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Scarborough's SJT Gives First Foot to Three Plays

Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre this week launches an initiative to showcase beginning playwrights' new works - from their very earliest stages. Called "First Foot", the initial run of the scheme will provide "early steps" premieres for three new plays by Meredith Oakes, Paul Lucas and Gill Adams in a limited season from 5 February to 16 March 2002.

Commenting on the ethos behind First Foot, SJT artistic director and the country's most prolific playwright Alan Ayckbourn, says: "With a stage play, what you write is merely the start of things. Designers, directors, technicians, stage managers - all manner of experts - become involved and start to contribute, culminating, of course, with the actors themselves.

"Since my earliest days as a young dramatist with Stephen Joseph, I was given the chance to see and hear my work performed from the start," Ayckbourn continued. "I have always been grateful for that. First Foot is a chance to offer that opportunity to three new writers."

Meredith Oakes' Man for Hire opens the season from 5 to 16 February 2002. Directed by Annie Castledine, it deals with the insecurities faced by Kev when he shows up for an important new job in the middle of London. It's followed from 19 February to 2 March by The Star Throwers, written by Paul Lucas and directed by Timothy Sheader, which tells the story of Tom and Jess whose misanthropic life is thrown into chaos when Slippy turns up to die on their doorstep.

The first First Foot season concludes with Gill Adams' Something Blue, running from 5 to 16 March and directed by Laura Harvey. Beverley's is meant to be the Wedding of the Year. They've planned for everything - except something no one could have ever envisaged, that the wedding would fall on the same day as Princess Diana's funeral.

- by Terri Paddock

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