CARNIVAL-ESQUE PARTY - 15 JUNE, 2007 :
CANAL MUSEUM, LONDON

Deep in the heart of Kings Cross along the banks of Regents Canal, Practicum Theatre’s carnival-esque party was a one evening fundraising event with pizzazz. Including cabaret acts, strolling musicians, slight of hand and theatre installations, it was an event for theatre-goers and non-theatre goers alike. The event helped raise funds for Practicum Theatre’s 2007-2008 season.

ACTS INCLUDED:

The Scarlet Pimps - Acting as our compares and general feel good go-to guys, the Scarlet Pimps are a smooth, slick comedy double act your mother would want you to marry. Combining high energy insania with elements of surreal and observational humour, they manage to tickle your funny bones and turn your bones that aren’t funny into hilarious ones. And then tickle them. Liam J Stratton and Rob Clyne are The Scarlet Pimps.

Nathan Penlington - Our magician extraordinaire, Nathan will dazzle you with his slight of hand and out of this world card tricks. He is also the host of Shortfuse at the Camden Head every Thursday at 9.

The Silent Collective - Join our melodica-playing puppet master as he brings to life his human sized toys. Watch as Punch gets a bit too ‘hands-on’ with Judy, and as the violence escalates you may find yourself asking if this is slapstick or if someone is really going to get hurt!

This piece of theatre created by The Silent Collective, investigates the ambiguity of theatrical violence, trying to discover the boundaries between slapstick and real life abuse.

Puppet master: John Chambers
Punch: Lorraine Smith
Judy: Thomas Bacon

Petronella Carter - This fabulous performer is one of the UK’s leading exponents of Egyptian Dance . Her strong performance skills are matched by her technical virtuosity. A focal point for any event or party!

Charly Flynn - Our roaming troubadour for the night, Charly was born in France and after loping around there for a bit whilst learning to walk, he came to England. After a strange and much travelled upbringing he then got a guitar. He started to weave his poetry into song. Then he learned how to drink and smoke. He now spends his days smoking tor oriental and drinking Bombay Sapphire gin and constantly scribbling, drawings, poems and songs. He likes to meet new people. A touch of the debbonair about him just writes beautiful songs. However last fm is still a mystery to him.

Matt Prendergast - No carnival is complete without a touch of fire which Matt provides with flare! He trained at Guildhalll School of Music & Drama, recently performing in St George & the Dragon, for which he trained as a fire juggler.

Ottillie Parfitt was our roming Candy Girl on the night. Both actors and performers, people sampled their treats as they mingled throughout the party.

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ONE PAGE PLAY COMPETITION - 10 JUNE, 2007 : THE SHAKESPEAREAN GLOBE THEATRE @ THE BEDFORD, LONDON

Click here to view some photos from the night

Hundreds of budding playwrights have been challenged to squeeze their theatrical consternations, raging passions and whimsical imaginings into their own personal mini-opus that says it all - in just one page! This was the final which showcased the top 18 plays. The audience voted for the best overall play, best writing and best direction.

Prizes included:

Best Overall Play: Dramaturgical work on a full length or one act play towards a London reading through Practicum Theatre & tickets to our upcoming 2007 season.

Best writing: Dramaturgical work on a full length or one act play towards a London reading through Practicum Theatre.

Best Direction: An opportunity to work with the Practicum team to direct a reading of the full length or one act plays developed from the winners of this festival.

