Local playwrights receive Royal support for Amazing Grace!

Local playwrights Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood have received a letter of support from the Queen for their new play, Amazing Grace.

Grace Darling and her lighthouse keeper father lived on Longstone island when, in a storm on September 7, 1838, the SS Forfarshire struck the notorious Harcar rocks, a part of the Farne Islands. Of the 63 people on board, nine managed to escape in the lifeboat while Grace and her father selflessly manned a coble to heroically rescue 9 people stranded on the rocks.

The play tells the tale of local girl Grace Armstrong who sets out to make a film about her idol and the 19th century sea rescue heroine, Grace Darling but things don’t turn out quite how she expects.

Trevor Wood explained: “It’s a funny, modern take on a wonderful story and will appeal to everyone aged from 13 to 113. We want to celebrate Grace’s achievement whilst illustrating how the Hollywood machine can play fast and loose with the facts.

The three-week north east tour will begin with a world premiere at Alnwick Playhouse on Wednesday, October 17 followed by stops at Consett Empire, Hexham Queen’s Hall, Durham Gala Theatre, Hartlepool Theatre, Gateshead Old Town Hall, Customs House South Shields, Blyth Phoenix theatre, Berwick Maltings and Playhouse Whitley Bay.