A Live Theatre Production
WINNER OF THE NORTH EAST PLAYWRITING AWARD!
Dogs on the Metro
Written by EMILIE ROBSON
Directed by MARIA CROCKER
Performed by SARAH BALFOUR & DEAN LOGAN
A journey through friendship, lost youth and the joys of people watching.
“we used to get the metty together there and back. We’d ga to the airport. Looking at everyone gan on holiday. Make up stories for who they were and that. Wasn’t a date or owt like that. That’s just what we did …’"
Jen and Dean take a ride on the Metro. It’s something that they’ve always done. But far from an ordinary journey this one takes them back and forth through days, months and years. As the carriage hurtles on, they navigate their way through the tunnels of memory and perception to come to terms with a pivotal event that changed everything.
Emilie Robson’s electrifying new play won the inaugural North East Playwriting Award where it blew the judges away with its razor sharp writing and gripping portrait of young lives.
Age recommendation 14+
Please be aware that this play contains scenes involving consent and sexual violence.
Creative Team
Sarah Balfour
Sarah is originally from South Shields and trained at ALRA South. She is an actress and writer and currently co-creating a sitcom set in the North East.
TV & Film credits include – 'Dead Canny' (DAVE / UKTV) – 'Dead Canny' was nominated for Best Comedy & Entertainment at the RTS NE awards in 2023, 'Slow Horses' (Apple TV), 'High Tide' (Sky Arts).
Theatre credits include – 'Christmas Crackers' (Live Theatre), 'Mary Stuart' (West End), HYEM (Theatre 503 & Northern Stage), 'RE:ACT The Woods' (Royal Court), 'When The Boat Comes In' (The Customs House), 'Burning Bridges' (Theatre 503) and 'Valhalla' (Theatre 503).
Radio credits include – 'PICA' (BBC Radio 4).
Sarah is incredibly excited to be returning to Live Theatre in 'Dogs On The Metro'.
Dean Logan
Dean was born and raised in Wallsend and has worked as a professional actor on stage, TV & radio since he was 16.
His theatre credits include: 'Gerry & Sewell' (Theatre Royal Newcastle, Live Theatre & Laurels), 'A Christmas Carol' (NTC tour), 'The Wind In The Willows' (NTC Tour), 'How Did We Get To This Point' (Alphabetti Theatre), 'Frank Sumatra' (Theatre N16), 'The Man & The Donkey' (Customs House); 'Death At Dawn' (Linskill Centre, Newcastle), 'Skellig' (Bloomsbury Theatre, UK national tour & New Victory Theater, Broadway), 'Alf Ramsey Knew My Grandfather' (Theatre Royal Newcastle/Darlington Civic/Gala Theatre), 'Beamish Boy' (Gala Theatre).
TV credits include: 'Coronation Street' (ITV), Doctors (BBC), 'Boy Meets Girl' (BBC); 'Tracey Beaker Returns(BBC), 'Inspector George Gently' (BBC) and 'Steel River Blues' (ITV).
Radio/Voiceover credits include: 'Homefront', 'Tommies' and 'The Ferryhill Philosophers' (all for BBC Radio 4).
Dean was part of Live Youth Theatre from the ages of 12-17 and he is absolutely thrilled to be back on stage at Live Theatre.
Emilie Robson - writer
Emilie Robson is a screenwriter and playwright from South Shields. In 2019, their play 'Moonlight on Leith' (co-written with Laila Noble) was named runner up at Theatre Uncut’s Political Playwriting Award ceremony. Robson’s short 'Sebastian (et moi)' was broadcast on BBC Radio 3’s 'The Verb' and her audio drama PICA received a full production with BBC Radio 4 after receiving special commendation at the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award 2021. She was one of 12 participants on the Channel 4 2021 Screenwriting Program, selected from a record 3,800 submissions and currently has projects in development with Kudos, New Pictures and Heyday TV amongst others.
Maria Crocker - director
Maria Crocker is a theatre director and dramaturg. She has recently directed the west end production of 'Hadestown' (Olivier nominated for Best Revival). She is a Headlong Origins alumni, runner up for the Sir Peter Hall RTST Directors Award, an MGC Futures Bursary recipient, a Lilian Baylis Assistant recipient, a JMK regional practitioner, and trained on the National Theatre Directors Course.
Her work in theatre as director includes 'You Heard Me' by Luca Rutherford (BAC & UK tour), 'The Sorcerers Apprentice' at Northern Stage, 'Scarborough Porpoise' at Pilot Theatre, 'Amai Vangu' at Live Theatre, 'Assassins' at Mountview, 'Little Bits Of Light' (workshop) at National Theatre Studio; 'Pronoun' at ALRA; 'Growth' at Northern Stage; and 'Found' at Alnwick Playhouse.
Her work as associate director includes 'Hadestown' for The National Theatre; 'Local Hero', for The Edinburgh Lyceum; 'Meek' for Headlong and Birmingham Rep; 'Gods Are Fallen' and 'All Safety Gone' for Greyscale (International tour); 'The Gamblers' for Greyscale and Dundee Rep.
Her work as assistant or staff director includes 'Pinocchio' at The National Theatre; 'Mood Music' at The Old Vic; 'Animal Farm' at Northern Stage; and 'Catch 22', UK tour.
Matthew Tuckey - sound designer
Matthew is a Sound Designer and Sound Artist working across theatre, installation, and film. He was recently appointed to the Board of the Association for Sound Design and Production.
His recent work as Sound Designer includes: 'Dogs on the Metro', 'Champion' and 'Saint Maud' (Live Theatre); 'The Bounds' (Live Theatre and The Royal Court); 'Festen' (Royal Central School of Speech and Drama); 'Love It If We Beat Them' (Emmerson & Ward in association with Live Theatre); 'The Sorcerer’s Apprentice' (Northern Stage); 'Repeat Signal, and 'Lost Found and Told': New Tales for Northumberland (November Club); 'Wolf!' (Kitchen Zoo in association with Northern Stage); 'joey' (Gobscure in association with Greyscale Theatre); 'Floorboards', 'Trolley Boy', 'Walter' (Alphabetti Theatre).
His work as Associate Sound Designer includes: 'Macbeth' (English Touring Theatre at the Lyric Hammersmith); 'Underdog: The Other Other Brontë' (Northern Stage and National Theatre); 'You Heard Me' (Luca Rutherford); 'A Christmas Carol' (Northern Stage); 'Oh No, George!' (Can't Sit Still); 'Stella' (Filskit Theatre).
His work as Sound Artist includes: 'The Rime' (multichannel immersive installation); 'An Audio Diary in Binaural', January 2021 (digital piece for headphones); 'South Bend' (05-06/20) (digital EP).