WINNERS OF THE COMPETITION:

Best Overall Play -
Mind the Flak
by Paul Randall

Best Writing -
On Ledges
by Andy Marchant

Best Direction -
The Sprout Boy
by Erica Martin

ORDER OF THE EVENING

On the Hop
Written and directed by Emma Blundell
HE - Gareth McChlery
SHE - Becky Wright

Suits on a Hill
Written and directed by Claire Wilson
VINNIE - William Owen
DOUG – Ivor Potter

Mind the Flak
Written by Paul Randall
Directed by Jamie Scholes
WOMAN - Ruth Kestenbaum (www.spotlight.com/interactive/cv/1978-9087-5530)

On Ledges
Written by Andy Marchant
Directed by Luke Stazaker and Andy Marchant
ANJA - Sarah Boyes
HUGO - Chris Paddon

Theatre Ad
Written by Peter Norgate
Directed by Lisa Cagnacci (eyesofbluedog@yahoo.com)
CHARLIE - Maurizio Molino (www.maurizio-molino.co.uk)
BILLY - David Hale (dm_hale@hotmail.com)

Knife
Written and directed by Trevor Suthers
MAN - Stuart Pickering

Totem and Taboo
Written and directed by Kathleen Marshall
DR. GLEASON - Amy Carpenter
(www.amy-carpenter.co.uk)
CHLOE - Eleanor Oxberry-Breakwell
(www.eleanoroxberry-breakwell.co.uk)
JEFF - James Rutherford (jamesrutherford1@hotmail.com)

First Katrina Monologue
Written and directed by Ciorsdan Glass
WOMAN - Sara Dunn

Books Not Now
Written by Kira Lauren
Directed by Andrew Pepper
HIM - Russell Whitehead
HER - Stefanie Moore

The Floor Manager
Written and directed by Annekoos Arlman
PETER - Colin Goodwin
THE FLOOR MANAGER - Michael Speck
(Spotlight view PIN: 2613-5619-4484)

Exes
Written and directed by Ewan Jeffrey
X - Ruth Crawford
Y - Joe Bone

The Sprout Boy
Written and directed by Erica Martin
WIFE - Erica Martin (Spotlight: 8452-3427-4473)
HUSBAND - Nick Samuels

Mo Mowlam’s Fancy Dress Party
Written and directed by Bridie Hodge
MO MOWLAN - Bridie Hodge

Banter Fairy
Written by Julie Bower
Directed by Roisin Rae
Brooks Livermore
James Card
Roisin Rae
Julie Bower

Throwing Oranges at Ducks
Written by Lisa Parry
Directed by Zoe Waterman (zkwaterman@yahoo.co.uk)
FATHER - Hywel Morgan (www.hywel-morgan.co.uk)
CHILD - Stephanie Farrell (Stephaniefarrell20@hotmail.com)

Traffic Light
Written by Sara Leonardi
Directed by Ragga Dahl Johansen (ginnungagap_teater@yahoo.no)
GO - Dan McLoughlin (daniel_McLoughlin@hotmail.com)
STOP - Matt Oliver (matt.oliver1@gmail.com)

Scam-baiting
Written by and directed by Heather Tyrrell
PETE - Simon Messingham
MEGAN - Doris Zajer (www.links-management.co.uk)
CLAIRE - Lisa Braund
ANTHONY - Rafe Beckley (www.links-management.co.uk)

Cell Number 5
Written and directed by Christopher Howarth
EMILY - Emma - Louise Maw (drama_queen2488@hotmail.co.uk)
ANDREW - Christopher Howarth (chris_howarth47@hotmail.com)

WRITERS BIOGRAPHIES (alphabetical):

Annekoos Arlman (The Floor Manager): Annekoos Arlman is originally from the Netherlands, where she studied at Fontys Academy for Drama. In 2006, she graduated with distinction from the MA in Theatre Practices at Rose Bruford College, where she specialized in acting and writing. annekoos.arlman@gmail.com

Emma Blundell (On the Hop): Emma has written for the Soho Theatre and the Old Rd Lion as well as for several North East productions and tours. She is the Artistic Director of Out of Order Theatre and an associate director with joinedupwritters.

Julie Bower (Banter Fairy): See more about Julie and her company on www.threecheesesalad.co.uk.

Ciorsdan Glass (First Katrina Monologue): Ciorsdan Glass is a 24 year old from West London who is currently undertaking a Masters degree at Oxford University in Creative Writing. She also writes fiction and poetry.

