Chickenshed: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Theatre

A funny thing happened on the way to the theatre...

Following on from the success of Eunoia, the first offering in our Spring 2023 season will be ‘A funny thing happened on the way to the theatre…’, an evening of short monologue, duologue and small cast pieces to be performed in the Studio Theatre.

The evening will contain new works by writers from within Chickenshed including staff, members of Youth Theatre, students and graduates.

The theme of this year’s offering will be Storytelling and the vast nature of the word. An Umbrella term.

Synopsis of Plays

Storytelling

Written by Carmel Gayle | Directed by Ryder Elliot Cara | Performed by Stevie Shannon

This coming-of-age story sees a teenager thinking back on their childhood, reminiscing on fairy tales and fantasy stories.  We all wish we had a hero to fight for us and to win our battles, because who really stands in your corner?

All Too Seeing

Written by Idil Aydinli | Directed by Idil Aydinli | Performed by Idil Aydinli

An abstract and fragmented view into an equally fragmented woman’s life. We follow our nameless character as she brings us into the different aspects of herself and present them all in their shiny glory

My Mother Once Asked Me

Written by Sara Chernaik | Directed by Paul Harris | Performed by Julie Wood

What makes a story worth telling, worth listening to? Not the whole story – minute by minute, all the tiny pieces that you might not even have noticed at the time, but a word, a sound, an image that you’ve carried with you like a smooth pebble in your pocket, connecting you from then to now, here to there.

Dark Immortal

Written by Cathy Jansen-Ridings | Directed by Sebastian Ross | Performed by Paul Harris, Sarah Driver and Benedict Lawson

Count Dracula, is well known. Maybe not so well known is the story of Dark Immortal, Dracula’s early years. Dark Immortal is a tragicomedy about good, evil, power, ambition and all those inevitable consequences.

Bullet in My Heart

Written by Rebecca Hardy | Directed by Jonny Morton and Stevie Shannon | Performed by Lara Decaro

When compulsive truant Shona decided to skip double PE, taking her usual spot in the woods overlooking her house, she has no idea what she’s going to find.  This tragicomedy is about the perils of extramarital love, the chaos of relationships; and the universal challenge of being a teenage in a world which you never chose to create.

Good To Be Alive

Written by Paul Harris | Directed by Elia Criscuoli | Performed by Ashley Drive and Kat Walker

Hospital, a place of recovery and reckoning. The body heals while the mind forces you to take a journey to the interior. In the words of Dante “abandon hope all ye who enter here.”

Spectrum

Written by Hussain Raza | Directed by Alyssia Jones | Performed by Sophie White and Finn Walters

Spectrum is a coming-of-age play on the life of a young autistic boy. We explore how our young person slowly grows and eventually gains the confidence to be self-independent.  Will the flower bloom or will it wilt till the last petal?

Feedback

Written by Sebastian Ross | Directed by Beth Fox | Performed by Ellie Morton and Daryl Bullock

Upon the conclusion of another successful performance of his award-winning play, a director is trapped in a lift with the only person in the world who seems to have not loved what they saw.

Rallying Cry

Written by Julie Dogliani | Directed by Sally Reeve | Performed by Keran Patel

The statue of Boadicea has been watching the people over the last century – she’s seen wars and civil unrest. Boadicea inspires the hero that lies within us all

Performance Schedule

Tuesday 7 February

Storytelling by Carmel Gayle
All Too Seeing by Idil Aydinli
My Mother Once Asked Me by Sara Chernaik
Dark Immortal by Cathy Jansen-Ridings

Wednesday 8 February

Bullet in My Heart by Rebecca Hardy
Good To Be Alive by Paul Harris
Spectrum by Hussain Raza
Feedback by Sebastian Ross

Thursday 9 February

Storytelling by Carmel Gayle
All Too Seeing by Idil Aydinli
My Mother Once Asked Me by Sara Chernaik
Dark Immortal by Cathy Jansen-Ridings

Friday 10 February

Bullet in My Heart by Rebecca Hardy
All Too Seeing by Idil Aydinli
Spectrum by Hussain Raza
Feedback by Sebastian Ross

Saturday 11 February

Storytelling by Carmel Gayle
All Too Seeing by Idil Aydinli
My Mother Once Asked Me by Sara Chernaik
Good To Be Alive by Paul Harris

Tuesday 14 February

Bullet in My Heart by Rebecca Hardy
Rallying Cry by Julie Dogliani
Dark Immortal by Cathy Jansen-Ridings
Spectrum by Hussain Raza
Good To Be Alive by Paul Harris

Wednesday 15 February

Storytelling by Carmel Gayle
All Too Seeing by Idil Aydinli
My Mother Once Asked Me by Sara Chernaik
Feedback by Sebastian Ross

Thursday 16 February

Bullet in My Heart by Rebecca Hardy
Rallying Cry by Julie Dogliani
Good To Be Alive by Paul Harris
Spectrum by Hussain Raza
Dark Immortal by Cathy Jansen-Ridings

Friday 17 February

Storytelling by Carmel Gayle
All Too Seeing by Idil Aydinli
Feedback by Sebastian Ross
My Mother Once Asked Me by Sara Chernaik
Good To Be Alive by Paul Harris

Saturday 18 February

Bullet in My Heart by Rebecca Hardy
Rallying Cry by Julie Dogliani
Feedback by Sebastian Ross
Spectrum by Hussain Raza
Dark Immortal by Cathy Jansen-Ridings

Please note: All performances are subject to change.

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