A new play for young people aged 14+ Tour: 12 September 2013 to 14 February 2014
It’s 2011 and 1958: London is rioting. Candice is ordered by her gang-leading boyfriend to lure Clint into a honeytrap. Haunted by her grandfather’s mistakes, she stands at a crossroads. Will she do as she’s told, or will she learn to be true to herself before history repeats itself?
Theatre Centre’s 60th Birthday Tour: a new play by Sucker Punch playwright Roy Williams, Advice for the Young at Heart examines the unrest of summer 2011 against the backdrop of the 1958 race riots in Notting Hill.
Theatre Centre
We are a professional theatre company touring to children and young people. A registered charity, Theatre Centre has been commissioning new writing and touring to schools and venues across the UK since 1953. Collaborating with artists, teachers and young people, Theatre Centre produces high-quality plays for young audiences. The company has worked with award-winning writers Lisa Evans, Noël Grieg, Mike Kenny, Bryony Lavery, Brendan Murray, Philip Osment, Manjinder Virk, Roy Williams, Benjamin Zephaniah and many others. The company administrates the Brian Way Award for Best New Play, the Adrienne Benham Award and the Dorothy L. Sayers Award.
This document is the online version of the programme. The script, published by Methuen in September 2013, contains this information and more – including an introduction by Roy Williams.
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Matt Bradley-Robinson (Sam) Adrian Richards (Clint) Matt graduated from Adrian trained at the Mountview Academy of Royal Central School Theatre Arts in 2013 with of Speech and Drama. a BA (Hons) in Acting. Whilst at Central he Theatre credits include appeared as Link in Hugo in A Butcher of Moonfleece, Sam Distinction (Cockpit Mitchum in Absolute Hell, Theatre) and Clem, Andy Edmund in King Lear, & Johnno in Theatre Young Bellair in Man of Centre’s Skylines Mode, Agamemnon in Showcase. Whilst training his credits include Huggins/ The Oresteia, Oliver/Corin in As You Like It, Fick in Goodman in There Is A War (Jacksons Lane), Eva in Balm In Gilead and Semyon in Vassa Zheleznova. Kimalia, Alexander Goffe in Cressida, Trebonius in Credits before training include: Punch in Relish Julius Caesar, Dino in The Rink, Halvard Solness in (National Youth Theatre) and Claudio in Much Ado The Master Builder; Rev. Shannon in The Night of the About Nothing (M.D.C.C.). Advice for the Young at Iguana, Martin in Through a Glass Darkly, Parolles in Heart marks Adrian’s professional debut. All’s Well That Ends Well and Maz in The Knowledge. Radio credits: D’Artagnan in The Three Musketeers.
Dad didn’t mean to run out and leave us. Mum don’t mean to sit on her arse all day, watching telly, one roll-up after another. No one means to do anything, but they still do it. Candice
It was different back then, like it is different now. Things should always be different, they should always change, otherwise we’d all still be living in caves. Sam
Join a crew, you get family. You get brers who will die for you. Stand up for you. You get respect. Candice
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Alix Ross and Adrian Richards in reahearsal at Redbridge Drama Centre theatre-centre.co.uk/advice Alix Ross (Candice) Joe Stamp (Kenny) Alix recently starred Joe trained at Rose in Roy Williams’ The Bruford College where he Loneliness of the Long gained a First Class BA Distance Runner at York (Hons) degree in Acting. Theatre Royal. Other His credits while theatre includes Daddy training include Ben in Cool at the Shaftesbury Roy Williams’ Days of Theatre and Diary of a Significance, Leontes in A Chav (Tristan Bates). Winter’s Tale, and Recent television credits Bubnov in Maxim Gorky’s include Sky drama Nightshift, Stepping Up (BBC) and Lower Depths. His film credits include The Fall of the Casualty (BBC). Essex Boys for Chata Pictures. Joe began acting as a child and later joined the National Youth Theatre, taking part in their 50th Anniversary Season – playing Jan in Barrie Keeffe’s Still Killing Time at Soho Theatre. Advice for the Young at Heart marks Joe’s professional theatre debut since graduating from drama school. CREATIVE TEAM Roy Williams, Writer Roy began his career at Theatre Centre in 1988 as an actor and then became a writer, mentored by the late Noël Greig. Previously having written Souls (2000) for Theatre Centre he returned to the company with Advice for the Young at Heart in homage to Noël and his inspirational work with young people.
