Space Chats

We discuss writing about mother-daughter relationships with nuance, changing from acting to playwriting with the writer and wearing your Sunday-best to drama lessons, with the writer of The Wedding Speech, Cheryl May Coward-Walker, interviewed by Creative Producer, Bethany Sharp.  The Wedding Speech will be at the Space from the 18th - 20th of April.  You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Purple Moon Drama on Twitter: @PurpleMoonDrama and IG: purplemoondrama Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

We discuss the work of ACT II, the student drama festival with its founder Amy Tickner, interviewed by Deputy Director, Matthew Jameson. The ACT II Festival will be at the Space from the 8th - 15th of April.  You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about ACT II Festival on Twitter: @act2festival and on IG: act2festival  Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Abacus Dean-Polacheck

We discuss creating work for new audiences and bringing modern fairytales to the stage with director Lou Corben of Marvellous Machine Theatre Company, interviewed by Creative Producer, Bethany Sharp. Morveren will be at the Space from the 28th March - 1st April  You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Marvellous Machine on Twitter: @MarvMach and IG: marvmach Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

We discuss working as a team on stage, in drama school and on the soccer field with two company members of The Wolves, Alexandra Clare and Kaia Hickson, interviewed by Creative Producer, Bethany Sharp.  The Wolves will be at the Space from the 4th - 11th of March.  You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Orange Peel Productions on Twitter: @orangepeelprod and IG: weareorangepeel Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

We discuss ten key days in the life of theatremaker Matthew Jameson as well as his play Ten Days, coming to the Space next month. We ask the question 'What is Dramaturgy?' and explore Matthew's previous historical adaptations.  As Matthew is also Deputy Director of the Space, and in honour of this, we decided he needed not one, but two interviewers: Adam Hemming, Artistic Director and Bethany Sharp, Creative Producer.  Ten Days will be at the Space from the 14th - 25th of March with a livestream on the 23rd which will then be available for two weeks on demand.  'Correct' dramaturgy joke: How many dramaturgs does it take to change a lightbulb? Does it HAVE to be a lightbulb? You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Matthew's theatre company BolshEpic Theatre on Twitter: @BolshEpic, IG: bolshepic Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

Creative producer  Bethany Sharp, chats to Julian Felice (Dramatis Personae), writer and director of the upcoming show The Blue Whale. We discuss the Gibraltarian arts scene and the differences between teaching and directing, in advance of the run of The Blue Whale at the Space (playing 23rd - 25th February, including a livestream on the 25th and on demand access for two weeks after that). You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Julian Felice on twitter: @JulianFelice Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Creative producer  Bethany Sharp, chats to Claire Louise Amias (A Monkey With Cymbals), writer and performer of the upcoming show The Masks Of Aphra Behn. We discuss doing the PJ Harvey in theatre, the need for distance in creating work that includes our own experienced trauma, and the prolific work of arguably the first professional playwright and spy Aphra Behn, in advance of the run of The Masks of Aphra Behn at the Space (playing 17th - 18th February, including a livestream on the 18th and on demand access for two weeks after that). You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Claire Louise Amias by following her on twitter: @AMonkeyWithCymbalsTC Or on Facebook: @A Monkey With Cymbals Website: www.amonkeywithcymbals.co.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Stephen Smith (Threedumb Theatre), director of upcoming Notre Dame and producer of Six Plays One Day. We discuss theatrical jet-setting, one shot films and acting inspiration from Lon Chaney.  Catch Notre Dame online ONLY, livestreaming 26th - 28th January 2023 and on demand for two weeks after. Come to the Space in person to see Six Plays One Day on the 21st of January 2023. More about Notre Dame:  "Over time, civil unrest tips over into violence." ‘Notre Dame’ is an online ‘promenade digital theatre’ event: shot in one singular take and streamed 100% live for an at-home audience. Paris, 1480s. Esmerelda is seen pursued by a merciless mob. Covered in blood, she flees the scene of a murder and claims sanctuary within the stone walls of the Notre Dame cathedral. Inside, she soon becomes trapped in a triangle of obsession and control between the perverse priest Frollo and his bellringer assistant, Quasimodo. Brought to you by the same team behind our Offie Award-winning livestream production of Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Black Cat’, which we hosted during the lockdown of 2021, this new adaptation of Victor Hugo’s epic and timeless tale combines Threedumb Theatre’s signature style of innovative one-shot filmmaking, imaginative storytelling techniques and inventive use of livestreaming technology. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Follow Threedumb Theatre on: Twitter: @3dumbtheatre FB: @3dumbtheatre IG: 3dumbtheatre  Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Tabitha Radcliffe & Lisa Hazel (ChopLogic Productions), writers and performers of the upcoming show Dots and Dashes.  We discuss interrogating historical source material in order to tell lesser known stories, and making a show which is "too woke" (!), in advance of the run of Dots and Dashes at the Space (playing 3rd - 14th January 2023, including a livestream on the 5th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “Thousands of lives are depending on us, and we can’t afford to make any mistakes” At Bletchley Park six young women are working to crack the German codes to aid the allied operation in World War two. A story of love, loss, secrets, and the sacrifices these women made to save millions of lives, to rise above their roles, and silently fight a war behind closed doors. Entirely self-written and composed by Choplogic Productions Dots and Dashes: A Bletchley Park musical is a production telling the story of the unsung heroes of World War Two. Retelling the male dominated narrative of the war from a female perspective Dots and Dashes is an empowerment of women from then to now. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Follow Dots and Dashes on: Twitter: @DotDashMusical FB: @DotsandDashesMusical IG: @dotsanddashesmusical Dots and Dashes Spotify Cast Recording: https://open.spotify.com/album/0daJQ3mOTezI7fduTCd7sZ?si=V0geTvQZQsuZ72cwJ6AQkA  Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

