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.
DownStairs, The Pleasance Theatre
6.30pm, 24th October 2021
Listen to the live recording, now!
Compere: Ellie Pitkin
The Woman on the Ceiling by Julie Barnett
666 PROBLEMS by Sarah Tejal Hamilton
Feed the World, written by Rhiannon Owens, performed by Natalie Winter
Gone by Sasha Ravencroft
An Unusual Undertaking by Andrew James Brown
Mr Tumnus by Sam Greenwood
Readings from ‘Strewwelpeter’ by Heinrich Hoffmann, performed by Ellie Pitkin
Photos by Richard Stratton
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!
Rehearsals are underway, and we’re thrilled to announce our cast for Trouble at Sea: A Miss McSkimming Mystery.
Following our award-winning production of The Final Adventure of Frankie Fightwell by Chris Buxey (Stage Door New Writing Award 2018), we return to the Wandsworth Arts Fringe with a radio play recorded in front of a live audience (hilarious sound effects included).
Miss McSkimming takes to the high seas in her second adventure, presented by Blackshaw Theatre. Expecting a pleasant transatlantic cruise, Miss McSkimming must instead deal with a missing companion and a series of mysterious thefts, all whilst trying to avoid panic amongst her fellow passengers.
A rollicking comedy with mysteries abounding, this piece promises to delight audiences, young and old!
You can listen to ‘Some Treachery: A Miss McSkimming Mystery‘, her first adventure, on our podcast.
The show will run alongside a series of educational outreach events – a radio playwriting and producing workshop, a Q&A with the show creators, and 1-3 internships for Wandsworth residents and students wanting to gain experience in producing theatre and radio.
About the writer, Richard Stratton
Richard Stratton has written several plays for Blackshaw Theatre Company, including Some Treachery: A Miss McSkimming Mystery and new adaptations of Alice in Wonderland and Gormenghast: Titus Groan.
Venue:
WAF Big Top
King George’s Park
Lower Field
Mapleton Road
SW18 4GA
Date: Saturday 3rd July, 1pm
Supported by Wandsworth Arts Fringe.
In 2015 we began a weekly, and later, fortnightly, magazine-style culture show on Wandsworth Radio (now Riverside Radio). It included regular segments such as Matt Boothman’s film review, Vikki’s Arts things of the week, and Strat and Alex do Art, as well as interviews with industry folk and behind the scenes content for Blackshaw’s show. Later, we created and broadcast exciting radio drama, such as a serial adaptation of ‘Great Expectations’, new writing ‘Audience with the Ghost Finder, and many more!
After 100 episodes, we retired our radio mic, but have continued to produce some superb standalone audio drama. You can listen to the cracking catalogue of our radio show, as well as all that audio drama, on our podcast channel.
The 100th (and final) episode of the radio show, gives a great look back and highlights reel – have a listen!
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 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
Blackshaw Theatre 