Made Up on tour in the North East

Published: 11 May 2016
Reporter: Peter Lathan

Emily Holyoake (front) and Alexis Tuttle (back) Credit: Graeme Braidwood
Rehearsal photo: Emily Holyoake (L) and Alexis Tuttle (R) Credit: Graeme Braidwood

Birmingham-based company Stan’s Café, in association with Birmingham REP, is to tour the North East with a new play, Made Up, in May and June.

Made Up, which is written and directed by the company’s Artistic Director James Yarker, is a play about friendship and the faces we show the world. Set in a Winnebago on a film set, it’s the story of the relationship between Kate (Emily Holyoake), a young film star, and her make-up artist, Sue (Alexis Tuttle). Kate is beautiful but scared, creating an act both in front of the camera and in her private life. Sue has her own unresolved issues and people she needs to make up with. Their time together in the make-up trailer develops into a special relationship.

Made Up is a collaboration between Stan’s Café and make-up artist Andrew Whiteoak, who has worked extensively in theatrical, film and TV make-up, with credits such as Downton Abbey and Disney’s 2017 live action movie Beauty and the Beast. Artistic Yarker and Whiteoak have worked together to devise a new production that features the live application of theatrical make-up, and reflects the relationship between performers and the make-up artists they work with.

“When I was approached to collaborate on Made Up,” said Whiteoak, “I was immediately intrigued and excited by how ‘live’ make-up applications could work within a story. My task is to design make-up and effects that can be applied fluidly around dialogue, which is a particular challenge in itself.

“Having worked in theatre, film and television for over 22 years it’s nice to be able to reflect, analyse and inform about the trusted relationship an actor and their make-up artist have and filter this into a beautiful piece of theatre.”

Prior to the rehearsal process, he travelled to the North East to undertake research for the show with groups of women, talking to them about their relationship with make-up and what it means to them as a part of their daily ritual. These conversations have influenced the play.

The North East tour dates are:

  • 24 & 25 May at 7PM - ARC Stockton
  • 26 May at 7:30PM - Queen’s Hall Arts Centre, Hexham
  • 31 May at 7:30PM - Saltburn Community Theatre
  • 1 June at 7:30PM - Bishop Auckland Town Hall
  • 2 & 3 June at 7:30PM - Arts Centre Washington
  • 7 June at 7:30PM - Alnwick Playhouse
  • 8 June - The Customs House, South Shields
  • 9 June at 7:30PM - Hartlepool Town Hall Theatre
  • 11 June at 7:30PM - Seaton Delaval Arts Centre

The play runs for 70 minutes and is suitable for age 14+.

*Some links, including Amazon, Stageplays.com, ATG Tickets, LOVEtheatre, BTG Tickets, Ticketmaster, The Ticket Factory, LW Theatres and QuayTickets, are affiliate links for which BTG may earn a small fee at no extra cost to the purchaser.

Are you sure?