Blackshaw is a theatre production company, championing new writing and adaptations on stage and in audio.
A short audio drama by Jeremy Fletcher
Performed by Josephine Arden and Alexander Pankhurst
Directed by Ellie Pitkin
Sound Design by Andrew Crane
Produced by Blackshaw Theatre Company
Sarah and Jay make preparations, as a tsunami heads for Doncaster.
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Sheffield on 27th May 2022.
Writers & Performers
The Woman on the Ceiling by Julie Barnett
Julie Barnett is a writer from Swansea. She has an obsession with drinking tea, eating cake and anything ghostly. She has successfully managed to freak herself out while writing this piece and will most definitely be sleeping with the light on and one eye open from now on.
666 PROBLEMS by Sarah Tejal Hamilton
Sarah Tejal Hamilton is a playwright and narrative artist. A former winner of the London Horror Festival playwriting competition, her poem tonight, 666 Problems is inspired by all the great gothic poets: Shelley, Keats, Rossetti, Donne, and Jay-Z.
Feed the World, written by Rhiannon Owens, performed by Natalie Winter
Rhiannon is a writer for stage and audio. This is her second foray into the horror genre having previously had a digital performance of her work as part of Uncanny Collective’s online horror festival. It’s not a genre that comes easily as she’s a bit of a wimp who finds everything a little bit terrifying. Her writing can also be seen as part of Jam Tart/Lemon Kurd a double bill of monologues showing at the Hope Theatre from 26th October.
The performer, Natalie Winter, is an actor, voice over artist, and director. She produces and directs the Ragged Scratch Podcast, a new writing podcast for short audio plays, and is a regular player on Blackshaw Theatre’s sister podcast, Merely Roleplayers.
Gone by Sasha Ravencroft
Sasha Ravencroft is going to be reading a piece of prose they wrote recently called ‘Gone’ which looks at how hard it can be to let go of something or someone and move on. Sasha’s company, Rude Raven Productions are at the London Horror Festival for the first time – their play ‘A Simple Tale of Love’ is performing here at The Pleasance Theatre on the 29th October.
An Unusual Undertaking by Andrew James Brown
Andrew James Brown is a poet, storyteller and National Treasure. His work has been seen in the flesh across the UK and in international waters, and can be seen in embalmed form in his criminally underated collection Entrees, get it now before Penguin Classics do.
Mr Tumnus by Sam Greenwood
Mr Tumnus is about a child I do not have, in a house I do not own. In this way I hope it will be very relatable to a London audience.
Crew & Creatives
Ellie Pitkin – Compere & Producer
Andrew Crane – Sound Design and Technician
Violaine Brunelin – Marketing Manager
Alexander Pankhurst – Press & Marketing
Special thanks to: Katy Danbury, Matt Boothman, Richard Stratton, Helen Stratton, Vikki Weston.
About Blackshaw
Founded in 2010, our productions include new works; Trouble at Sea: A Miss McSkimming Mystery by Richard Stratton (2021 – The Big Top, Wandsworth)l The Final Adventure of Frankie Fightwell by Chris Buxey (2018 – Putney Arts Theatre); Some Treachery: A Miss McSkimming Mystery by Richard Stratton (2017 – Putney Arts Theatre); Black Shuck by Duncan Hands (2016 – Old Red Lion Theatre), Staying Alive by Kat Roberts (2015 – Pleasance Theatre), Fetch by Duncan Gates (2014 – Selkirk Upstairs); Audience with the Ghost Finder by M. J. Starling (2013 – Selkirk Upstairs & Etcetera Theatre), and Character by Florence Vincent (2014 & 2015 – Selkirk Upstairs & Tristan Bates Theatre); as well as adaptations of Gormenghast: Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake (2012 – The Actors’ Church, Covent Garden) and Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (2014 & 2015 – Selkirk Upstairs, Battersea Library & The British Home).
Our podcast, ‘The Blackshaw Arts Hour’ includes the latest arts news and reviews, as well as one-off radio dramas, serials, and live performances.
Sign up to our mailing list to be sure to hear all about shows, casting opportunities, events, and more.
Find out more on our website.
About Merely Roleplayers
In Blackshaw’s sister podcast, we improvise heists, spy missions, monster hunts and many more stories, with one thing in common: we’re always chasing maximum drama. Dice rolls add an element of chance, so no one knows which way the story will go – not even us! Visit our website to follow the show, and choose Act 1 of any production to jump in and join the fun.
TONIGHT! You can see Merely Roleplayers’ debut live show, Lights Out at 8.30pm at the Pleasance. Book tickets on the Pleasance website, or risk a purchase on the door.
No one knows what happened to the Blackout Four – only that none survived.