Creative Producer Bethany Sharp, chats to directors Trilby James and Jess Tucker Boyd, ahead of East 15's Very Like A Whale at the Space Theatre (7th - 10th December). We discuss the evolution of actor training, deconstructing Shakespeare and sharing decision making in rehearsal rooms.  You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Twitter: @east15_ct Instagram: @east15ct  Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter 

Creative Producer Bethany Sharp, chats to Charlotte Everest, Artistic Director and Co-founder of Mrs C’s Collective, an Associate Company of the Space Theatre.  We discuss consulting with Creative Psychotherapists when making theatre about trauma, accidentally becoming a theatre producer, and attending pantomimes with tonsillitis.  Mrs C's Collective is a fixture at the Space, so keep an eye out for their upcoming projects including The Writers' Collective and The Play Exchange.   You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Mrs C’s Collective by following him on twitter: @CollectiveMrs Or on Facebook: @Mrs C’s Collective Theatre Company Or Instagram: @mrscscollective Website Mrs C’s Collective: www.mrscscollective.co.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Creative Producer Bethany Sharp, chats to Bobak Champion, creator and performer of I’m Muslamic Don’t PaniK. We discuss his journey from Top of the Pops to Hip Hop to theatre, the often one-sided media narrative of the middle east, rearranging furniture in people’s minds, and the ongoing situation in Iran, in advance of I’m Muslamic Don’t PaniK's run at the Space (playing 22nd - 24th November, including a livestream on the 23rd, with on demand access for two weeks after that). You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Bob Champion by following him on twitter: @BobakChampion Or on Facebook: @Bobak Champion Or Instagram: @bobakchampion Video Link "Rebel with a cause":  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXbElTbM4yM Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Inyoung Lee (The ActorTects), writer and performer of the upcoming show Surviving Strangers. We discuss the culture of stereotypes, the impact of movies, and the loneliness while being trapped in a foreign country during the pandemic, in advance of the run of Surviving Strangers at the Space (playing 17th -20th November, including a livestream on the 18th and on demand access for two weeks after that). A: How do you say thank you in Korean? E: 고마워. (Gomawo) A: Then…. How do you say I love you in Korean? E: 사랑해. (Saranghe)” A Western metropolis. Sometime in a near future. A pandemic erupts and a couple is suddenly stuck in lockdown together. At first, it’s all love, fun and games, but very soon the situation becomes unbearable. While the virus is spreading outside, something is happening inside…  A dark dystopic comedy that casts light onto the daily struggles that constitute both the joy and hell of an intercultural relationship. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Surviving Strangers on Instagram: @surviving_strangers Or follow Inyoung Lee on Twitter: @in0lee Find out about the ActorTects on Facebook: @ActorTects Podcast "Things I am not" by LegalAliens Theatre on Spotify: @ThingsIamNot Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Director, producer and writer, Bethany Sharp, chats to Paige Canavan-Smith (UNSETTLED THEATRE), creator and actor of the show The Untold Fable of Fritz. We discuss the process of devising theatre, taming the chaos of the R&D process, the challenges of working on low budget and the inspiration by Philip Pullman’s short story, ‘Clockwork’, in advance of the run of The Untold Fable of Fritz at the Space (playing 29th November - 3rd December, including a livestream on the 1st Dec and on demand access for two weeks after that). “This is a fable about a boy. A fable is a short story that illustrates a moral lesson. The moral here… Well, you’ll see for yourself.” White snow seeps down from the mountain tops of the Neuchstein region, freezing over the valleys and the hearts of all the people that live within it. At the foot of the tallest peak, resides the inhabitants of Brutzenvien and their King. Through this everlasting stone-cold ice age, the King’s son soon falls ill and the King makes a pledge to do all in his power to save his heir. But how far will he go? You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about UNSETTLED THEATRE by following them on twitter: @unsettled_UNST Or on Facebook: @UnsettledTheatre Or Instagramm: @unsettledtheatre Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Gabrielle Silvestre and Rachel Harley, founders of Fury Entertainment about their upcoming show Des Fleur. We discuss the need for queer theatre and voices , why representation matters, and the value of good preparation in advance of the run of Des Fleur at the Space (playing 25th - 29th October, including a livestream on the 27th and on demand access for two weeks after that). ‘My heart is so full of you I want to scream.’ An ageing Judith faces early-onset Alzheimer’s and the death of her husband John. As she argues with her children who insist that she moves into a care home, her past and present become blurred, memories come alive and she sees herself as a young wife and mother, surrounded by John and by her best friend and then lover Georgia. Built around two colliding timelines, ‘Des Fleurs’ is an intricate play about choice, queerness and indentity. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Fury Entertainment by following them on Instagram: @fury.entertainment Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Signe Ebbesen and Natasha Biggs,  writer and director of the show Prisms. We discuss the fascination of fairytales, the various styles of love and we talk about becoming a theatre maker at East 15, in advance of the run of Prisms at the Space (playing 18th- 22th October, including a livestream on the 20th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “When you fall in love colours change so maybe there are more colours once you find your soulmate“ With original live music, Prisms asks the question how far are you willing to go for love?  An intense play exploring early 20s angst, wilful optimism and experimental witchcraft in a world aiming to be aesthetically pleasing, alluring and correct. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about SwanBite Productions by following them on Facebook: @swanbite.productions On Instagram: @swanbite.productions Or Twitter: @swanbite.productions Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Janette Eddisford and Amy Kidd,  director and performer of the show The Last. We discuss feministic roots and burning bras, the fight about acting methods and the artistry and relevance of Mary Shelly's work, in advance of the run of The Last at the Space (playing 11th - 15th October, including a livestream on the 12th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “Well, here is my story – the last story I shall have to tell. All that might have been bright in my life is now despoiled. I am a victim of fate, spared for reasons I cannot know or understand – bound for nowhere..." Set in a 21st century world troubled by deadly plague, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley’s 1826 novel The Last Man is poignant and hugely relevant today. Written after the death of her husband and three of her children, it expresses Mary’s own sense of loss and isolation. This one-woman adaptation explores the book’s biographical elements along with Mary’s use of gender.  