ELEVATOR 2023: Scratch Night
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.
THIS FLAG
Written & directed by KEMI-BO JACOBS
Performed by CHRIS CONNEL, KEMI-BO JACOBS & PHILLIPPA WILSON
Mary can't sleep; It's the height of Summer, one of the hottest the UK has ever seen, but it's not the heat that's bothering her. As the streets stand eerily quiet both day and night, one sound grows louder and continues to torment her. But why is it that only she can hear it and if only she can hear it, is it possible that it’s all in her head.
This Flag, is a work in progress which explores the conflicts which can arise around issues of race and identity within families of different ethnic backgrounds and how these conflicts can impact our sense of reality.
I DREAM OF THERERA MAY
Written by VIVEK NITYANANDA
Directed by BEX BOWSHER
Performed by JUDI EARL, LAURENCE HUSSAIN & MAYA TORRES
In 2013, Nikhil, a gay Indian man living in London, is desperate to find a way to stay on in the UK. He finds an unlikely mentor when his nemesis, Theresa May, appears at his flat with an offer of help – if he meets her standards. Nikhil happily accepts and sets out to become a model British citizen, but his friend and flatmate Jyoti suspects that something strange is going on.
BRAIN TRAINING
Written by HENRY LAWRENCE
Directed by CHRIS FOLEY
Performed by BEN GETTINS & MILES KINSLEY
Sitting on a train platform late at night in Carlisle, Childhood friends Harry and Danny attempt to talk to each other about their mental health issues. Navigating the awkward subject with plenty of laddish humour and your mum jokes, the two have to find a way to talk to help one another.
SHARDS
Written by PAULINE TROTRY
Directed by BECKY MORRIS
Performed by ELEANOR GRAINGER
There's a shadow in Poe's house. It took her mam and her dad, but it won't take her because her sister is coming home in the morning to save her. She just needs to survive one more night before darkness closes in on her.
Cast & Creative Team
Kemi-Bo Jacobs - This Flag writer & actor
Kemi-Bo trained as an Actress at LAMDA. Her acting credits include; Theatre - Hermione in The Winter's Tale for The RSC, Ginnie in The Ocean At The End Of The Lane for The National Theatre. Television - Dr Who, The Great & Thirteen. Film - A Million Days.
Writing credits include; All White Everything But Me (Alphabetti Theatre), Golden Hour (Alphabetti Theatre) 2022. *Winner* Channel 4 & NWN Screenwriting Competition 2021, Sky Writes Cohort 2021, *Shortlisted* Best Writer at The Stage Debut Awards 2022, *Winner* Best Writer at the North East Culture Awards 2022. BFI & Film Hub North, Script Lab Cohort 2023. LIVE Theatre Associate Artist 2023.
Directing credits include; Braids - Live Theatre. Angela - Alphabetti Theatre.
Chris Connel - This Flag actor
Theatre credits include: ‘The Pitmen Painters’ (Friedman Theatre Broadway/National Theatre/Live Theatre), ‘Brassed Off’ (Wolverhampton Grand), ‘Bouncers’ (Ambassadors), ‘And A Nightingale Sang’ (Cheltenham Everyman), ‘The Steal’ (York Theatre Royal), ‘Close The Coal House Door’ (Northern Stage/Live Theatre), ‘Wet House’ (Soho Theatre/Live Theatre), ‘Bouncers’, ‘Loot’ (Hull Truck Theatre), ‘Shooting The Legend’ (Theatre Royal Newcastle).
The Premiere of ‘Cooking With Elvis’, ‘Toast’, ‘Nativities, ‘The Girls Of Poppy Field Close’, ‘You Real-ly Couldn’t Make It Up’ (Live Theatre); ‘Studs’, ‘Up On Roof’, ‘A kick In The Baubles’ (Hull Truck); ‘Black On White Shorts’ (Paines Plough); ‘Peer Gynt’ (Three Over Eden Theatre Company); ‘Cuddys Miles’ (The Customs House).
Television and film includes:
‘Goal’, ‘Purely Belter’, ‘Emmerdale’ (YTV); ‘Crocodile Shoes’ (BBC/Red Rooster); George Gently’ (Company Pictures); ‘The Round Tower’ (Festival Films); Coronation Street’ (Granada/ITV); ‘Badger’’ ‘Breeze Block’ (BBC); ‘Quayside’ (Zenith/Tyne Tees); ‘The Bill’ (ITV); ‘Byker Grove’ (BBC/Zenith); King Leek’, ‘Steel River Blues’ (Granada); ‘Heartbeat’, ‘How We Used To Live’ (YTV); ‘Finney’ (Zenith/Carlton); ‘The Block’ (Channel 4); ‘Take Me’ (Scottish TV/Coastal Productions); ‘Lawless’ (Company/ITV); ‘Navy Of The Damned’ (October/Channel 4).
