I worked with Zoielogic Dance Theatre on the early development of the story and narrative structure for their latest show, HEIST.  

 

Cinderella is an adaptation of the well-loved story, drawing from numerous versions of the original tale to create a new version featuring original songs.

Translated by Anna Eloaho

UK Tour September - October 2018

 

I was the UK Script Consultant for the UK premiere of Kukunor/Kalahari, part of a multi-national project supported by Creative Europe.

 

Kukunor/Kalahari is set on the border of two countries at war and deals with a person’s physical, spiritual, real and imaginary limitations – is it possible to make contact with another person despite restrictions? 

 

The characters in the play have been guards on opposite sides of the border for six years and they have learned to communicate with each other despite the fact that they have two different languages and two different cultures. 

 

The production was presented with spoken language and sign language used on an equal footing - the same role was portrayed by a hearing actor and a sign language actor.

 

The UK premiere of Kukunor/Kalahari toured to multiple venues across the UK in Autumn 2018.

 

My short play Moving Day was one of 13 selected short plays to be presented in KDC Theatre's 2018 Summer production, 'Future Imperfect'.

 

 

'Future Imperfect' ran from the 19th to the 23rd June 2018 at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre in London.

The Arena, Wolverhampton

15th & 16th June 2018

10 Minute Plays

 

 

For more information about 14/48, the World's Quickest Theatre Festival, visit www.1448uk.com

 

For more information specifically about 14/48 Wolverhampton, please visit their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/1448wolves

 

The Gingerbread Man is a new adaptation of the classic fairy tale; a madcap, explosive adventure that will appeal to audiences of all ages.  The script was commissioned by The Point Youth Theatre, and the world premiere production was performed at The Point in Eastleigh in November/December 2017, directed by Lewis Mullins.

 

I am also developing a longer version of this script, for performance by an older/adult cast.

 

HIDE was developed through workshops and discussion with the young company, and was premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2017.

The Y, Leicester

5th & 6th May 2017

10 Minute Plays

 

The Elixir of Life (5th May, Theme - 'A Righteous Quest')

Simulation (6th May, Theme - 'In The Mood')

 

These two 10-minute plays were written as part of 14/48 Leicester, the world's quickest theatre festival. Both plays were written overnight, on a theme randomly selected as part of the festival. The scripts were completed by 8am on the day of performance, and then cast and rehearsed through the day for two performances in the evening.

 

For more information about 14/48, the World's Quickest Theatre Festival, visit www.1448uk.com

 

For more information specifically about 14/48 Leicester, visit www.1448uk.com/Leicester

 

Ellie's Extraordinary Adventure follows Ellie as she goes on an epic quest through a thousand stories to rescue her brother and get home in time for tea!

 

 

Along the way Ellie meets other characters (including Nokey-Poke the Snufflesnark and The Great Librarian), some of whom are quite human and others who are very much not.  At last Ellie finds her way to the Great Library, the place where all books, all stories and all worlds meet.  Here she finally finds Ollie, but can she find the book that will take them both home?

 

This is a one act children's theatre piece for a single performer, featuring puppetry and original songs.  Ellie's Extraordinary Adventure was commissioned by The Berry Theatre as part of its Storytelling Festival, and the premiere production toured to ten libraries throughout Southampton and Eastleigh in April 2017.

 

A play inspired by and set to the background of the music of Mick Ronson (David Bowie's guitarist from the Spiders from Mars). This Is For You is a play for anyone who has ever felt that music, whether one song or a hundred, becomes the soundtrack to our lives, an emotive story about being in and out of love, the secrets we keep and the truths we tell.

It is also a story is about giving… literal gifts and more intangible things… a chance to uncover more of the past... to make up for lost time and to mourn a love that was never quite lost. 

 

This is my first collaboration with Southampton playwright Mark Wheeller, and the world premiere of This Is For You was performed by the Oasis Youth Theatre in March 2017 as part of a double bill with Mark's other new play, Can You Hear Me Major Tom?

 

A review of this first production can be read here.

 

To find out more about Mark Wheeller and his work, take a look at his website.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas follows a mischievous group of street urchins who are looking for shelter on Christmas Eve.  In an abandoned house they discover a pile of presents, each one addressed to one of the group...  But with hours to wait until Christmas Day, how will they resist temptation? Singing songs and telling tales of Lords leaping, golden rings and turtle doves, the rascals pass the time unravelling the stories behind the traditional Christmas song 'The 12 Days of Christmas'.

 

The 12 Days of Christmas was commissioned by The Point Youth Theatre, and the world premiere production was performed at The Point, Eastleigh in December 2016, directed by Lewis Mullins.