It draws on her graphic depiction of a world wracked by pandemic and her warnings of the dangers of mankind’s arrogance towards the world we live in. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Different Theatre company on their website: https://different-theatre.com Or on Instagram: @different_theatre Or see what the actor Amy Kidd is up to on Instagram: @amykidd_ Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Elin Doyle,  writer and performer of the show GUINEA PIGS. We discuss how to kill a play, silenced history of nuclear testing in Britain, moral injury and why we need a laugh when we're hurting, in advance of the run of GUINEA PIGS at the Space (playing 4th - 8th October, including a livestream on the 7th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “If Russia drops The Bomb on us, is that what it would be like, if it happens to us?” “I suppose it would. We’d all be vapourised. But there’s that new man, Gorbachev, seems to have his head screwed on…” It’s the 1980s. Coral O’Malley is discovering feminism, pacifism and Duran Duran. She’s a chip off the old block of her beloved dad, Gerry. Only he’s fighting a battle of his own with the British government over that time they dropped a nuclear bomb on him. And then there’s the small matter of the school public speaking competition… The true story of Britain’s last great cover-up, GUINEA PIGS is a semi-autobiographical comedy/drama by actor and writer Elin Doyle, whose father served at the hydrogen bomb tests on Christmas Island in 1957. Whilst highlighting the plight of Britain’s forgotten nuclear test veterans, GUINEA PIGS is also a coming-of-age story about a young woman trying to work out what kind of person she wants to be. It’s about intergenerational love and conflict, a celebration of the power of women and a reminder that we all have a voice. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Elin Doyle by following them on twitter: @elindoyle Find out about GUINEA PIGS the Play: https://www.guineapigstheplay.com Or on Instagram: @guineapigstheplay  Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Bettina Paris,  director of the show Cookie Jar and one of the founding members of Abeille Theatre. We discuss artistic influences, the need for change in modern theatre, the danger of tech and media,  and the romanticised idea of being an artist, in advance of the run of Cookie Jar at the Space (playing 27th September - 1st October, including a livestream on the 29th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “Beauty. No match. 4.75 rating. When hired, replace face.” COOKIE JAR is a fast-paced, comedic drama play, that implores us to reflect on how much of ourselves do we actually own. Written by emerging talent, Kiran Benawra and produced by female-led theatre company Abeille Theatre, COOKIE JAR begs the question: In a world where new technologies are developing at lightning speed, how can we tell what’s real or not? You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Abeille theatre by following them on twitter: @AbeilleTheatre On Facebook: @abeilletheatre Or Instagram: @abeilletheatre Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Maria Laumark and Charles Sloboda-Bolton, creator of the show Mary & Mietek. We discuss love letters, our ancestral heritage and how it is reflected in our times, Brexit and its effects on personal life, and about providing accessibility in theatre, in advance of the run of Mary & Mietek at the Space (playing 13th - 17th September, including a BSL interpreted performance on the 14th, a livestream on the 15th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “Only things I have to offer you for certain are; my love, my respect and what is perhaps most important, my friendship. This is a lot, but sometimes it is very little” – Mietek, 1945. Ben and Alma are feeling the strain, separated by Brexit, borders and uncertainty. Can they find help in Ben’s grandparent’s love letters? Presented by Katla theatre, Mary and Mietek is a testament to the power of love to overcome and break down borders. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Katla Theatre by following them on twitter: @KatlaTheatre On Instagram: @Katlatheatre Or Facebook: @Katlatheatre Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Katie Bignell and Caitlin Lee Smith, creators of the show Post Sex Spag Bol and Winner of The Space Launchpad Award 2022. We discuss being a woman with thorns, comedy and the comparison to Fleabag and we listen to advice for dads with young daughters - in advance of the run of Post Sex Spagnol at the Space (playing 6th - 10th September, including a livestream on the 8th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “Now, girls. The pill can make you moody, borderline serious mental health problems moody, but it does give you big boobs, so depression can be worth it.” After being handed a job as counsellor and sex-ed teacher, Krissy purposely leads a classroom full of goggle-eyed-girls down a motorway of mistakes. Fuelled by her own flaws, at a religious all-girls boarding school, she shaves away any expectation of a perfect role model. With a desire for destruction, Krissy intentionally feeds bad advice to the hormone-riddled girls, from questionable kinks, to the swimming pools secret-sex-shack. Told by a three women ensemble, this comedic story of sex, love, and spagbol explores self-love, womanhood and growing up … as well as, vibrators, funerals, the twelve disciples, piss play and that mint shower gel. BYOB – Bring your own Bolognese. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Thistle and Rose Theatre by following them on Instagram: @thistleandrosetheatre Or follow them on Facebook: @thistleandrosetheatre Or Twitter: @ThistleRoseCo Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director of the Space, Adam Hemming, chats to Júlia Arquillo and Mirea Juanals, who have created the show Muses. We discuss why playing wicked characters are the best, how mistakes in rehearsals often make the cut, and the evolution of Muses as a production, in advance of its run at the Space (playing 23rd - 27th August, including a livestream on the 25th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “The moment for liberation has arrived. We need your help. Join the union of the muses liberated, exhilarated, refrigerated, redecorated, friends of the fairies obliterated!" The adventures of three muses who decide to free themselves and start their own journey as artists. They soon find out that, without economic privileges and connections, initiating an artistic career isn’t that easy. It is, at that moment, when they receive a call from divine inspiration, a business called Inspirations inc. The corporation has proudly helped many artists throughout history, from the cavemen of Altamira to Dalí. The protagonists begin a journey in search of a pure and ancestral art, fight for their place in an industry dominated by the male gaze and navigate with humour and irony through a surrealist and absurd world. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out about Puro Caos on Instagram: @purocaos.ct Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Director, producer and writer, Bethany Sharp, chats to Daniel Passi, director and writer of Siblings. We discuss Cinderella in shopping malls, visual artistry in theatre work, poetry in the profane and the psychology of guilt in family dynamics, in advance of the run of Siblings at the Space (playing 9th - 13th August, including a livestream on the 11th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “Try to understand them…. That’s the way they’re made. And since they’re like that, you were bound to rebel.” C., L. and B. have locked themselves up in an old theatre where they re-enact the killing of their own parents. A question arises: is this a rehearsal for a crime, a confession of guilt or a dead serious game of make-believe? Taking the theatrical act to its utmost consequences, the children soon discover what happens once the parental order is overthrown. Siblings is an original translation and adaptation of the work of the Cuban playwright José Triana, a fundamental voice of 20th century Latin American theatre. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out about the Overtone Theatre on Instagram: @overtonetheatre Find out more about Daniel Passi on his website: www.danielpassi.com Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Director, producer and writer, Bethany Sharp, chats to Victoria Hadel and Megan Hanson, founders of Prudencia Productions about their upcoming world premiere The Brontës: A musical. We discuss the life of the Brontë siblings, misrepresentation of female voices and spectacle versus intimacy in musical theatre in advance of the run of The Brontës: A musical at the Space (playing 16th - 20th August). “To be judged on merit alone, As neither men nor women, we will be forever known.” In the European premiere of this New York-originated musical, young authors Charlotte, Emily, Anne, and Branwell Brontë navigate the turbulent world around them through both their art and their reliance on each other. As they mature and begin to experience love, loss, and the pressures of careerism, they find that their writing takes on a life of its own, empowering them as individuals and threatening to pull them apart as a family. With a lush, intimate score and witty, emotive lyrics, The Brontës is a heartfelt take on one of the most impactful families of artists the world has ever known. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Prudencia Productions by following them on twitter: @prudenciaproductions       Follow them on Instagram: @Prudenciaproductions Or explore their work on their website: https://prudenciaproductions.com Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Vilma Kitula, Madeleine Carter and Olivia Catchpole, founders of Sisu theatre and creators of the  show Our Field at Twilight. We discuss the privilege of theatre, the outreach to the community , puppetry, climate anxiety and alternative visions, in advance of the run of Our Field at Twilight at the Space (playing 2nd - 6th August, including a livestream on the 6th and on demand access for two weeks after that). “In my dream, there were cows on a field”.  An insomniac mother and an anxious pot-head find themselves trapped in a workers’ cult in Northern Europe. Their milk turns sour when a stranger burgles their farmhouse, digging up the dirt from their past. Will they welcome her, or remain in their twilight state? Don’t miss the baby cow puppets and experience an evening of immersive storytelling, with dialogue and themes based on the life of Vilma Kitula’s grandmother. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about sisu theatre by following them on twitter: @sisutheatreco Find out about Sisu Theatre: www.sisutheatre.com Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Bewlay Dean-Stanton and Sonny Howes from Dead Dog Theatre and the stars of the show Frankie and Ruben. We discuss making comedy in cynical times, genuine love and friendship and new found freedoms, in advance of the run of Ruben at the Space (playing 5th - 9th July, including a livestream on the 7th and on demand access for two weeks after that). The stage is set. The gun is cocked. The comedian wipes his brow and the puppet downs his drink. When it’s get a laugh or die trying: you’ll die laughing. This immersive film noir farce will have you asking: Is every line a bad pun? How is the puppet alive? Is it meant to be a musical? When was the last time I told my family I loved them? And meant it? All these questions and more will go unanswered! No refunds, ya shmuck. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Dead Dog Theater by following them on Instagram: @deaddogtheatre Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to M J Coldiron (Jiggs) and Manuel Jiminez, composer and musical director from Thiasos theatre company. We discuss the right way to perform Greek theatre, gamelan and the movie Krull in advance of the run of Cyclops at the Space (playing 28th June - 2nd July 2022, including a livestream on the 30th June and on demand access for two weeks after that). After the five-star success of their production of Aristophanes’ PLOUTOS (WEALTH) at the Space in 2020, Thiasos Theatre Company is delighted to return with Euripides’ Cyclops, the only surviving satyr play from Ancient Greece. It tells how the hero Odysseus, on his way home from the Trojan war, defeats the one-eyed cannibalistic giant Polyphemus with the help of some shipwrecked satyrs—the half-man, half-goat followers of Dionysos, god of wine and theatre—and their wine-loving “father,” Silenus. Thiasos brings this rarely-performed classic to life with vibrant song and dance drawn from the traditions of the Aegean and Mediterranean islands. There is heroism and suspense and plenty of earthy humour. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Thiasos: http://www.thiasos.co.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Steffi Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Hanna Winter,  creator of the one woman show Snowflake. We discuss reading clowning, cabaret, inherited trauma and economics (!), in advance of the run of Snowflake at the Space (playing 21st - 25th June, including a livestream on the 23rd and on demand access for two weeks after that). All snowflakes are unique. Some snowflakes also happen to be generation-defining artists. A one-woman sledgehammer breaking the ice of fractured family dynamics with some truly bewildering comedy performance art. Ambitious, absurd and ass-kicking, SNOWFLAKE will also resolve everyone’s centuries of inherited trauma (promise). You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Hanna Winter by following them on twitter: @winter_hanna Find out about the Lost Cabaret: https://www.facebook.com/lostcabaret Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Steffi Schreiter 

