|
|
|
|
Articles
|
|
|
Articles |
Theatre in Northern England: The Northern Arts Region - Companies and LinksTheatre Companies The northernmost company in the region is NTC Touring Theatre, based at the Playhouse Theatre in Alnwick, Northumberland. It works primarily in rural areas, especially Northumberland (it was originally the Northumberland Theatre Company: hence NTC) and encourages new writing. It is particularly keen on non-naturalistic theatre. Moving a little further south to Tyneside, there are three well-established companies. Starting at the coast, there is Dodgy Clutch (wonderful name!), run by director Ozzie Riley, whose speciality is devised shows using often magnificent props and larger than life puppets to create quite amazing spectacle. In Newcastle there is the Bruvvers Theatre Company, run by Mike Mold (brother of Roy Marsden). Bruvvers is committed to taking theatre to working class audiences which would never see any theatre under normal circumstances. However, in spite of its purpose, the company is not overtly political and its shows are known for their sheer entertainment value. A little further west, in Sunniside, is Bell and Bullock, a cabaret, outdoor and street theatre company, which is physical in its approach, making a lot of use of cirus and clowing skills. On the south bank of the Tyne, in South Shields and using the Customs House as their base, are two very young, semi-professional companies: Boyle Yer Stotts Productions and KG Productions. The former grew out of the Performing Arts course at South Tyneside College, when a group of ex-students, who were unable to afford to go to Drama school, decided that they would set up their own company. The company is committed to new writing, and its members also write. KG Productions also has links with the College and there is some common membership between it and Boyle Yer Stotts. It specialises in small cast contemporary plays which would not ordinarily be seen in South Shields. It arose from the desire of ex-students of King George V Comprehensive School to continue to work together and with their former Head of Drama, who is the company's artistic director - and I have to admit that I am that artistic director! A few miles further to the south is the No Limits Theatre Company in Sunderland. This is a professional physical theatre/dance company made up of people with a learning disability. It works primarily in the North East, but spends a week each year at the Edinburgh Fringe and director Janet Nettleton has plans for some international touring in the near future. Further south still, in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, is Jack Drum Arts, specialising in "intimate" theatre, which makes use of live music, masks and puppets. Based at the Darlngton Arts Centre is CTC (Cleveland Theatre Company), which aims its work at children and young people. The southernmost company in the region is Zukini Theatre in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, a community and theatre in education company, working in the Cleveland and Teesside areas, and in North Yorkshire. Finally in this brief survey of companies in the Northern Arts area, on the west side of the country there is Welfare State International, based in Ulverston in Cumbria. It sets out to "challenge existing cultural patterns whilst offering creative alternatives." It is one of the oldest companies in the area - vying with Bruvvers for that honour - having been in existence since the late 1960s. Links On this site Theatres in England Other Articles in the Theatre in Britain Series Theatre in Northern IrelandTheatre in the Northern Arts Area IntroductionOn the Web Northern Arts Articles Indices: |
|
|