Stage Adaptation for an Ensemble Cast, including original songs

Lyrics written by Matt Beames & music composed by Peter Theobald

St. John's House, Winchester

1st - 3rd December 2016

 

A new adaptation of Dylan Thomas' A Child’s Christmas in Wales, featuring original songs.  An ensemble cast play and explore in a place of memories, discovering and remembering the way Christmas used to be…

 

This adaptation was commissioned by the award-winning West Meon Theatre, who also produced my adaptation of The Signal-Man in May 2015.  A Child’s Christmas in Wales was performed as a supper theatre event at St John's House, Winchester on the 1st - 3rd December 2016, directed by Mary Dawson.

The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

Short Play

29th November 2016

 

Alex wakes and finds himself in an unfamiliar, bare room.  A stranger, Martin, greets him warmly.  Alex does not remember how he came to the room, but he very quickly discovers that, whatever assumptions he might make, the truth is much, much worse...

 

Consequences is a short horror play which was featured as a rehearsed reading at a Arena Collaborative Theatremakers (ACT) night at The Arena in October 2016, and was subsequently selected to be included in the ACT Collection at The Arena on the 29th November 2016.  Following the extremely positive feedback received at ACT, I am in the process of developing it further.

 

Alice's Adventures is a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll's classic stories Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass.  The script follows Alice on a journey through a fantastic world populated with a host of eccentric characters, and includes original songs with music composed by David Lewington.

 

Alice's Adventures was commissioned by The Point Youth Theatre, and the world premiere production was an outdoor, promenade performance in the grounds of IBM's beautiful Hursley Park, directed by Daniel Hill and James Henderson.

 

The script is available in both the promenade version and an indoor, theatre based version.

Inspired by The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekov

 

 

The Fate of The Green is a new play inspired by Anton Chekov's The Cherry Orchard as well as contemporary issues surrounding the use (and potential loss) of green spaces in the community. 

 

 

Into the heart of the debate comes Harry Davis, a local journalist who is writing a story about The Green and its possible future.  Through both planned interviews and chance encounters, Harry crosses paths with a wide range of characters from the local community, all of whom have an idea of what The Green was, is and could be…  As both the public debate and his story deadline draw close, Harry must sort through the myriad viewpoints and opinions to find the way forward that is best for all…

 

The Fate of The Green was produced by the theatre company Beautiful Shadows (of which I am the co-founder), and the world premiere production was an outdoor performance at Bantock House in Wolverhampton in July 2016.

 

'Stone' is a look at a world not so different from ours, where humankind's reliance on everyday technology is finally having real impacts on life as we know it...

 

Stone began life as a ten minute play, and is in it's latest draft a one-act play.  I am continuing to develop the piece through the theatre company Beautiful Shadows, of which I am the co-founder.  The latest draft of Stone was performed as part of the DEparture Lounge Check-In Festival at The Attenborough Arts Centre, Leicester on 16th April 2016.

 

 

“My Lords and Ladies, listen to my tale!” - An adventure featuring a terrible dragon, monstrous creatures, a fearsome giant, a noble knight and the bold and brave princess who wins his heart.

 

Using film, live theatre and music, The Legends of Sir Bevis tells the story of Southampton’s local legend Bevis of Hampton who, after the murder of his father by his own mother, is sold into slavery. Despite his misfortunes, Bevis overcomes these challenges to find true love and friendship and eventually return home to reclaim his birthright.

 

The Legends of Sir Bevis was a schools project delivered by the Drama Education Department of the The Point & The Berry Theatre.  I was tasked with creating a new version of the story of Bevis of Hampton, comprised of four exciting adventures.  Young people and teachers from local primary schools worked with the Drama Education Department to bring the story of Sir Bevis to life on stage.  The project culminated in a full performance of the entire story on stage at The Berry Theatre in March 2016.

 

For more information about the project, please go to the Road to Agincourt website.  A video of me talking about my work on the project can also be found here.

 

 

I was invited to take part as a Writer for 14/48 For Laughs, a new event hosted by 14/48 UK, which formed part of Dave's Leicester Comedy Festival.

 

4 Veteran 14/48 Writers were randomly paired with 4 comedians, and over the course of a day each pair wrote a ten minute play on a the randomly selected theme of 'Revolution'.  The script was submitted on the following morning and, in true 14/48 style, all four plays were learnt, staged, scored, rehearsed and performed in front of an audience that evening.

  

For more information about 14/48, please visit the website. 

ACT Theater, Seattle

15th & 16th January 2016

10 Minute Plays

 

Reunion (15th January, Theme - 'Unfinished Business')

Clouds (16th January, Theme - 'Silent But Deadly')

 

These two 10-minute plays were written as part of 14/48 Seattle, the world’s quickest theatre festival. Both plays were written overnight, on a theme randomly selected as part of the festival. The scripts were completed by 8am on the day of performance, and then cast and rehearsed through the day for two performances in the evening.  I was one of seven writers involved.