Bridie Hodge (Mo Mowlam’s Fancy Dress Party): Bridie has worked as a comedienne, actress, and impressionist for several years and rose to the dizzy heights of Irish National Radio as a satirist and scriptwriter. This is Bridie’s first stage play, spotlighting one of our most charismatic politicians. bridiehodge@yahoo.co.uk.

Christopher Howarth (Cell Number 5): 25 years old. Currently completing Masters Degree in playwriting at City University London. Most recently written plays for Pleasance Theatre and Newcastle Performance Academy.

Ewan Jeffrey (Exes): Ewan has been writing and directing plays for the past five years. He is interested in notions of Family and Questioning. ewanjjeffrey@yahoo.co.uk.

Kira Lauren (Books Not Now): Kira Lauren trained at the number one drama school in America, NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. This is her first piece of writing. kiralauren@gmail.com.

Andy Marchant (On Ledges): Andy has been telling stories for most of his life. He has several unread plays and scribblings and a few more that he’s actually shown to people. His last play, “You’re So Vain”, was put on by KDC in April ‘07.

Kathleen Marshall (Totem and Taboo): Kathleen is a graduate of Goldsmiths College. She has written two full length plays: Under the Red White and Blue” which was given special mention by the Playwrights’ Studio Scotland for its epic, original quality, and “A Fish Rots From The Head” which is currently in evelopment with director Stephen Wrentmore. kmzembla@aol.com

Erica Martin (The Sprout Boy): Erica Martin is a member of Barefeat Theatre (barefeat_theatre@hotmail.com). You can contact her on ericajane_martin@hotmail.com.

Peter Norgate (Theatre Ad): Peter has been writing plays for several years now having work performed in London & Edinburgh. Contact: peternorgate@hotmail.com

Lisa Parry (Throwing Oranges at Ducks): Lisa Parry graduated from the University of Birmingham’s MPhil playwriting course this year. Her short plays From Brum to Manhattan and The Giving of Flowers have been staged at Theatre 503, as has a rehearsed reading of her play White Roses. See www.lisaparry.com for more details.

Paul Randall (Mind the Flak): Paul Randall is a 31-year-old writer from Ealing. Mind the Flak is his first play. prandall76@yahoo.co.uk.

Trevor Suthers (Knife): Trevor has written pieces from monologues, sketches, duologues, one-act plays, full-length plays, musicals and pantomimes. Plus one episode of EASTENDERS - that good one, a few years ago.

Heather Tyrrell (Scam-bating): Heather Tyrrell is a television scriptwriter (”Totally Frank”, Channel 4, “Bel’s Boys”, CITV) who wrote this play out of irritation at her boyfriend for spending hours online flirting with a scam artist in Nigeria for a laugh.

Claire Wilson (Suits on a Hill): Claire Wilson is a screenwriter keen to get involved in theatre. She studied under scholarship at Vancouver Film School and is represented by Creative Media Managment.

TECHNICAL TEAM
LIGHTING/ SOUND – Heather Taylor
TECH ASSISTANTS – Amar Bensidhoum & Simon Abela
STAGE MANAGERS – Anna Vamos & Samantha Wright
POSTER DESIGN – Ying Xiong
PROGRAM – Heather Taylor
FRONT OF HOUSE – Chloe Preece & Ying Xiong
MUSIC / PHOTOGRAPHY – Becky Taylor

ARTISTIC TEAM
PRODUCER – Heather Taylor
ASSISTANT PRODUCER – Anna Vamos
LITERARY – Amar Bensidhoum, Anna Vamos
& Heather Taylor

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REEL TO REAL - 11 - 16th SEPTEMBER, 2006 :
THEATRE 503, LONDON

A CINE-THEATRICAL EXTRAVAGANZA

“Visably vibrant” - Selina Mills, The Telegraph

8 Cutting-Edge Playwrights + 8 Iconic Film Quotes = 8 Bold New Plays exploring the reluctant love affair between stage and screen.