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to playwright, Rachael Bellis,  director of The Collab. We discuss reading Shakespeare across the world, Rachael's work in Equity's D/deaf and Disabled Members Committee and her focus on the theme of power, in advance of the run of The Collab at the Space (currently playing until the 11th June including a livestream on the 8th, and on demand access for two weeks after that). We apologise for the audio quality of parts of this recording, due to a technical issue. Ella Blair is a rising star in the online video scene. Together with the help of her friend, Kat Daniels, a budding fashion photographer, Ella is building a platform and a business around sustainable fashion. When an opportunity arises to “collab” with superstar influencer Max Jessup on his latest video art project, Ella jumps headlong into it…but at what cost? A story about fame, friendship and the #MeToo era in the online sphere. “MAX: But you have to agree, when people talk about misogynistic paintings, this one comes up pretty often as something that exploits — ELLA: I’m not interested in portraying how she was “exploited,” okay? As far as I’m concerned the scandal was that a situation that usually happened in private among normal people was being given the same reverence as Greek and Roman Myth. If all of what people get from this is “erm, why’s she naked and they’re all suited up, that’s so threatening!” then you’re missing the entire bloody point of your own project.” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Aequitas Theatre by following them on twitter: @AequitasTheatre Find out about Rachael's work with Equity's  D/deaf and Disabled Members Committee by following her on twitter: @raeraelefay Find out more about LaTanya Peterkin's new show If I Could Love here. Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp 