Merely Roleplayers hope to solve this mystery live.
Part seance, part campfire tale, part roleplaying game, Lights Out sees four brave players place themselves in the shoes of the Blackout Four, and fight against fate to seize a glimmer of hope – before all the lights go out.
You can now stream or download the live recording of Miss McSkimming: Trouble at Sea, wherever you usually get your podcasts (just search for ‘The Blackshaw Arts Hour’), or listen here!
FREE Writing Workshop for Wandsworth residents aged 16+ on Monday 28th June, 6.30-8pm, WAF Big Top, King George’s Park, Lower Field, Mapleton Road, SW18 4GA.
The workshop will cover the discipline of writing, creating narrative, writing for radio, and can offer support for starting writing, or works in progress.
Please complete the application form by 18th June.
by Chris Buxey
11-12th May 2018, Putney Arts Theatre
Performed in front of a live audience, with live foley (sound effects), this new radio play by Chris Buxey is a dark comedy about principles, money and the importance of family.
Stuart is the author of the beloved Young Adult literature heroine, Frankie Fightwell. While writing the next book in the series, Stuart realises that there might be more than just the usual vampire sharks and giant Nazi man-spiders preventing Frankie from making it to the end of her latest adventure!
We enjoyed the last live audio play so much we decided to do it all again. We had a larger live foley team for Chris Buxey’s delightfully camp, nazi spider romp. And safe to say it was a real treat for the audience and creative team. Oh, and it won Stagedoor’s Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2018 New Writing Award.
CAST
Tom Slatter – Dominic/Viktor
Abigail Morgan – Frankie/Rachel
John Rayment – Stuart
CREATIVES
Ellie Pitkin – Director/Producer
Andrew Crane – Sound/Foley Designer
Vikki Weston – Producer
Megan Barbour – Foley Team/Intern
Charlotte Bishop – Foley Team/Intern
Alec Mills – Foley Team
Betty Smith – Foley Team/Intern
by Richard Stratton
13th May 2017, Putney Arts Theatre
A live radio play (hilarious sound effects included). A seemingly trivial case soon reveals a dastardly plot that could shake the very foundations of the British Empire. With her faithful valet by her side, Miss McSkimming must get to the bottom of it.
What do you do when you love new writing, audio drama and live theatre? Combine them all of course! The first of our live foley extravaganzas, Some Treachery, set the bar very high. Richard Stratton’s script and the interplay between the foley team and the actors created a brilliantly intriguing spectacle for the audience.
CAST
Jessica Bailes
Ellie Pitkin
Chris Starkey
Helen Stratton
Richard Stratton
CREATIVES
Director – Ellie Pitkin
Live Foley – Andrew Crane
Live Foley – David Turnbull
Sound engineer – Rebecca Hitchcox
Recording Manager – Vikki Weston
by Duncan Hands
11-19th May 2016, The Bedford
11-15th October, The Old Red Lion Theatre
“Sea-eagle to coot, come in please, can you hear me? Over.”
“Yes, yes, bloody yes!”
Rucksacks… Check. Walkie-Talkies… Check. Hip flask… Check. Gun… gun?!
Ruminating on the local myth of ghostly dog ‘Black Shuck’, two (inept) would-be smugglers await a shipment on the Norfolk Coast. Join us, where comedy meets horror in this hour-long new play by Duncan Hands.
Another bit of new writing being championed by Blackshaw you say? It’s almost like we have an MO…Duncan Hands blended the mystical, farcical and mundane in this black comedy. Rachel Nott and Alexander Pankhurst’s onstage chemistry really brought the whole thing to life. Special mention goes to Andrew Crane for once again delivering the quality aural goods to create the spookiest of atmospheres.
engaging and dynamic…boundless energy and spirit…a little bit silly, a little bit scary and thoroughly worth a watch!
Theatre Bubble
a brilliantly written short piece…Rachel Nott is amazing…Art is played wonderfully by Alexander Pankhurst
London Theatre 1
a taut play that manages to walk the tightrope of genres but playing to the strength of all
Female Arts
CAST
Martha – Rachel Nott
Art – Alexander Pankhurst
Mr Big (voice only) – Tom Slatter
Fisherman (voice only) – Duncan Hands
CREATIVES
Director/Producer – Ellie Pitkin
Sound Design – Andrew Crane
Sound and Lightening Tech – Andrew Crane
Set and Costume Designer – Michelle Bristow
Set Builder – Tom Hurling
Design Assistant – Sophia Debus
Promotional Images – Robin Savage Photography
Production Photography – Richard Stratton
Halloween Tales, 30th October – 1st November 2014, The Selkirk Upstairs
‘You think it’s all me and it’s not. It’s not always me.’
