Elevator Festival 2023 - Tue 27 June - Sat 8 July
Our festival of exciting new work returns for our birthday year. Hop in and choose your floor. The only way is up!
Elevator Festival returns to Live Theatre from Tuesday 27 June to Saturday 8 July with an exciting opportunity to take a first look at plays by the future theatre makers from the North East and beyond. Made possible through the Live Theatre Bursary and Talent Development programme, Elevator Festival is a celebration of the very best new theatre talent. Alongside the plays and readings is a specially curated programme of insightful workshops with leading theatre professionals and networking opportunities.
Read on to find out more about the exciting programme we've got lined up for you!
Live Encounter: Julie Hesmondhalgh - Wed 28 Jun, 7.30pm
We are over the moon to announce actor Julie Hesmondhalgh (Broadchurch, Happy Valley, Coronation Street) as a very special guest to join us for a live onstage Q and A. One of the country’s best loved performers, Julie will be discussing her career and her groundbreaking new book An Actor’s Alphabet, that lifts the lid on today’s industry and how to navigate it.
housing contains the word sing by gobscure - Wed 28 Jun - Wed 5 Jul
an installation of artwork by Live Theatre associate artist gobscure.
the extraordinary body of work made by gobscure can be experienced in full through a new studio installation that brings together playful and provocative pieces based on their experience of homelessness.
A Play For Breakfast - Thu 29 Jun & Thu 6 Jul, 10.30am
Theatre artists are invited to join Live’s creative team for breakfast in the Undercroft, to read a play together as a group over free drinks and pastries.
North East Creatives Garden Party - Sat 1 July, 3-6pm
An invitation to all playwrights, theatre makers and creatives based in or hailing from the North East to come together and enjoy a drink, chat and network in Live Theatre’s beautiful garden.
gobscure mini-album launch birds singing can delay laws. with Late Girl - Sat 1 July, 6pm
they will recreate work live and also talk a little of sounds of liberation. the album is a collage of broken-word, location-recordings from the post-industrial north-east, kids music box playing the French resistances chant des partisans, and their fragmented take on the 1929 song how can a poor person stand such times and live.
Scratch Night - Sat 1 July, 7.30pm
An evening of work in development by Live Associate artists and writers who have engaged with Live Theatre’s Talent Development programme: This Flag by Kemi-Bo Jacobs, I Dream Of Theresa May by Vivek Nityananda, Brain Training by Henry Lawrence and Shards by Pauline Trotry.
Q and A for writers and directors with Stewart Pringle - Mon 3 July, 6pm
Q and A for writers and directors with Stewart Pringle, Dramaturg of the National Theatre.
Come for a drink and a rare opportunity to hear from National Theatre’s Dramaturg Stewart Pringle. Stewart will be in conversation with Live’s Artistic Director Jack McNamara about his experience and knowledge of honing scripts and guiding writers to make their best work whilst taking questions from the audience.
The Art Of Collaboration - Tue 4 Jul, 2pm
A directing and writing workshop focussing on artist collaboration in creating work, with Bex Bowsher, RTYDS Assistant Director (We Are The Best!, Love It If We Beat Them)
Top Tips For Writing Your First Play - Thu 6 Jul, 5-7pm
CALLING ALL YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS (16-25)
TOP TIPS FOR WRITING YOUR FIRST PLAY
with ISHY DIN and REBECCA GLENDENNING
Come and learn from two of the North East’s most exciting professional writers, in an informal 2 hour session that will equip you with:
- Choosing a theme or idea
- Shaping a story
- Developing characters
- Structuring a drama
- Writing your play out in script form
Ghosts Of Metroland - Thu 6 - Sat 8 Jul, 7.30pm
GHOSTS OF METROLAND
Written by REECE CONNOLLY
Directed by JAMIE EASTLAKE
Metrolandia has fallen. In the ruins of the once great kingdom, two teenagers are just trying to survive till the end of their shift.
The management have gone feral, the candy's running out, and the coaster's turned bad. Very bad.
Online Writing Masterclass with Shelagh Stephenson - Fri 7 Jul, 6-8pm
Live Theatre is thrilled to announce that internationally acclaimed playwright and Live Theatre royalty Shelagh Stephenson will be holding an online playwriting masterclass specifically for women aged 35+ who have taken time away from their careers to look after others or have made other life choices that have impacted the time they have for creative writing.