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to playwright, John Berry,  writer of Happenings. We discuss the development of the show throughout pandemic restrictions, in advance of the run of Happenings at the Space (12th & 14th May, both livestreamed and on demand access for two weeks after that). Jane is dangerously bored. Joe doesn’t understand her existential crisis. Fran’s spiritual awakening came courtesy of a hairdryer in the bath. How far will Jane go to make something, anything, happen? When value is measured in clicks and likes, who is she if nothing ever does? Happenings is a black comedy, which descends into an uncomfortably close view of three thirty-somethings who are feeling distinctly short changed by life. It’s hard to evaluate how bad things are when you live under the shadow of the infamous Beachy Head cliffs. Things aren’t great, but they’re ok…right? Fran claims to have reached a higher state of consciousness, and Joe buries his head in the sand. It’s Jane who can’t breathe. The monotony, the boredom, the lack of insta-worthy posts… Life doesn’t seem this dull for anyone else. She needs to make something happen. Otherwise… what’s the point? “I need something to shake the lethargy out of me, Joe! Not a car accident, or brain damage, just a little jolt… Re Awaken the inner child in me.” “I’ll buy you a skateboard.” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Happenings by following Not Your Muse Theatre Company on twitter: @NymTheatre Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Stephanie Schreiter

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to theatre translator, Maya Goldstein,  writer and performer of Za'atar Rain. We discuss the real-life inspiration for the show and theatre-making at Goldsmiths, in advance of the run of Za'atar Rain at the Space (24th - 27th May, livestreams on  26th and 27th of May and on demand access for two weeks after that). It all started with a pizza delivery. A Pitta delivery, to be more exact. Then there were the anonymous calls. And then there was her. Oh, and the border. But I had to meet her. Now how do I get there? Maya is haunted by telephone calls and weird visions, only to discover that behind them stands a Lebanese girl called Luna, who implores her to come to Beirut. As Maya lives in Israel, Luna’s request should be impossible to turn into reality, but she is compelled to embark on this journey. The encounters she has along the way, with Elon Musk, a sarcastic pigeon with a penchant for ABBA, a no-nonsense Jordanian Border guard and a sheep with a Scottish accent, punctuate and propel this journey into forbidden territory. Through this semi-fictional quest, Maya realises that some connections are stronger than, and not susceptible to, the existence of borders. “There’s a small city in the Middle East called Beirut. I have a friend there. A friend I will never be able to visit. I also can’t show you her face, or tell you her name. But let’s just say— she knows me for who I am.” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Za'atar Rain by following them on twitter: @Maya_Gold_M Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Adam Hemming