BAFTA-winning Roy’s many plays include the widely acclaimed Sucker Punch (Royal Court), nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2010. Photo: Simon Annand Other plays include Absolute Beginners (Lyric Hammersmith), Sing Yer Heart Out for the Lads (National Theatre) and Clubland (Royal Court). In 2000 Roy was joint-winner of the George Devine Award and in 2001 he won the Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright. He received an OBE for Services to Drama in the 2008 Birthday Honours List. Natalie Wilson, Director Natalie studied Theatre Studies at Glasgow University. She was awarded a Scottish Arts Council Trainee Director Bursary with 7:84 (Scotland) before becoming Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme. After freelancing for several years, she was appointed Artistic Director of Theatre Centre in 2007 and has led the company into its 60th year.
Her directing credits include: Valley Song (7:84); Travels With My Aunt, Loot, East Is East (New Vic); Amy’s View (Salisbury Playhouse); Beautiful Thing (Nottingham Playhouse); Brighton Beach Memoirs (Oldham Coliseum); Smilin’ Through (Birmingham Rep/Contact Theatre); Martha Loves Michael (Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe); Rigged, The Day the Waters Came, Advice for the Young at Heart (Theatre Centre). In 2011, she was awarded a New Writing Encouragement Award by the Writers Guild of Great Britain. Alix Ross in reahearsal at Redbridge Drama Centre
@TClive #AdvicePlay /TheatreCentreUK theatre-centre.co.uk/advice Emma Wee, Designer Emma originally trained as a sculptor and works as a director and a designer in both opera and theatre. Recent productions include Medea for Northern Broadsides, new productions of The Marriage of Figaro and Carmen for Opera Holland Park and How High Is Up? (Theatre Centre). Emma is also CEO of CAST (Creative Arts Schools Trust), which runs creative workshops for teachers and children in Lebanon and South Africa.
Helen Skiera, Sound Designer/Composer Sound design includes The Epic Adventure of Nhamo The Manyika Warrior and his Sexy Wife Chipo (Tiata Fahodzi/Tricycle); Snow White, US/UK Exchange (Old Vic NV); Meat (Bush); Once In A Lifetime, The Eighth Continent, An Absolute Turkey (E15/BAC); Colors, The Criminals, House of Bones, Medea (Drama Centre); Pandora’s Box, Sister Of, Miss Julie (Arcola); Concrete Jungle (Riverside Studios).
Charlie Lucas, Lighting Designer Charlie’s lighting designs include The Match Box (Liverpool Playhouse & Tricycle), Equally Divided, Mother Goose (Watford Palace), The Magic Flute (Garsington Op- era), Von Ribbentrop’s Watch (Oxford Playhouse), Cautionary Tales (Opera North), Jealousy (The Print Room), Red Riding Hood (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Werther (Opera Les Azuriales, Nice). Charlie trained at RADA.
Lucy Cullingford, Movement Director Recent productions include A Season in the Congo (Young Vic), Spanish Golden Age Season (Ustinov Theatre), Constellations (Duke of York’s Theatre & Royal Court Theatre), The Double (Ustinov Theatre), The Revenger’s Tragedy (Hoxton Hall) and she was Dance Repetiteur for Matilda The Musical (RSC and Cambridge Theatre). Future productions include The Love Girl and the Innocent (Southwark Playhouse).
RC-Annie Ltd, Fight Directors RC-Annie Ltd, established in 2005 by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Coop- er-Brown, is the UK’s leading Dramatic Violence Company. Recent Theatre credits include: Bracken Moor (Shared Experience/The Tricycle Theatre); Salt, Root and Roe (Clwyd Theatr Cymru); Paper Dolls and Red Velvet (The Tricycle Theatre) and Dunsinane (The RSC).