 

14/48 was started in Seattle in 1997, and is The World's Quickest Theatre Festival.  14 brand new 10 minute plays are written, directed, staged, rehearsed, scored, costumed and performed in the space of 48 hours.  I have taken part in four 14/48 Festivals in the UK (3 as a Writer, 1 as an Actor), and have loved every moment of each of them.  I was delighted to be invited to participate as a Writer for 14/48 Seattle in January 2016.

 

For more information about 14/48, the World's Quickest Theatre Festival, visit the website.  (The UK branch of the festival's website can also be found here.)

Lyrics by Daniel Hill and Matt Beames, music composed by David Lewington

The Point, Eastleigh

18^th – 24^th December 2015

Full Length Musical

 

Beauty and the Beast is a new adaptation of the French fairy-tale, co-written with Daniel Hill.  The script includes 8 original songs, and the music is composed by David Lewington.  The first production of Beauty and the Beast was performed by The Point Youth Theatre in December 2015, and was directed by Daniel Hill.

 

“Can a moment of the purest love change the course of history?

 

Enter a kingdom full of sorcery and magic, where under the grip of war, rage and torment flourish.  Young Prince Luc must find a way to bring peace to his land, but not without sacrifice.

 

In the darkest of times all seems lost, but can magic provide the glimmer of hope that allows beauty to outshine evil?"

 

 

The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

One Act Play

8th December 2015

 

'Stone' is a look at a world not so different from ours, where humankind's reliance on everyday technology is finally having real impacts on life as we know it...

 

Arena Collaborative Theatremakers (ACT) is a development project which takes place at The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton.  The second draft of 'Stone' was featured at ACT in March of 2015, and I developed the script further following the positive response and feedback received.  The latest draft was included as part of the ACT Collection at The Arena, along with 4 other pieces that have been shared through ACT.

 

I am continuing to develop Stone following the very positive response it has received at each reading/performance.  Some photos of the performance at ACT Collection can be found in the Gallery.

 

The Cloisters pub & restaurant, Salisbury

3rd October 2015

10 Minute Play

 

It is a beautiful, moonlit night, and Jakob and Kara are on a quiet stretch of beach. Jakob is a regular visitor to the spot, and has invited Kara tonight, wanting to share the place with her. They talk together, skirting around their attraction to each other, of the ever-changing shoreline, and the ability of the sea to change things...

 

'Simple Beginnings' was one of 6 short plays selected for performance as part of 'Short Cuts', a new writing event which was part of the Salisbury Fringe festival, which ran from the 2nd to the 10th October 2015.

The LOST Theatre, Wandsworth, South London

7th & 8th August 2015

10 Minute Plays

  

The Walk (7th August, Theme - 'Into the Deep')

The White Sentinel (8th August, Theme - 'Invaders')

 

These two 10-minute plays were written as part of 14/48 London, the first London version of the world’s quickest theatre festival. Both plays were written overnight, on a theme randomly selected as part of the festival. The scripts were completed by 8am on the day of performance, and then cast and rehearsed through the day for two performances in the evening.  I was one of seven writers involved.

 

For more information about 14/48, the World's Quickest Theatre Festival, visit www.1448uk.com

The Arena, Wolverhampton

12th & 13th June 2015

10 Minute Plays

 

At The Gate (12th June, Theme - 'Out of the Darkness')

The Good Old Days (13th June, Theme - 'Safe Haven')

 

These two 10-minute plays were written as part of 14/48 Wolverhampton, the world’s quickest theatre festival. Both plays were written overnight, on a theme randomly selected as part of the festival. The scripts were completed by 8am on the day of performance, and then cast and rehearsed through the day for two performances in the evening.  I was one of seven writers involved.

 

For more information about 14/48, the World's Quickest Theatre Festival, visit www.1448uk.com

 

For more information specifically about 14/48 Wolverhampton, please visit their Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/1448wolves

The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton

Rehearsed Reading

5th March 2015

 

'Stone' is a look at a world not so different from ours, where humankind's reliance on everyday technology is finally having real impacts on life as we know it...

 

'Stone' is an ongoing project, and following the positive response received at the 'In Short...' event in June 2014, I have been developing and expanding the script.  An updated version, now 20-25 minutes in length, was performed in a rehearsed reading at The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton in March as part of the regular Arena Collaborative Theatremakers event.

 

For more information about the event, have a look at the Facebook Group:  www.facebook.com/arenacollaborative