From September 11-16th at Theatre 503, Practicum Theatre had an evening of diverse short plays inspired by provocative lines from celebrated films. Given the constraint of writing a play under ten minutes where both the first line and the last line are film quotes, eight exciting writers from a variety of artistic and cultural backgrounds have created a cycle of rapid-fire plays where the last line of one play is the first line of the next.

Helmed by 8 dynamic directors, Reel to Real is part pop culture deconstruction, part relay race through cinematic history and genre. From the challenges of staging a ten minute Rom-Com, to what might have happened if Fred and Ginger had never made it to Hollywood, to the seedy world of low-budget Nunsploitation films - We guarantee this is cine-theatre as you’ve never seen it.

And Now For Our Feature Presentation - REEL TO REAL, A Cine-theatrical Extravaganza. Don’t forget your popcorn!

PLAYS, CAST & CREW:

Without Laughing
Written by Clare Pollard
Directed by Andrew Steggall
Choreography by Yael Lowenstein
CARL - Sam Collings
DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE - Tom Burroughs
SASSY FRIEND – Sinead Kent
WRITER - Sian Clifford
FIONA - Monica Bertei

Anhedonia
Written by Louise Monaghan
Directed by Rebecca Atkinson-Lord
Assistant Directed by Linda Campbell
EDWINA - Rebecca Pownall
MILES – Jonathan Dunstan

The Valley
Written by Sean Hogan
Directed by Annette Mees
PATRICK - Ian Groombridge
WOMAN - Natalie Radmall-Quirke
LINDA - Angie Gammon

Merchants
Written by Daniel Taylor
Directed by Anna Ostergren
JOEY - Thomas Mitchell
WELCHMAN - Rick Bland
SUNNY - Matthew Storey
GOLDSTEIN - Leander Deeny

Gambling
Written by James Flynn
Directed by Georgina Freeman
JANET - Erin Geraghty
ROSIE - Claire Andreadis

Pop-dance-tastic!
Written by Heather Taylor
Directed by Emma Blundell
Music by Heather Taylor/ Max Rush
FREDDY - Charles Neville
GINGER - Donna Combe

Bedtime
Written by Samantha Wright
Directed by Rae McKen
RHONDA - Louise Mardenborough
ABBY - Emma Carroll
MORGAN - Tim Wyatt
CELESTE - Abigail Boyd

A Life Less Ordinary People
Written by Peter Yates
Directed by Fiona Morrell
MAX - Mike Goodenough
BRIGIT - Mellony Carr

TECHNICAL TEAM
SET DESIGN – Simon Abela
LIGHTING DESIGN – Sam Shortt
COSTUME DESIGN – Chris Gylee
STAGE MANAGER – Bev Maton
PROGRAM – Heather Taylor
PHOTOGRAPHY – Max Rush
VIDEO EDITING – Sean Hogan

ARTISTIC TEAM
PRODUCERS – James Flynn, Heather Taylor & Samantha Wright
REEL TO REAL ARTISTIC DIRECTOR – Andrew Steggall

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HOSTAGE/ BLEACH - 8 & 10 JUNE, 2006 - THEATRE 503, LONDON;
28 & 29 SEPTEMBER, 2006 : NEW PLACE THEATRE, ST. ALBANS

‘I’m not political… I’ve never voted. Not once. 45 years old and I never cared who ran things. It didn’t matter.’ - HOSTAGE

‘My dad said burn it. Burn it all. “I wouldn’t step in that house even if it was disinfected with beach. So much bleach it turned white.”’ - BLEACH

In a dark room in a distant, undisclosed country, a man held hostage by militants searches for absolution in each link in the chain of events that lead to his captivity. In another room, in a comfortable, westernised country, a young woman who fancies herself a free spirit discovers the real nature of the walls that surround her.

