Tyneside writer Tom Kelly will launch a new short story collection and première his latest play this year.
From March to May, he will be Writer-in-Residence at The Word, South Tyneside’s National Centre for the Written Word, and during its WORD Festival he will work with young people to develop short stories on the theme of Our Town. During the residency, too, he will launch a new short story collection Behind the Wall. All the stories are set in the North East and include titles such as The Running Boy, Mother Theresa of Jarrow and Elsie Rides Again.
In October, his latest play, Love Songs, will première at the Customs House in South Shields on 15 October before going on a short regional tour.
The play is a musical two-hander that features songs like "Bridge Over Troubled Water", "Somewhere", "True Love Ways", "Love Me Tender" and "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?".
On a 'sixties tribute tour, peopled by quirky and comic characters, the seeds of romance are slowly starting to grow for two singers. However, against the background of the classic songs, both of the protagonists are running from the shadows of cruelty and abuse.
Vicki is escaping a violent ex-partner who is still looking for her. Her life cannot truly start again until she has confronted him and taken away his power over her. Gary's issue is a controlling and manipulative mother who has led him to emotional breakdown. Although he has got away from her physically, the scars are slow to heal and her death forces him to re-evaluate his life before closing the door on the past.
Can performing these classic love songs lead to some form of healing and can they help each other face their tormentors so they can build a hopeful future?
The play is produced by Baby Love Productions (Helen and Jonathan Cash, who will play Vicki and Gary), which toured a revival of Kelly’s 2004 play Baby Love to The Customs House, Arts Centre Washington and The Gala, Durham in April and May 2016.
After the Customs House date, Love Songs will tour to Arts Centre Washington (18 October), Middlesbrough Theatre (23 October) and Seaton Delaval Arts Centre (27 October). More dates may be added later.