Past Glories for People’s Theatre
The People’s Theatre, as part of the Centenary season which opened in January, has commissioned Past Glories – four professional North-East playwrights writing brand new one-act plays specifically for the People’s that will receive their world premieres this week.
The writers for Past Glories each have an association with the People’s Theatre, either past or present.
And for a Group which has seen its fair share of talent pass through the doors (former members include Kevin Whately, Andrea Riseborough, Ross Noble and Neil Tennant) it might come as little surprise that the writers involved represent some of the best emerging and established writing talent in the region.
The plays will be presented as double-bills, playing on alternate nights over a fortnight.
Kicking proceedings off are A Spoonful of Honey by Tony Gannie and Never Rains But It Pours by Alison Carr. Tony worked with Emmy and Bafta-Award winning Jimmy McGovern on The Street, while Alison’s last play sold out at the National Theatre.
This is followed by Wordworth’s Sister by Sue Saunders and Keeping Up With the Joans by Philip Meeks. Sue’s work has been performed worldwide and Philip is a former Emmerdale writer and award-winning playwright.
The writers were first approached about the project nearly a year ago. They were given Past Glories as their overarching title and the brief to write for casts of no more than three.
A Spoonful Of Honey charts the memories of 99 year old Lilian, now bed bound in a care home – hopeful and funny as she recollects the memorable moments in her life.
Never Rains But It Pours finds the Jensen family trapped in the attic room of their rapidly flooding house, family secrets rising to the surface and resentments spilling over.
Wordsworth’s Sister takes audiences to 1842, when a young painter visits Rydal Mount and meets Dorothy Wordsworth, a vibrant and intriguing woman and so much more than simply the sister of the famous poet.
And in Keeping Up With The Joans, Kitty and Zillah are arguing over who played the greatest St Joan in their glory days with the Half Moon Players!
Past Glories opens Tuesday 5 April and runs until Saturday 16 April 2011 and tickets are priced at £10.50. Contact the People’s Theatre for more details on 0191 265 5020 or their website.