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to theatre translator, Charis Ainslie,  from the creative team behind This Last Piece Of Sky. We discuss the subtleties of translating for the stage and telling fantastical stories, in advance of the run of This Last Piece Of Sky at the Space (17th-21st May, livestream on 17th May and on demand access for two weeks after that). Two cities, two young people. Louis is triumphant: he has found the secret of the universe. But the line between genius and mania is thin, and Louis’s family struggles to cope with his behaviour. In hospital, as winter sets in, he dreams of a girl called Sarah. Meanwhile, in the intense heat of summer, a family adjusts to living under a military coup. Checkpoints are springing up, neighbours have been arrested, music is banned. Worse still, their daughter’s behaviour is attracting attention at school. Her name, as it happens, is Sarah… A beautiful, lyrical play by French writer Kevin Keiss, translated by Charis Ainslie, that explores our ability to transcend boundaries and look beyond our accepted reality. “There’s always a slight shimmer to reality You think you see it but It’s not quite what it seems It’s moving so fast you barely notice Nothing is stable and constant the way we want to believe” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about This Last Piece Of Sky by following them on twitter: @this_piece  Find out more about Foreign Affairs at https://www.foreignaffairs.org.uk/ Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to playwright and director, Magali Jeger, from Two Flats Theatre. We discuss Magali’s soon-to-be published novel, World theatre and historical fiction in advance of the run of The Dalton Sisters at the Space (10th-14th May, livestream on 11th May and on demand access for two weeks after that). Soho, London; 1968. Salome stumbles upon a burlesque nightclub and finds herself in The Dalton Sister’s dressing room. She urgently needs a place to sleep and some money to make it through the week. “Welcome to Honey Bliss Cabaret!” The Dalton Sisters welcome Salome with (half-) open arms. But she quickly realises that there are secrets hidden behind all the sweet pizzazz. One name in particular gives them shivers: that of the previous dancer who this newcomer has the responsibility of replacing. What happened to Rue? And will Salome thrive or will she take a dive? Between glasses of bubbly, sparkly costumes and the unwanted visit of a detective, the girls and their burlesque mother will have to decide the fate of the club as well as their own. The Dalton Sisters is a whodunnit style, female–led play and explores burlesque, the late 1960’s liberation through sexualisation, sisterhood, LGBTQIA+ and the female experience. “I don’t mean to be rude miss Novak, but could you please put some clothes on?” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Find out more about Two Flats theatre here:- https://www.twoflatstheatre.com Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Adam Hemming

In episode 6, Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to director Julia Sowerbutts from Ink. We discuss the short play format, Elvis Presley going to Glasgow and approaches to directing in advance of Ink on Tour coming to the Space (28th May).  This selection of the best short plays from the INK Festival 2022 provides a thrilling night of East Anglian entertainment. Like perfectly formed pop tunes, these plays are by turn funny, alarming, touching and always unexpected. They provide a fantastic platform for the aspiring writer and a novel challenge for auteurs such as Miranda Hart. The pleasure of watching them is that they leave you wanting more. 5 ***** star review, The Upcoming “unique and exciting short plays” “these plays packed a punch and left the audience exhilarated” “the acting and writing was tremendous… it delivered one of the best theatrical experiences of the year so far” 5 *****star review, Sardines Magazine “the show roller-coasted along at a fantastic pace” “they are all without exception entertaining” “this feast of small gems is well worth a visit” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Edit credit: Bethany Sharp

In our 5th episode, Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Dorothy McDowell, Ana Pagu and Leah O'Grady from Not The Way Forward. We discuss life at Oxford university, adapting TV shows into classic novels and forgotten plays in advance of their run of Casterbridge at the Space (5th-9th April 2022). When she was 21, Mary Henchard stood up in a bar and offered to sell her husband to the highest bidder. She has spent the last twenty years trying to recover. When she was 21, Dearbhla Farfrae bought a one-way ticket to America. The night before she left, she did a good turn by an eccentric financier, and got the luckiest break of her life. Now a middle-aged millionaire, Mary Henchard thinks she has found a protegee to save her business. She has really found the woman who will ruin her life. Not The Way Forward Productions’ reimagining of Thomas Hardy’s tragic novel charts the lives of two women growing up, growing old and growing into obsessive rivalry. With a set made out of cardboard, and a soundtrack of 00s hits, step into the high-pressure world of the London financial district, and watch this classic story brought to (modern) life. “I don’t see why people who have got husbands and wives and don’t want them shouldn’t sell them to those in need of such articles – I’d sell mine this minute if anybody would buy him!” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Episode edit credit: Sierra Hoss

