A Gothic horror on Newcastle’s Quayside

Published: 5 September 2018
Reporter: Peter Lathan

Clear White Light

Clear White Light, a modern interpretation by Paul Sirett of Poe’s The Fall of the House of Usher, will première at Newcastle’s Live Theatre in October.

Inspired by rock band Lindisfarne member Alan Hull’s time working as a psychiatric nurse at St Nick’s (St Nicholas Psychiatric Hospital in Gosforth, Newcastle) and set against the backdrop of cuts to the 70-year-old NHS, the play features many of the hit songs Hull wrote at that time, including "Winter Song", "Lady Eleanor" and "Clear White Light"—and they will be played live on stage by former Lindisfarne members Ray Laidlaw and Billy Mitchell.

The play was originally commissioned by Max Roberts, Live Theatre’s Emeritus Artistic Director, and is the first play at Live to be directed by its new Artistic Director, Joe Douglas, with both working closely together to bring the play to life.

“This play has been in development for a number of years,” said Roberts, “as I have worked with Ray to find the right story to bring the life and music of Alan Hull to the stage. Working with Olivier Award-nominated writer Paul Sirett enabled us to combine the elements into a play that has drama, suspense and of course the fabulous music of Lindisfarne, which we hope will be appreciated by those that already love their music and by a whole new generation.”

“It is an honour to be able to work with Max in such an in-depth, creative way on Paul Sirett’s new play—a poignant, contemporary story set at St Nick’s hospital in the year which marks the 70th birthday of our NHS,” added Douglas. “For me, it exemplifies what a Live Theatre play should be: funny, moving, entertaining and a bit political. It’s pretty eerie too, in time for Halloween, and we are echoing that gothic feel in the set design. We have a cracking team of actors and creatives to realise this fantastic play, as my first full length production here at Live Theatre.”

"We've been working with the wonderfully creative team at Live Theatre for a long time, searching for the perfect vehicle for Alan's great songs which doesn't rely on cliché,” said Ray Laidlaw. “Clear White Light is just that—it's fresh and inventive, and I'm sure it'll introduce Alan's music to a whole new audience.”

And Billy Mitchell added, “Alan was profoundly touched by his time at St Nick's, caring for people with mental health issues. The music he wrote around then—often while on duty—has stood the test of time. Unfortunately the NHS hasn't fared so well, something Clear White Light addresses head-on.”

Writer Paul Sirett wrote Lush Life for Live Theatre in 2005. He has had two productions in the West End (Rat Pack Confidential and The Big Life). Most recently his Ian Drury and the Blockheads musical Reasons to Be Cheerful was revived at Stratford East to great acclaim.

Live Theatre has announced that the cast will include Charlie Hardwick, who returns to the theatre for the first time since 2002, having first worked at Live in 1988. Probably best known for playing Val Pollard in ITV’s Emmerdale for 11 years, she was most recently see in the NE (and on tour) in Sting’s The Last Ship.

She is joined by Joe Caffrey, a stalwart of Live over the years. His credits include The Last Ship (Northern Stage / UK tour), St George and the Dragon (National Theatre), The Girls (West End), Iris (Live Theatre) Light Shining In Buckinghamshire (National Theatre), Cooking with Elvis (Live Theatre / West End / Tour), Wet House (Live Theatre / Soho Theatre), The Pitmen Painters (Live Theatre / National Theatre / West End / Tour), A Walk On Part (Live Theatre / West End), Billy Elliot The Musical (West End) and Keepers of the Flame (RSC / Live Theatre).

Bryony Corrigan returns to Live after appearing in My Romantic History earlier this year. She is a member of the Mischief Theatre Company and she appeared for them in The Play That Goes Wrong in the West End and on Broadway.

New to Live are Phil Adèle from Teesside whose credits include Little Shop of Horrors (UK Tour) and The History Boys (Theatre By The Lake), Alice Blundell, a co-founder of The Letter Room whose credits include Alice in Wonderland, James & the Giant Peach, Wizard of Oz, The Christmas Grump and Tallest Tales from the Furthest Forest (Northern Stage), Beyond the End of the Road (November Club), and finally Dale Jewitt who has appeared in Manifesto for a New City and Animal Farm (Northern Stage) and in Rainbird and The Dirty Flea-Bitten Scrounging Bastard (Cloud Nine Theatre Company).

Design is by Neil Warmington and Lighting design by Ali Hunter.

Clear White Light runs at Live Theatre from 18 October to 10 November 2018.

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