The Taxi Driver's Daughter (Reading)
LIVE READING: THE TAXI DRIVER'S DAUGHTER by NINA BERRY
Read by MICHAEL BLAIR, ANNA BOLTON, BETH CRAME, CAITLIN FAIRLAMB & ZOE LAMBERT
Directed by BECKY MORRIS
When her mother is sent to prison for assaulting a police officer with a stiletto shoe, fifteen-year-old Caris goes gently off the rails.
Caris’s father, Mac, a taxi driver, struggles to keep the family together as Christmas looks set for disaster, especially when Louise’s drunken, disheveled mother moves in. While Mac finds solace talking to his passengers, Caris is drawn into the intriguing darkness of the nearby vale, where she meets George, an unpredictable boy from a very different sort of family. Their relationship leads her away from school and everything she has known, into a new and unnerving world.
Adapted by Nina Berry (The Terminal Velocity of Snowflakes) from the novel by Julia Darling, The Taxi Driver’s Daughter tells the story of a family on the verge of collapse, caught between the escape they crave and the imperfect reality that seems to be their lot. A poignant and brilliantly vivid tale told with great wit and tenderness about love, family ties, forgotten dreams and what it means to grow up.
Cast and creative Team
Michael Blair
Michael was part of the first North at Northern Stage in 2013. Since then his theatre credits include: Kev in 'The Last Ship' (UK & Dublin Tour 2018); 'The Borrowers' (Theatre By The Lake); 'A Dolls House' (North East Tour); 'Making A Murderer: The Musical' (Edinburgh Festival); Tweedle Dee in 'Alice In Wonderland', Aunt Sponge and The Earthworm in 'James And The Giant Peach', The Lion in 'The Wizard Of Oz', Mr Scratch in 'The Christmas Grump', Polba in 'Tallest Tales From The Furthest Forest' (all for Northern Stage); Mr Craven in 'The Secret Garden' (North East Tour); Bobby Lockhart in 'Beyond The End Of The Road' (November Club); Sol in 'Bonenkai, Mayor in Five Feet In Front': 'The Ballad Of Little Johnnie Wylo' (all for The Letter Room); Ensemble in 'Empire Of The Rats' (Battersea Arts Centre); Kai in 'Mysteries And Memories', 'Write Stuff' (Live Theatre); Krasnov in 'Horizontal Collaboration for Fire Exit'; Mr Rail and Pekisch (Understudy) in 'Lands Of Glass' (Unfolding Theatre); Jago Rockwell in 'The Last Drop for Precious Cargo; The Man Who Thought The Moon Would Fall Out Of The Sky' and Ensemble in 'Place for North'. Michael has also taken part in numerous Rehearsed Readings and Workshops for The Royal Shakespeare Company, Lyric Hammersmith, Northern Stage, Greyscale and Lowry Theatre.
Anna Bolton
Theatre credits include: 'We Are The Best' (Live Theatre) 'When the Boat Comes In' (Customs House), 'King Lear' (RSC), 'The Boss Of It All' (Soho Theatre & Edinburgh Festival), 'Of Being Alone In A Forest' (Arcola), 'Exterminating Angel '(New Perspectives), 'Whisky Galore! '(NTC), 'Playboy Of The Western World' (Nuffield Theatre). Film & TV credits include: 'Last Train To Christmas' (Sky Films), 'Our World War' (BBC Films), 'Hector' (Goldfinch Films), 'George Gently' (BBC), 'Vera' (ITV), 'Coronation Street '(ITV), 'Hollyoaks' (C4), 'Emmerdale' (ITV). Radio/Audio include: 'Homefront' (BBC R4), 'The Window' (BBC R4), 'Hacker' (Audible). Training: The Oxford School of Drama.
Beth Crame
Training includes: Guildford School of Acting BA Hons Class of 2021 and Newcastle College.
Theatre credits include: Louise Bigelow, 'Carousel: A Concert' (Cadogan Hall) Hatty Rabbit, 'The Sorcerer’s Apprentice' (Northern Stage) Sally, 'Lasagna' Live Tour (Open Clasp).
Workshops include: Maxine, 'Like a Virgin' (Dir. Mark Hedges) Katie, 'I, Daniel Blake' R&D (Northern Stage).
Credits whilst training include: Kate, 'The Wild Party' (GSA), Julia, 'Two Gentlemen of Verona' (GSA), Martha, 'Spring Awakening' (GSA).
Film credits include: Sally, 'Lasagna' - streamed (Open Clasp)
Beth is delighted to be reading 'The Taxi Drivers Daughter' for Live Theatres 50th Birthday alongside such incredible North East talent!
Caitlin Fairlamb
Caitlin is an emerging actor from the North East. After completing her Drama Degree she then went on to train at Project A, Theatre Royal Newcastle which she graduated in 2021. Since then she has had multiple professional roles, one of which was at the Edinburgh Fringe.
I’m so exited to be performing as part of Live’s 50th anniversary, Live gave me my first opportunities to develop as an actor in the Youth Theatre so I’m very grateful to return back to their stage!
Zoe Lambert
Originally from Yorkshire Zoe has been living and working in the North East for 32 years. Most recent work includes ‘Lasagna‘ (Open Clasp Theatre Co), ‘Tiny Fragments Of Beautiful Light’ (Alphabetti Theatre), ‘Sleeping Beauty’ (Durham Gala), ‘Brassed Off’ (Durham Gala), ‘Secret Garden’ (Becky Sharrock and Lissette Auton), RSC season 2020-2021 'A Winters Tale' and 'Comedy Of Errors'. She has worked with Open Clasp for over a decade and is an associate artist. Other companies in the region include Northern Stage, November Club, New writing North (with whom she worked on a selection of performed readings from ‘Pearl’ Julia Darlings collection of short stories).
Outside the region she has worked with companies such as Northern Broadsides, Bolton Octagon and Leeds Playhouse.
For Live theatre ‘Cabaret’, ‘Tales from The Backyard’, ‘Tyne’, ‘Personal Belongings’ by Julia Darling and ‘sudden Collapses in Public places’ By Julia Darling and ‘Rendezvouz’.
TV and Film includes 'Coronation Street', 'Emmerdale', 'Tracy Beaker Returns', 'Byker Grove' and 'School For Seduction'.
Zoe is delighted to be connected to Julia Darling's stories in Live Theatre's 50th Birthday year.