In episode 4 Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Laura Turner and Stephen Gilalrd from Fury Theatre. We discuss what makes us angry, writing for the stage and screen and The Blue Room in Lincoln in advance of their run of Abigail at the Space (3rd-7th May 2022, livestream on 5th May and on demand access for two weeks after that). Abigail brings to the stage the untold story of the true-life character of Abigail Williams. The accuser, running from the Salem Witch Trial. A young woman, dismissed by history, lost in a world she cannot comprehend. This piece puts Abigail herself, and not the events of the Salem Witch Trials, at the heart of the drama, exploring the emotional and psychological effects an event such as Salem may have had on a young, vulnerable woman. The play is set in Massachusetts in 1692, but this isn’t the staid, inaccessible story of the history books. This is a world that is alive with music, passion, danger and deceit. Abigail will fall into the traps of this world, but she will also revel in its decadence, debauchery and excess. “My name is Abigail Williams and this is my story. Not the story you think you know, of Salem and courts and crying witch. My story that starts here and ends…” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Episode edit credit: Sierra Hoss

In episode 3 Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Alexandra Christle aka Crystal Bollix from Haus of Bollix. We discuss drag, cabaret, rom-coms and the emotional journey of audiences in advance of their run of Definitely Maybe Actually Nevermind at the Space (29th March-2nd April, livestream on 1st April and on demand access for two weeks after that).  “What do Jamie, Mark, and Fitzwilliam Darcy all have in common? They’re white, problematic, and played by Colin Firth.” Onstage sits a strange figure surrounded by blankets, holding a Ben and Jerry’s, and crying over the latest ‘will they won’t they?’ produced by Netflix. This is Crystal Bollix and it’s now their turn to lead a Rom-Com. Will they (or won’t they) survive? Join drag artist Crystal Bollix as they take on their greatest enemy yet … Romantic Comedies. Fall in love with this new cabaret extravaganza all about the pitfalls of chick-flicks and Colin Firth. Watch as they navigate the tricky world of rom-com masculinity, femininity and beyond. Expect gorgeous costumes, dazzling lip sync, and maybe a surprise guest or two… “Let’s start at the beginning of the movie – The Meet Cute Oh you mean when the two beautiful heteronormative people meet in a manufactured romantic cutesy way but it’s either just women being awkward or men harrasing with the promise of romance? Yes” “Distraction is nice and it’s easy for the time being, like watching your favourite Rom Com every once in a while. But one day you’re going to find yourself leaning on that distraction.” You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Episode edit credit: Sierra Hoss

Our second episode already! Artistic Director, Adam Hemming, chats to Daniella Finch, Beth Wilson and Ted Marriott from 5 Pigeons Pecking a Bin Bag. We discuss intrusive thoughts, what makes people funny and social media management in advance of their run of Piss and Bile at the Space (22nd-26th March, livestream on 24th March and on demand access for two weeks after that). ADULT LANGUAGE WARNING - there are a few f-bombs dropped, not loads but enough to mention. Have you ever found yourself experiencing that feeling of being stuck? Of feeling listless and unanchored, peppered with flashes of total existential dread? Are you constantly questioning whether you can ever be successful, fulfilled, financially stable or even happy? Same. PISS AND BILE is a hilarious show about being sad in your 20s. It follows two women navigating the monotony of working in the service industry and the frustrating customers they encounter. Their co-dependent friendship is pushed to the limit as they struggle to keep a lid on the boiling rage that bubbles under the surface.  Woman 1 applies for a beep boop business job. She doesn’t get it. Woman 2 secretly applies for it too. She gets it. The tension is high and the competition is on. Can their friendship survive in a world that fosters apathy, complacency and cruelty? Come on, it’ll be a laugh! ‘Bertolt Brecht once said: ‘the service industry is a fickle beast’ and if we said what we really want, we’d lose our dumb little jobs. So sometimes we have inside thoughts which are different from our outside words.’ ‘I tend to wake up late, resenting all my life choices that have led me to being here, right now, with you. In this bistro equivalent of a tiny fucking bog.’ You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Theme Music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com This episode edited by Adam Hemming

In our first episode, Artistic Director chats about verbatim theatre and the menopause with playwright Esme Pearson-Brown. Esme's show, The Plunge, is being staged at the Space from 15th-19th March 2022, with a livestream on Thursday 17th and on demand access available for two weeks after that. It is the start of the end. The Curse. The Change. The End of the Run. The Menopause. In Spring of 2021 Mothers and their children volunteered to be interviewed for a University project concerning menopause and the inter-generational lack of understanding. A year later, Dirty Feet Theatre Company present The Plunge, a play inspired by and created using verbatim from women across the country. Meet us on the beach where we will follow a cold water swimming group pulled together from a desire to create community, conversations and celebrations. You’re invited to dive in with them as they learn to listen, talk and to not be afraid to use the ‘m’ word. You can find out more about the Space, connect with us on the socials and see what's coming up at www.space.org.uk Theme music: Monsieur Miaow by Shane Ivers - https://www.silvermansound.com Episode edit credit: Sierra Hoss