George Collie – Blackshaw Theatre

Call it Even by Naila Vázquez Tantinyà

WORLD PREMIER: Industry Showcase
Blackshaw’s Showcase Award Winner 2015

“Dad, you couldn’t even get dying right…”

Jamie’s father has died. In Gran Canaria. And now he’s got to deal with it – all of it.

Call it Even follows the struggle of a young transgender man to reconcile with his Dad, after he’s gone. Feeling like a stranger in a land where he doesn’t even speak the language, Jamie has a lot of tidying up to do. Uncle Dave isn’t much help, but will he find an unexpected ally in Macarena, the new woman in his Dad’s life (death)?

Naila Vázquez Tantinyà graduated in Journalism and Filmmaking in Barcelona. After working as a freelance writer for several publications as well as a script analyst for Arcadia Motion Pictures — where she co-wrote a TV movie — moved to London in 2011. There, she studied a MA in Script Writing at Goldsmiths University thanks to the prestigious La Caixa Scholarship for further education. She has also been a script reader at Cascade Media and Big Rich Films, as well as a sales assistant at Celsius Entertainment. Call it Even, developed with Blackshaw Theatre Company is her first theatre production.

CAST

Rachel-Nott-Colour 8.7mb — RACHEL NOTT Macarena

Training: The Poor School

Credits include: Staying Alive (Pleasance Theatre), Save Me (Horse & Stables), Billy Liar (Coopers Arms), Pirates! (Polka Theatre), Saturday, Sunday, Monday (Workhouse Theatre), The Memory of Water (Rose and Crowne), FourPlay (Hen & Chickens), The Bill (Talkback Television).

BEN LAWSON Jamie

Ben directed and performed as Lawrence in Abigail’s Party at The Edinburgh Fringe (Sell Out Show Award 2007). Since then his credits include: Six Characters in Search of an Author (Winterflood Theatre, London), Antigone (Studio Theatre, Ealing), Doctor’s Dilemma (Bridewell Theatre, London) and Tartuffe (Theatro Technis Theatre, London). Voice over credits include: Alice in Wonderland (Take 2 Studios), Peter Pan, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol , Robin Hood, The Lost World and The Secret Garden (ARM Productions).

Recent theatre includes: ‘The Janitor’ in Dry Land (for Damsel Productions) which has just finished a successful run at Jermyn Street Theatre, ‘Dr Ray’ in Protocols (with Kernel Theatre Company) RADA’s entry in this year’s Camden Fringe, ‘Ed/ Priest’ in a rehearsed reading for a new play Good Girl (at RADA as part of their 2015 Festival), and Smorgasbard (a Shakespeare revue for Another Way Theatre Company).

CINTIA LILEN Public Servant/Mourner/Voice

Cinthia Lilen is a London based, Latin American born actress and a recent graduate from Drama Studio London. A Spanish speaking actress, dancer, deviser and improviser with an additional degree in theatre design. Her multiplicity of talents include stage combat training, physical theatre experience as well as various forms of dance such as Jazz, Belly-Dance and African dance. Cinthia has last performed in After Columbus directed by Helena Bell at the New Diorama Theatre.

GEORGE COLLIE Richard/Cleaner/Voice

Since graduating drama school in 2011 George has found his niche in comedic roles in London fringe theatre and film, with a prolific run of work in classical and contemporary shows. Most recently he joined Gimcrack Productions in their acclaimed theatrical cabaret Moribund, and has started the first of many forays into the world of cabaret compering…

Rosie graduated from Drama Studio London in August 2014.

Credits since training include ‘Maggie’ in Feydeau’s Le Dindon at the Theatre des Alouettes in Paris, ‘Lucy’ in Once Upon a Rhyme at the Etcetera Theatre, ‘Sat Nav Girl’ in Be my Eyes at the Edinburgh Festival, ‘Prince Charming’ in Cinderella (tour) and ‘Charley’ in Backseat Drivers with The London Theatre.

CREATIVES

LIAM FLEMING Director

Liam is an Actor, Director and Writer for multiple disciplines. He is the Artistic Director of in(ep)trepid, an immersive theatre company who just completed a run at The Vaults in Waterloo. He is also the Creative Producer for Encompass Productions who run Bare Essentials, a critically acclaimed New Writing Night in New Cross, along with other full scale productions.

He is happy to have been asked to come on board for this project as he knows and loves the Blackshaw team, having performed in several of their previous shows including ‘Tweedle Dum’ in Alice in Wonderland and ‘Swelter’ in Gormenghast.

Twitter: @imaginationpipe / @ineptrepid

Website: www.ineptrepid.com

MICHELLE BRISTOW Set & Costume Designer

Michelle has assisted on set and costume for previous Blackshaw productions: Staying Alive by Kat Roberts (The Pleasance, Nov 2015); Alice in Wonderland by Richard Stratton (2014 & 2015), Character by Florence Vincent (2014 & 2015); Audience with the Ghost Finder by M. J. Starling (2013). She also designed set and costume for Blackshaw’s Halloween Tales (2014), featuring a candlelit reading and Fetch by Duncan Gates.

Since graduating from Wimbledon College of Arts (2014) with a degree in Costume Design, Michelle designed Blackshaw’s Showcase of Staying Alive in January (2015), and more recently has been working with Fourth Monkey Theatre Company. Michelle is also experienced in the production of dance pieces, and has spent time working in the Costume Department at the London Contemporary Dance School.

ANDREW CRANE Sound & Lighting Designer

Andrew is a graduate in Drama and Theatre Studies from Royal Holloway University (2012), and has worked as a sound designer and technician for Blackshaw Theatre since 2012. Sound Design credits include Staying Alive by Kat Roberts (The Pleasance, Nov 2015); Alice in Wonderland by Richard Stratton (2014 & 2015), Character by Florence Vincent (2014), and Fetch by Duncan Gates (2014).

For Blackshaw Theatre’s Arts Hour on Wandsworth Radio, Andrew has edited several radio plays including the radio adaptation of Audience with the Ghost Finder by M. J. Starling (2015), and a serialised adaptation of Great Expectations by Marcus Bazley.

NICOLE LOCKE Producer

A recent graduate from Royal Holloway University of London. Nicole has been a part of Blackshaw for three years, with varying roles from Administrator, to New Writing Night Manager, and is now acting as a Producer for the first time.

VIKKI WESTON Co-Producer

ELLIE PITKIN Co-Producer

THANKS FROM THE WRITER

For their patience, numerous revision and feedback: Laura Maestu, Claire Basarich and Alice Moore. To Pau Crego Walters for his enlightening insights.

Special thanks to Vikki Weston and Kat Roberts for all their help and Ellie Pitkin for her londonisation.

Dedicated to Manuel Vázquez Pardo.