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NOW ONLINE - 5 Plays of Christmas

5 Plays of Christmas is a virtual theatre boxset featuring five new original and alternative festive stories from the coolest writers.  Live Theatre’s gift for theatre lovers, 5 Plays of Christmas will be the perfect present to share and enjoy from the comfort of home and a great way to celebrate a yuletide like no other.

5 Plays of Christmas is the latest project in our exciting Live Wired season. The ambition had been to stage 5 Plays of Christmas in front of a live audience, but once again the Covid-19 restrictions have derailed the best laid plans. Therefore, all five plays have been developed, rehearsed, performed and filmed behind closed doors to be available for FREE across digital platforms.

We're continuing to invest in the creative sector and the five writers chosen to submit scripts for 5 Plays of Christmas all recently presented work as part of 10 Minutes To…Call Home

5 Plays of Christmas is supported by the John Ellerman Foundation.

The End of Term Show

Written by Olu Alakija
Directed by Graeme Thompson
Performed by Brian Lonsdale

Most people remember their school Nativity with fondness, but not Maxwell Martins. As the memories of a 1980’s festive disaster come flooding back, will history repeat itself? And will he always be known as the boy that killed Christmas? A calamitous Christmas comedy from Olu Alakija.

Warning: This play contains strong language.

See the recent 10 Minutes To...Call Home online short play, Watching and Waiting also written by Olu Alakija at https://www.live.org.uk/now-online-10-minutes-tocall-home#Watching

The End Of Term Show Reviews

Alakija’s writing skill is superb and his observational prowess quite extraordinary...The bright shining star of this one-man monologue is Brian Lonsdale...Graeme Thompson’s direction comes through loud and clear with a masterclass of pace and comedy timing.'
British Theatre Guide

'Brian Lonsdale brilliantly captures the nervous energy of a boy in a 1980s junior school...The writing is funny and pacey'
NARC Magazine

Those Yet To Come

Written by Ellen McNally
Directed by Becky Morris
Performed by David Raynor, Eilish Stout-Cairns and William Wyn Davies

Eva is having the worst day and all she wants to do is get home. But missing her bus leads to an unexpected meeting with some Christmas ghosts. Will this chance meeting of souls be as chilling as Christmas past, or will it save the future? Ellen McNally’s take on a Christmas classic is sharp, witty and full of heart.

Warning: This play contains strong language.

See the recent 10 Minutes To...Call Home online short play, Off Peak also written by Ellen McNally at https://www.live.org.uk/now-online-10-minutes-tocall-home#Peak

Those Yet To Come Reviews

'Writer Ellen McNally’s ingenuous script is full of big-hearted Geordie goodwill and more than a few suitably cheesy jokes. I love the idea that a fictional character has an eighth generation granddaughter and that I believed every word!'
British Theatre Guide

'From relatable thematic content to brilliantly cheesy jokes, Ellen McNally’s Those Yet To Come is a witty take on a Christmas classic.,,This is a brilliantly written, charmingly performed play – a must-see.'
NARC Magazine

Skeletons In Cullercoats

Written by Benjamin Storey
Directed by Graeme Thompson
Performed by Jessica Johnson and James Gladdon

The last Metro, Christmas Eve. Joe has been arrested and Danny is in an elf costume. Can the journey home heal a family rift, or will this Christmas be the end of the line?  A comic and tender story crafted by Benjamin Storey.

Warning: This play contains strong language.

See the recent 10 Minutes To...Call Home online short play, Gutter Weeds also written by Benjamin Storey and directed by Graeme Thompson at https://www.live.org.uk/now-online-10-minutes-tocall-home#Gutter

Skeletons In Cullercoats Reviews

'Benjamin Storey has crafted into a beautifully tender, yet comic story...a magnificent, expressive performance from Jessica Johnson...James Gladdon’s Joe gives us a stalwart performance...A tender, thought-provoking exposé of family love and loss.'
British Theatre Guide

'Benjamin’s brilliant writing demonstrates thought-provoking material, without losing Christmas spirit.'
NARC Magazine

The Whale Washed Up On Christmas Eve

Written by Sarah Tarbit
Directed by Tracy Gillman
Performed by Chris Connel

Christmas, a cold Newbiggin beach. By the fireside Frank, more beast then man, who under the winter sky and moon relives shattered memories and heartache, and the time the great whale washed ashore. Sarah Tarbit takes us on an unusual but beautifully poetic journey of a broken man. 

Warning: This play contains references to violence.

See the recent 10 Minutes To...Call Home online short play, Invisible Boundaries also written by Sarah Tarbit at https://www.live.org.uk/now-online-10-minutes-tocall-home#Invisible

The Whale Washed Up On Christmas Eve Reviews

'I’ve borrowed a few words from writer Sarah Tarbit’s incredible script. Her words are beautiful, emotional; as tight as an elastic band and reactive as the muscles of Frank’s bare chest...There’s so much depth in Tarbit’s words and Connel’s acting and so much more to experience on Frank’s journey.'
British Theatre Guide

'a searing monologue by Sarah Tarbit...Perfectly played by Connel'
NARC Magazine

My Door

Written by Mandi Chivasa
Directed by Maria Crocker
Performed by Cleo Sylvestre

It’s cold outside but Agnes remembers her younger days and sunny Decembers. Now with just the telly for company she is left to think what her perfect Christmas gift would be. Mandi Chivasa’s visceral and engaging storytelling style will warm your heart in this festive tale.

See the recent 10 Minutes To...Call Home online short play, Amai Vangu also written by Mandi Chivasa and directed by Maria Crocker at https://www.live.org.uk/now-online-10-minutes-tocall-home#Amai

My Door Reviews

'Cleo Sylvestre's performance of Agnes is lovely, the voices she lends...are done with such feeling that they disguise her loneliness...A very moving exposé of just how hard it is to live alone'
British Theatre Guide

'Mandi Chivasa’s gentle, sweet play is brought to life by the magnificent Cleo Sylvestre as Agnes, an eternal optimist who joyfully remembers the delights of a noisy, lively, family-filled Christmas.'
NARC Magazine

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