Chris is also very proud to have presented many features for BBC North East and Cumbria and is the host of The Journal Culture Awards
Phillipa Wilson - This Flag actor
Phillippa has worked extensively as an actor in and out of the region since 1989. She is delighted to be part of this Scratch night and especially to be back at Live Theatre where she began her professional career all those years ago.
Ben Gettins - Brain Training actor
I am 23 year old Actor/Writer from Sunderland. I have been working professionally for over a year in the North East. Some of my credits include “Down The Lines” as part of The Customs House Takeover Festival and Alan Harris’ “Sugar Baby” over at Alphabetti Theatre. I am looking forward to working with Live and this great new piece of writing for the first time.
Miles Kinsley - Brain Training actor
Miles is an actor and writer based in both South Shields and North Yorkshire. Miles was one of the writers who took part in last year’s Your Voice, Your Future event with his piece: The Southern Side of the Wall. Since then he’s also had a play staged at Laurels in Whitley Bay: It’s All In Your Head presented parodied versions of Mr and Mrs Tweedy from Chicken Run. Recent acting credits include: Melisha in It’s All In Your Head (Laurels); Joe in Eat (The Exchange); and Cupid in Love’s Victory (ELART Productions). Catch him in Theatre Space North East’s production of Romeo & Juliet later this month.
Eleanor Grainger - Shards actor
Eleanor Grainger made her Live Theatre debut with ‘Your Voice, Your Future; North East’ in 2022 as Jac in ‘On The Edge’. Since then, she has worked with Curious Monkey’s Troupe company with their production ‘Hold Me Tight’, and has become an intermediate stage combatant with the BADC.
Her recent credits include: Amy in ‘Truth’, Tara in ‘Carved’, and Emma in ‘The Honey Trap’.
Judi Earl - I Dream Of Theresa May actor
Theatre credits include: Key Change, Open Clasp/ Edinburgh Festival/New York transfer/ UK Tour and BAC, A Nightingale Sang, Charlie’s Trousers, The Last Post and Smack Family Robinson, Live Theatre, Newcastle, Sweeney Todd, Twelfth Night, King Lear, The Birthday Party and Henry IV part 1, Contact Theatre Manchester, extensive credits with Bruvvers Theatre Company, Soldiering On, Gala Theatre, Durham, Food and Feuds, Hannah Glasse Saves the Nation, November Club, Pod and Tree, Alphabetti Theatre, A Viking Christmas, Alnwick Playhouse and Hexham Queens Hall and Wind In the Willows, Hexham Queens Hall.
Television credits include: Hospital People, BBC/Roughcut, Vera, ITV, Joe Maddison’s War, Mammoth/ITV, Distant Shores, ITV, Cookson adaptations: A Dinner of Herbs, The Tide of Life and The Moth, Our Friends in the North, BBC, Byker Grove, BBC/Zenith and Harry, BBC.
Feature films include:The One and Only, The Other Possibility
Laurence Hussain - I Dream Of Theresa May actor
Laurence Hussain performs mainly in Newcastle, though his voice has travelled up to Berwick to narrate its historic past for Stravaig Theatre. He is currently appearing as the Musician in Washed Away for Theatre Space NE. A recurring player at Shakespeare's Speakeasy, Laurence has loved working with this wonderful piece of new writing.
Maya Torres - I Dream Of Theresa May actor
Maya Torres is a young performer and creative from the North East. Her stage credits include : Pints (Live Theatre), The Fear (Alphabetti Theatre), Endo The Line (Live Theatre), We (Open Clasp), Birdie (workshop), Can You Keep A Secret (Please don’t) (Alphabetti Theatre) , Hold Me Tight (Live Theatre) and most recently, The Sorcerers Apprentice (Northern Stage). On Screen she can be seen as lead, Sanam in the BAFTA winning short How To Be A Person (E4, Channel 4) and as Mindy Singh in Blue Jean (BBC Films, BFI) released in cinemas in 2023 as well as in the new McDonald’s ‘Selfie’ campaign.
