail, prison guard Tracey knows she shouldn’t be frantically googling the notorious case. But for Tracey, it’s hard to get away from the story that has hooked the nation. Inside the prison walls life is stagnant and slow, making it the perfect playing field for inmate Siobhan to coerce the easily manipulated.
In an intense hour of fast-paced, dark comedy, Mark Conway’s performance of Alex Packers’s one-man show is nothing short of captivating and relevant. Following the Parkland school shooting in Florida just four weeks ago, the protagonist presents a chilling insight into the ways in which modern day pressures, technological interventions and social outcasting can drive us to commit the unthinkable.
Set during the London protests of 2010, the award winning Crushed depicts the lives of three university students over the course of several years. A story of lost innocence, we watch the friends fervently unite over a political cause, before entering the working world where they succumb to political apathy and the numbing influence of the daily grind.
Tom Crowley, Shock Treatment writer and adapter
We all love a good cult movie- as is proof from the hundreds of midnight screenings for films such as Trolls 2 and Rocky Horror Picture Show over the decades. Taking to the stage are two new adaptations of some of the world’s most loved cult films- Shock Treatment, Richard O’ Brien’s “parallel reality” film based on characters from Rocky Horror, and “the Citizen Kane of bad movies”, The Room by Tommy Wiseau. Theatrefullstop talked to the adapters behind these smash cult successes, Tom Crowley and Edward Greenwood.
It’s the discussion about the German AutoBahn motorways that brings up the line “We spend 1/8th of our lives in cars”, a fitting metaphor for travelling too fast or too slow in life. It is on this tumultuous note that sees the audience brought along for a ride across America’s highways. From the confines of a battered BMW’s front seat, several short vignettes explore the darkness of the tenuous relationships and secrets that make up Neil LaBute’s Autobahn.
Everybody has a story to tell, whether you’re a Costume Designer or a Production Assistant. To acknowledge this, the Adrian Pagan Playwright Award was launched last year in memory of the late Stage Manager who also enjoyed success a Playwright. Alongside working as an actor, having performed for the RSC and starring in the BBCs Casualty, Thomas Pickles can now add the credible title of award winning Playwright to his CV! A play that was 11 years in the making, Thomas talks ahead of opening night about his inspirations, his love of writing and why being a Magpie could be a good thing!
Your production of Dead Party Animals is the first recipient of the Adrian Pagan Playwright Award, how does that feel?
It feels great! It’s really good! The prospect of getting my first play produced is overwhelming, but brilliant as well! I’m chuffed to bits! I had this play, so I thought, what can I do with it? I saw the competition online and I was shortlisted! It’s been fab!