Lin Coghlan, Dramaturg Lin Coghlan is from Dublin. Plays for the theatre include Apache Tears (Clean Break), which won the Peggy Ramsey Award, Kingfisher Blue (Bush Theatre) and The Miracle (National Theatre). Her work for the screen includes First Communion Day, winner of the Dennis Potter Play of the Year Award, and Some Dogs Bite, winner of the Prix du Public at the Nantes Film Festival.
@TClive #AdvicePlay /TheatreCentreUK theatre-centre.co.uk/advice TOUR 2014
LONDON REDBRIDGE DRAMA CENTRE 17 January, 4pm Box office: 020 8708 8803 redbridgedramacentre.co.uk
PLYMOUTH THEATRE ROYAL (THE DRUM) 22-25 January, 7.45pm 24 January, 2.45pm Box office: 01752 267222 theatreroyal.com/heart
BASILDON TOWNGATE THEATRE 27 January, 3pm Box office: 01268 465 465 towngatetheatre.co.uk
HASTINGS ST MARY IN THE CASTLE 29 & 30 January, 2pm 30 January, 8pm Alix Ross and Matt Bradley-Robinson in reahearsal at Redbridge Drama Centre Box office: 07964 544773 CAST THEATRE CENTRE STAFF stmaryinthecastle.co.uk Candice Alix Ross Artistic Director Natalie Wilson BARKING BROADWAY THEATRE Sam Matt Bradley-Robinson General Manager Charles Bishop 31 January, 7.30pm Clint Adrian Richards Schools Producer Marigold Hughes Box office: 020 8507 5607 Kenny Joe Stamp Production Manager Mark Lovell thebroadwaybarking.com Office and Tour Coordinator Sarah Setter CREATIVE TEAM Marketing Manager Alan Ward BIRMINGHAM THE BIRMINGHAM REP 3 & 4 February, 7pm Director Natalie Wilson Theatre Centre wishes to thank: Philippa 4 February, 1.30pm Designer Emma Wee Acton, Alex Austin, Rachael Clarke, Lin Box office: 0121 236 4455 Sound Designer/Composer Helen Skiera Coghlan, Rob Compton, Phillip Couzens, birmingham-rep.co.uk Lighting Designer Charlie Lucas Reece dos Santos, Savannah Gordon- Movement Director Lucy Cullingford Liburd, Dishad Husain, Damson Idris, SALISBURY SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE Fight Directors Rachel Bown-Williams and Emmanuel Imani, Sarah London, Ashley 6 & 7 February, 7.45pm Ruth Cooper-Brown of RC-Annie Ltd Rolfe, Thomas Simper, Redbridge Drama Box office: 01722 320333 Dramaturg Lin Coghlan Centre, the staff and students of Ifield salisburyplayhouse.com CSM Bethan Mair-Hughes Community College and Suhkmeet Sawney and Kath Evans of The Haven (Paddington). WOLVERHAMPTON ARENA THEATRE 12 February, 7.30pm Helplines and Advice Box office: 01902 321321 arenatheatre.info If you are a young person and have been affected by any of the issues raised by Advice for the Young at Heart, you might like to contact Childline for support. Their number is Advice for the Young at Heart will also reach 0800 1111, or you can visit the Childline website at www.childline.org.uk. more than 40 schools. Our next secondary school tour, The Muddy Choir by Jesse Brit- If you are an adult and worried about a child you can contact the NSPCC’s helpline on on, will go out in autumn 2014. Contact the 0808 800 5000 or email [email protected]. Theatre Centre office to book.
Every new piece of writing Theatre Centre commissions provides teachers with a powerful means by which they can explore pressing and immediate topics with students.
Theatre Centre productions support National Curriculum requirements across a range of subjects – through live engagement and the provision of comprehensive learning resources made available online.
Advice for the Young at Heart is a rich resource for exploring the world and shedding new light on challenging and complex issues. Resources for teachers are available online.
Theatre Centre T/ 020 7729 3066 /TheatreCentreUK Shoreditch Town Hall E/ [email protected] @TClive #AdvicePlay 380 Old Street London, EC1V 9LT theatre-centre.co.uk/advice
Charity number: 210262 Company number: 0585723 (England & Wales) Poster image: Phillip Couzens