PLAYS, CAST & CREW:

Hostage
Directed by Gareth Corke
HAROLD - Nik Wood-Jones

Bleach
Directed by Jennie Scott
MELINDA - Samantha Wright

TECHNICAL TEAM

Set Design - Simon Abela
Lighting Design - Tony Simpson
Sound Design - Stephen Hudson
Stage Manager - Sam Winwood
Program - Heather Taylor

Boxes provided by PSS International Removals
Varilites provided by Whitelight
Lighting Control provided by Stage Electrics

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BREAKING NEWS: THE RACHEL CORRIE BAN -
3-5 MAY : THEATRE 503, LONDON

MARCH 2003 - Rachel Corrie was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer while trying to protect a Palestinian home.

MARCH 2006 - The production of MY NAME IS RACHEL CORRIE, based on her writings, was halted at the New York Theatre Workshop.

They say New York said nothing. In London, 12 young writers, 12 emerging directors and 24 passionate actors changed that. This production ran at Theatre 503 for 3 sold out nights recieving praise from all who saw it…watch out for the next Breaking News event.

About the Banning of My Name is Rachel Corrie
In April, New York Theatre Workshop announced its decision to cancel the production of My Name Is Rachel Corrie, a play based on the diaries and emails of the young American activist who was crushed to death by Israeli bulldozers as she attempted to stop Palestinian homes from being razed by the IDF. The play, devised by Alan Rickman and Guardian editor, Katharine Viner, was first produced in 2005 at the Royal Court and was set to move to the New York stage when NYTW artistic director Jim Nicola pulled the plug. The New York Times reported that the company had concerns about the political content. In a statement quoted by the Guardian, Alan Rickman denounced the decision as “censorship”. The play has subsequently returned to London for a West End run at the Playhouse Theatre.

PLAYS, CAST & CREW:

Disclaimer
Written by Cary Barney (Spain)
Directed by Donnacadh O’Briain
ACTOR - Steven Cavanagh

Homeland
Written by Philip Gawthorne (London)
Directed by Adam Quayle
JUNIOR - Rob Crouch
DONNY - Mark Lawrence
COLE - Paul Innocent
ALI - Reuben Anderson

Lie Detector
Written by Peter Yates (St. Albans)
Directed by Marie Bobin
THORPE - James Flynn
BEAULIEU - Jennifer Taylor

Tough Love
Written by Elise Hearst (Australia/ London)
Directed by Lucy Jameson
RONIT - Vanessa Ackerman

A Decision
Written by Emma Adams (West Yorkshire)
Directed by Lucy Taylor
EILEEN - Shirley Dixon
MICHELLE - Connie Walker

Health and Safety
Written by Dominic Graham (London)
Directed by Sonia Ritter
BILL - John Davitt
AYFER - Can Eryeler

Rant 69
Written by Gary Abrahams (London / SA)
Directed by Gareth Corke
Costume by Poli Kyriacou
THE HE/SHE CREATURE - Stephen Hudson

Press Conference
Written by David Varela (London)
Directed by Steve Harper
SECRETARY OF STATE - Rick Bland

The Serf of Tidworth
Written by Sarah Brown (New York)
Directed by Daniel Goldman
LORD LUMLEY - Peter Stickney
TILNEY - Gary Abrahams
SHAKESPEARE - Jonathan Dunstan

Parallel
Written by Aoife Mannix (London)
Directed by Jennie Scott
NORAN - Lara Sawalha
SARAH - Adi Lerer

Care Less
Written by Saman Shad (London)
Directed by James Albrecht
A - Roshan Rohatgi
B - Lucy Chalkley
C - Rebecca Gethings

Together for Tomorrow
Written by Haley Koch (Washington, DC)
Directed by Dan Horrigan
Group direction by Emma Blundell
Photography by Haley Koch
Video by Tod Higginson
WOMAN - Orna Salinger

TECHNICAL TEAM

Set Design - Signe Beckmann
Lighting Design - Robert Wells
Sound Design/ Operation - Phil Hewitt
Props - Richard Andrzejewski
Lighting operator - Emma Blundell
Program - Heather Taylor