10th 24:7 Festival – Plays announced

Manchester’s 24:7 Theatre Festival, has announced the plays selected for its highly anticipated 10th Anniversary this July, at a special event at 2022 NQ, attended by former Coronation Street star Vicky Binns.

Vicky said: “I can’t wait to see what 24:7 has in store this year. Year upon year it opens the doors to Manchester’s creative talent, creating not only one of the most exciting showcases for new writing around, but also a wealth of opportunities for its participants that seem to spread way beyond the festival.”

The festival’s alumni include Joe Sims, recently seen as Nige Carter in the successful ITV drama Broadchurch.

Joe said: “24:7 is a magnificent opportunity for actors, writers and directors alike to work on exciting pieces of new theatre in a wonderfully passionate city. As a performer the accolades I was fortunate enough to garner through my work at 24:7 has led to many more opportunities that I may not otherwise have been offered.”

Further successes include Ian Townsend, now Writer Liaison for the festival, whose production All The Bens won the Audience Award in 2012. The play went on to be selected for the The Library Theatre’s  re:play Festival and subsequently toured the North West, plus won both Best Fringe at the Manchester Theatre Awards 2012 and the Vicky Allen Equity Award.

In recent years, the festival has also attracted performances from established actors including Vicky Binns , now a Trustee of the festival, and Roberta Kerr (Coronation Street), and Jeff Hordley (Emmerdale).

This year’s 24:7 Theatre Festival will run from 19 to 26 July and continues its innovative use of non-theatrical spaces to showcase the performing, producing and directing talent of tomorrow.

This year’s plays are:

Away From Home by Rob Ward and Martin Jameson

Blunted by Alice Brockway

Bump by Laura Kate Barrow

Daylight Robbery by Micheal Jacob

My Space by Louise Monaghan

Night on the Field of Waterloo by Thomas Bloor

No Soft Option by Brian Marchbank

Temper by Richard O’Neill

For the under 12’s:

Billy, the Monster and ME! by Catherine Manford & Sarah Molyneux

Site specific theatre at Ancoats Fire Station:

Manchester’s Burning by Rebekah Harrison & Kurt Nikko

Devised work:

The Young by Faro Productions