It starts as a normal night-shift – and then you start to see double…
Duncan Gates’ chilling short play, Fetch, alongside some spooky fireside stories, formed our first foray into scary short stories. Halloween Tales was almost certainly the spooky seed from which did grow the horror-bloom: Blackshaw’s Annual Scare Slam.
The Whistling Room by William Hope Hodgson, read by M. J. Starling
Wailing Well by M. R. James, read by Duncan Gates
Fetch by Duncan Gates
There’s a bunch of lovely photos, interviews, and behind the scenes joy available to browse.
CAST
ROSIE MARSH Ally (Fetch)
BRYONY TEBUTT Vic (Fetch)
ALEX YAGHMA Col (Fetch)
M. J. STARLING Storyteller
DUNCAN GATES Storyteller
CREATIVES
ELLIE PITKIN Director & Producer
MICHELLE BRISTOW Set & Costume Designer
ANDREW CRANE Sound Design/Tech Operation
The Scare Slam, annually, October 2014-present
From the mind of Blackshaw associate, Helen Stratton, the Scare Slams were born. Over the years (we’ve done 5) the Scare Slam has been performed at The Horse & Stables, The Old Red Lion, and The Pleasance Theatre, as part of the London Horror Festival.
The show has provided a platform for the telling of terrifying short stories and poems. All in the dead of night. To the gentle hiss of a geriatric smoke machine…
Scare Slam 2015
Scare Slam 2016
Scare Slam 2017
Scare Slam 2018
Scare Slam 2019
You can drip some fear into your ear, and listen to the audio of the Scare Slams, whenever you like.
Adapted by Marcus J Bazley
Recorded August 2015
Original Broadcast December 2015, Wandsworth Radio (now known as Riverside Radio)
Some of our members saw Cyphers theatre company perform Marcus J Bazley’s adaptation of Great Expectations, and jumped at the opportunity to work with them to produce the show as a serialised audio drama. It was a huge undertaking, particularly for our talented sound technician and designer, Andrew Crane, who created all of the soundscapes and effects from scratch. The results speak for themselves, and this project was a fantastic jumping off point for the audio dramas we would go on to produce.
CAST
Narrator – Jeremy Drakes
Magwitch/Pumblechook – Dylan Lincoln
Compeyson/Porter/Galley – Marcus J Bazley
Estella/Mrs Joe – Victoria Hamblen
Pip – Rupert Sadler
Joe/Wemmick/Drummle – Christopher Anderton
Sergeant/Jaggers – Alexander Pankhurst
Miss Havisham – Jessica Brien
Herbert Pocket – William Holyhead
Biddy – Rosie Marsh
CREATIVES
Sound Recordist/Designer/Engineer – Andrew Crane
Producer – Helen Johnson
Associate Producer – Iasha Chapman
written by Kat Roberts
15th January 2015, Pleasance Theatre
10-29th November 2015, Pleasance Theatre
“There’s nothing worse than old friends…they always think they know exactly who you are.”
Mary had a son. Now her son is dead. And that is all. But Jen is having a dinner party, just like they used to, a chance to catch up. No pressure. Nothing big. Just old friends. It would be great to see you. If you’re free. If you’re ready.
Staying Alive follows Mary’s efforts to build herself a life, after his death. Is it possible to regain any sense of normalcy? If not, how will her friends support her today, a year from now, 5 years from now?
Winner of the first annual Blackshaw Showcase Award, Staying Alive was developed with support from Blackshaw, culminating in a one night industry performance at the Pleasance Theatre in January 2015. The show returned to The Pleasance for a two week run and the playscript was published by Nick Hern Books. Kat Roberts’ Staying Alive is a real success story and one that Blackshaw is immensely proud of.
Proof that given enough time, talent and perseverance, theatre that really says something about the human condition can be made.
Female Arts
Highly original, nuanced and enlightening…deeply observed social comedy…compelling from start to finish.
Remote Goat
It’s so painfully familiar and human…an elegant exploration of how friendships can break down and change under the weight of tragedy.
Exeunt Magazine
CAST
Mary – Rachel Nott
Jack – Jonny McPherson/Alexander Pankhurst
Jenn – Eleanor Burke
Nathan – Brendan Jones
Portia/Sarah/Social Worker – Emily Rae
Will/Administrator – Stephen Ashmore-Blakely
Tom (voice) – Laura Mortimore
CREATIVES
Director/Producer – Ellie Pitkin
Assistant Director – Marcus Bazley
Set and Costume – Michelle Bristow
Lighting and Sound – Andrew Crane
Producer – Vikki Weston
Photography – Richard Stratton
We have tons of interviews, reviews, photos and more.
Blackshaw Theatre 