The Dangers of Saying Yes
Written and Performed by Richard Jones
Richard Jones stumbled up on performing whilst partying hard in the 90’s. At a party on the ‘Beach’ In Thailand he became transfixed by a mad french dentist with magnetic performance capabilities. Richard didn’t come back; he went on. Somehow despite himself and most probably because of a delusional personality disorder, Richard kept saying yes.
Overcoming chronic fear of stages, public speaking, dancing, performance, heights, other people, honesty, authority figures, responsibility and generally getting found out, Richard took to the stage; dance floor, circus, business role play and eventually setting up his own company. Now award winning performer Richard is reflecting on ‘The Dangers of Saying Yes’ and looks to step back in time rather than reminisce.
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Stitch Up! Postpartum Psychosis:The Musical
Written by Zena Forster
Starring Celia Meiras as Ann and Melaina Pecorini as Mary
Director John Retallack
Set & Costume Nicola Blackwell
Sound Design Callum Wyles
Producer Emma Dolman
Ann thinks she’s a witch. Mary thinks she’s The Madonna. In a psychiatric Mother Baby Unit these two women are trapped at extreme and opposite ends of the mothering experience – both are in psychosis, but whilst Ann is in despair, Mary is euphoric. Welcome to Postpartum Psychosis: The Musical, a play celebrating motherhood, tackling serious issues but with laughs – and songs! – along the way.
Stitch-Up! is a one-hour, two-hander set to tour in 2020. Tonight’s performance marks the end of an R&D period funded by Arts Council England and Oxford City Council. It has been developed in partnership with Oxford University’s National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit (NPEU) and national charity Action on Postpartum Psychosis (APP). Many others have generously shared personal or professional experiences. All involved want to raise awareness around the normality and treatability of maternal mental illness.
Zena Forster’s Antigona and Me was ‘a definite highlight’ of the inaugural Offbeat festival, followed by a rehearsed reading at the National Theatre, London. It will tour in 2019, opening at OFS in July. The Fourth Dog enjoyed a near sell out tour of Oxfordshire with Human Story Theatre. Zena has adapted classics for BBC Radio including Hester starring Penelope Wilton (‘A joy’ The Telegraph).
For more information on perinatal mental health issues please see
www.npeu.ox.ac.uk National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit
https://www.app-network.org/Action Postpartum Psychosis
Stitch Up website coming soon www.stitchup.info
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Run Stanley Run
Written and Performed by Rowan Padmore
Morecambe dreams of being Blackpool
But resorts to something less chic
With a better view of The Lakes
And sunsets that light up the battered bay
Seven nights a week
Morecambe is struggling to survive, just like its inhabitants.
Mandy’s avoiding her Uncle Rick’s dodgy dance moves.
Sarah’s watching a festival she’s never been to on the telly.
Albert’s spending the little time he has left down the pub.
And Stanley’s run away from school.
But will anybody notice?
Does anybody care?
Run Stanley Run is a new poetic play written and performed by Rowan Padmore, about bereavement, loss and loneliness. Rowan is an Oxford based writer, performer and director who (sometimes) went to school in Morecambe in the ’80′s. She studied Writing for Performance at Ruskin College, Oxford and was selected for the Playhouse Playmaker 2017/18. A documentary, Life is a Circus, about the process of writing, rehearsing and performing her play Sawdust (2017), is to be televised on BBC4 this year. She is currently working on a new play Paper Umbrella (2019) for Big Brum TIE Company, and recently completed the Regional Theatres Young Director Scheme -Introduction to Directing course. Run Stanley Run will premiere at Offbeat Festival on 20, 21 and 22 June.