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
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
11th-14th April 2012 The Actors’ Church, Covent Garden
Gormenghast: Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake Adapted by Vikki Weston, Prudence Chamberlain, Poppy Corbett, Max Olesker, and Richard Stratton, for Blackshaw Theatre Company
Our first production. They say go big or go home, and with this as our debut show we went really, really big. It was a massive undertaking. Developing the script from Mervyn Peake’s original book, working with a cast of twenty, and creating an elaborate set that worked around the venue’s existing features. It was a great challenge, we had an enormous amount of fun and made some great friends in the process, many of whom we went on to work with again.
“Director Ellie Pitkin has undoubtedly achieved a feat of excellence in her homage to Peake’s novel. This was a brave and wonderful new world” – London Festival Fringe
CAST
Barquentine – John Rayment Lady Cora – Angela Ferns Lady Clarice – Clare Harlow Lady Fuchsia Groan – Ceridwen Smith Flay – Lee Ravitz Countess Gertrude Groan – Terry Diab Dr. Alfred Prunesquallor – Alexander Pankhurst Irma Prunesquallor – Lucy McCabe Rottcodd – Peter Picton Lord Sepulchrave Groan – John Harwood Nannie Slagg – Sarah Shelton Sourdust – William Seaward Steerpike – Francis Woolf Swelter – Liam Fleming Titus Groan – Esme Tennant Pellet/Spurter/Soldier – Luke Manning Book Bearer/Wrattler – Paul G Raymond Soldier/Springer – Paddy Freeland Ritual Servant/Twins’ Maid/Chipper – Miranda Marvin Ritual Servant/Kitchen Boy – Greg Harradine
“Highly recommended…to be seen by all Mervyn Peake Fans.” – Sebastian Peake
CREATIVES
Writers – Prudence Chamberlain, Poppy Corbett, Max Olesker, Richard Stratton Script Editor – Vikki Weston Director/Producer – Ellie Pitkin Set & Costume Design – Zahra Mansouri Composer – Greg Harradine Sound Design – David Turnbull Lighting Designer – Josh Yard Stage Manager – Lizzie Cooper Publicity Manager – George Islay Calderwood Publicity Asst. – Bruce Asher Asst. Director – James Barry Marketing Manager – Matt Boothman Education Coordinator – Charlie Limm Filmmaker– James Burt Costume Assistant – Flettie Bertram Costume Assistant – Andrea Pierides Lighting Asst. – Tom Woods Sound Asst. – Andrew Crane Make-up & Hair – Laura Jones Photography – Nivine Keating (Morrighan Images)
Production Assistants: Nick Tatchell Sophie Talbot Laura Nixon Miranda Blazeby Cole Campbell Rosie Fullwood Chloe Courtney Tom Walters Helen Johnson Chris Starkey
Thrilled that ‘The Final Adventure of Frankie Fightwell’ by Chris Buxey, what we performed at the Putney Arts Theatre has only gone and won Stagedoor’s Wandsworth Arts Fringe 2018 New Writing Award!
You can put the award-winning piece of radio drama in your ears when it launches on 20th June – broadcast on Wandsworth Radio at midnight, and then available to stream or download.
Performed at the Putney Arts Theatre, 11th & 12th May 2018 as part of the Wandworth Arts Fringe. Part of WAF in Your Front Room, this project was supported by Wandsworth Arts Fringe through the Wandsworth Grant Fund.
Tom Slatter – Dominic/Viktor
Abigail Morgan – Frankie/Rachel
John Rayment – Stuart
Ellie Pitkin – Director/Producer
Andrew Crane – Sound/Foley Designer
MEGAN BARBOUR – Foley Team/Intern
CHARLOTTE BISHOP – Foley Team/Intern
ALEC MILLS – Foley Team
BETTY SMITH – Foley Team/Intern
Vikki Weston – Producer
JESSICA BAILES, VIOLAINE BRUNELIN,
Charlotte Discombe & Richard Stratton – Associate Producer
What at first seems like a trivial case soon reveals a plot that could shake the very foundations of the British Empire. With her faithful valet by her side, Miss McSkimming must deal with butlers, the police, mysterious men in the shadows and a hippo, to get to the bottom of what could be her biggest case yet.
A rollicking comedy with a chic lady investigator and mysteries abounding, this piece promises to delight audiences, young and old!
Performed by Jessica Bailes, Ellie Pitkin, Chris Starkey, Helen Stratton and Richard Stratton, with live foley from Andrew Crane and David Turnbull.
Recorded live at the Putney Arts Theatre on Saturday 13th May 2017, as part of the Wandsworth Arts Fringe.
A radio play recorded in front of a live audience (hilarious sound effects included).
What at first seems like a trivial case soon reveals a plot that could shake the very foundations of the British Empire. With her faithful valet by her side, Miss McSkimming must deal with butlers, the police, mysterious men in the shadows and a hippo, to get to the bottom of what could be her biggest case yet.
A rollicking comedy with a chic lady investigator and mysteries abounding, this piece promises to delight audiences, young and old!
Performed by Jessica Bailes, Ellie Pitkin, Chris Starkey, Helen Stratton and Richard Stratton, with live foley from Andrew Crane and David Turnbull.
Recorded live at the Putney Arts Theatre on Saturday 13th May 2017, as part of the Wandsworth Arts Fringe.
The Blackshaw Arts Hour turned 50! We had a party with fizz, hats and party poppers.
Iasha is joined by Matt, Ellie, Vikki, Helen, Alex and Andy (with Dave in the the background). Join us for Matts regular film review, a few best bits and a lot of reminiscing.
Here’s Tilly the cat getting into the party spirit
Blackshaw Theatre 