ELEVATOR 2022:
Scratch Night
Five North East based artists and companies will present work-in-progress extracts of brand new theatre. A scratch night is an opportunity for artists to test and explore new work in front of an audience. The audience will have an opportunity to offer feedback to artists and help shape the future of the productions.
The line-up includes:
Endo The Line by Chess Tomlinson
Performed by Zoe Lambert, Maya Torres, Adam Donaldson, Jessica Dawson, Ben Storey
Nix prepares for her Mam Karen's 50th birthday without the help of her younger disengaged siblings. The runnings of the household have usually fallen on Nix' shoulders since the death of her Dad. Karen is perpetually living in a heightened manic state and needs constant emotional guidance, but Nix' patience is running thin today. Even with the calming presence of her partner Jake and the fact that she's off her tits on morphine, Nix struggles to keep her secret. Endo The Line is an exploration of living with the chronic pain of Endometriosis, holding a magnifying glass up to Women's Health in the North East and highlighting the questions we ask and maybe shouldn't.
Head Girl by Girl Next Door
Directed by Rosie Bowden
Performed by Caitlin Fairlamb and Rowan Miller
Head Girl is a play about falling in and out of love with yourself. A coming of age story, that navigates the 21st-century girl boss mentality, whilst still practicing self-care seven days a week. Becca is running in the campaign for Head Girl at school and running herself into the ground, all with a smile on her face. But who is she doing all this work for?
A Bouffon Play About Hong Kong by Isabella Leung
Performed by Isabella Leung, Heather Lai and Suen Chi Hung
Set against the backdrop of this international city’s skyscraper, the bouffons emerge from the swamp to tell the truth about their home. They must be careful with their choice of words, they must conceal their fear and anger, they must put those who abandoned them in their rightful place, and their weapon is humour. Laughter helps the bouffon to find freedom in an absurd world where politicians are comedians, soldiers and police are troubled poets, and at the centre of it all, a woman who has all the power, living a glamorous life of empty daydreams.
Henhouse by Mhairi Ledgerwood
Directed by Caroline Liversidge
Performed by Elijah Young and Jamie Dennison
Henhouse is about Ben and Lee, two young men who fall in love while working on a farm. Their relationship is put under strain when Lee struggles with his mental health. Tonight’s scratch will showcase 3 scenes from Act 1 of the play, which is currently in development. How Ho
How Was I To Know? by Papi Moises Jeovani
Performed by Papi Moises Jeovani
Papi will be performing an autobiographical piece, written in the form of spoken word poetry. It will start from the age of 10 all the way to the present day. He will also be taking certain creative liberties.
Creative Team
Chess Tomlinson - Endo The Line
Chess is a Geordie writer/performer who trained at RCS. They have worked extensively in theatre since graduating, touring with Bristol Old Vic and National Theatre. Chess recently received her first commission as a writer to be one of BBC Comedy’s Laugh Lessons 2021 writer/performers, filming ‘Becoming a Karen” produced by Storymade and NECHH, a sketch about a women revising for her practical exam to become a Karen, this was nominated for an RTS Comedy and Entertainment award 2022. British Comedy Guide are platforming ‘Avocado Addict’, Chess’ self funded debut short and ‘Fanny Phew Interview: Period Drama’, a short sketch. Chess is part of an all female-identifying writer’s room and is currently developing a play funded by ACE supported by Live Theatre and headed by director Emma Roxburgh. Chess completed Live Theatre’s Playwriting course 2021 where they began developing a play about their lived experience of Endometriosis and growing up in a large family.
Girl Next Door - Head Girl
Girl Next Door are a brand new all-female theatre company creating work in Newcastle. They focus on self-awareness, amplifying women's voices and creating entertaining theatre for all. They are proud to fund their work through fundraising and collaborating with their audiences. This is their debut performance together and they are very excited to share a chunk of their first show, Head Girl, at the Elevator Festival Scratch Night.
Isabella Leung - A Bouffon Play About Hong Kong
Isabella is a bilingual (English and Chinese) actor, writer and clown, born and raised in Hong Kong who moved to the UK as a teenager. Working across continents, writing and performing in theatre - devising, movements and comedy and making provocative work that is often unhinged with a sense of humour.
Mhairi Ledgerwood - Henhouse
Mhairi Ledgerwood is a Scottish writer who has lived in the North East for over a decade. She has had work performed at The Traverse, Northern Stage, Alphabetti Theatre, and ARC Stockton. Mhairi was part of The Royal Court Writers Group (North) and BBC North East Voices. Her play Paper Tiger, was shortlisted for Theatre 503’s International Playwriting Award, and she is currently developing her play Swimmers, thanks to a Live Theatre seed bursary.
Papi Moises Jeovani - Papi
Papi Moises Jeovani is a 24 year old BAME actor/spoken word artist/theatre maker based in Newcastle. Papi devises contemporary performances that pivot around social issues such as race; discrimination; toxic masculinity and representation. Papi experiments with poetry, often devising performances with pros and rhyming couplets that illustrate certain topics. Papi got into spoken word poetry whilst at university and quickly began writing poetry revolving around race and personal experiences.
