Unity Theatre celebrates 30 years

MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: UNITY THEATRE

It’s our party and we’ll preach if we want to…unitytheatre’s famed foyer monologues make a welcome return for its 30th anniversary year

To celebrate 30 years of presenting provocative theatre at Hope Place, unity proudly presents the return of its controversial foyer monologues. Five fabulous writers; Patrick Dineen, Robert Farquhar, Graham Hicks, Esther Wilson and Jeff Young have been asked to respond to the theme of ‘Turning Thirty’.

The pieces range from the surreal with Esther Wilson’s poetic exploration on the nature of loneliness in When I Awake (12 & 13 Mar) to Jeff Young’s mangled obituary for those who didn’t make 30, in a piece called ‘Kurt, Frank River and Sid’ (5 & 6 Mar). Of course in the traditional unity way, a loose interpretation of the theme has been encouraged and this is highlighted in Patrick Dineen’s mini musical ‘My Clockwork Heart’ (26 & 27 Feb) Max is the most lifelike automaton ever made. But he is over two hundred and fifty years old and trapped in a glass case in the Museum of Mankind.

Thirty turns of the key will bring him back to life, thirty turns of the key…but what happens if he escapes from The Museum? How will the world treat him…and what happens when his clockwork heart winds down? RAW theatre’s Graham Hicks presents a ‘Dualogue’. One man, one doll, one last chance at the big time in a ventriloquist act, as a man so desperate to succeed haplessly doesn't in ‘Too Young For a Prolapse’ (18 & 19 Feb). Whilst in Robert Farquhar’s own unique interpretation, a man sells his soul for a bet and his girlfriend is not impressed (26 & 27 Feb)!

All of the writers and artists involved with the project have been associated with unity in the early stages of their careers. The theatre takes pride in its record of the number of people it has supported over the years. Continuing the encouragement of emergent artists and companies is a central feature of unity’s 30th birthday year.

This extra special monologues season promises to be one of the dramatic highlights of 2010. All Monologues will take place in the unitytheatre bar, 1 Hope Place, Liverpool, at approximately 10pm (post show). Tickets are not necessary but space is limited.

For more information, interview requests and images, please contact John Bridge on 0151 702 7362 / 07792463135 / johnbridge@unitytheatre.co.uk

About the performance schedule…

Fri 18 & Sat 19 Feb: RAW Theatre – Too Young for a Prolapse.
Fri 26 & Sat 27 Feb: Patrick Dineen – My Clockwork Heart
Fri 5 & Sat 6 March: Jeff Young – Kurt, Frank, River and Sid
Fri 12 & Sat 13 March: Esther Wilson – When I Awake
Fri 26 & Sat 27 March: Robert Farquhar – I’m Still Breathing

About Patrick Dineen…

Patrick is a composer and director he began is music career singing and recording with his own band. He then went on to run a nightclub and began writing music for theatre productions. Since then he has written many scores for independent film, television, theatre and radio. His influences include cabaret songs, the blues, contemporary dance music, twentieth century theatrical music and world music.

As a director, Patrick has also staged several musical theatre productions with his company Base Chorus. These productions have toured both nationally and internationally including The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London.

In 2002 Patrick received his first commission as a film director – City of Dreams, a poetic and musical film exploring the dreams and aspirations of Liverpool’s citizens. Since then he has regularly received commissions to make films.

About Robert Farquhar…

Plays include Kissing Sid James, Gods Official, Dust to Dust, Almost Forever But, and Bad Jazz. They have been performed all over the UK including West Yorkshire Playhouse, Hull Truck, Stephen Joseph Scarborough, and Edinburgh Traverse. Also internationally, including United States, Canada, Malta, Australia, Italy and Slovenia. A member of Big Wow, has scripted and directed all of their shows including Insomnobabble, Dark Grumblings and The Friendship Experiment.

About Graham Hicks/Random Acts of Wildness…

Random Acts of Wildness (RAW) are a mischievous double act based in Liverpool. The twosome Aiden Lee Brooks and Graham Geoffrey Hicks formed their clown-based theatre act – becoming known on the performance circuit for its derisive and anarchic brand of humour – in 2007 to avoid a life of schools tours and possible arrest by the ‘PC police’.

About Esther Wilson…

Esther Wilson started out as an actor but after winning one of the BBC’s Northern Exposure Awards – Short film category with ‘The Swimming Man’ she has focused more on writing.

Along with Zho theatre, Esther was commissioned to write The Quiet Little Englishman for Liverpool’s 2008 Capital of Culture celebrations. Her play Ten Tiny Toes was nominated for The TMA awards. It was also a finalist in the prestigious Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Esther won the RTS Award Best Newcomer for her episode of the final series of the multi-award winning series Jimmy McGovern’s The Street. She also wrote episodes in series 1 & 2 of the BBC daytime drama Moving On.

In 2009 Esther co-wrote a feature film and is currently writing an episode of Jimmy McGovern’s new prime time TV series The Accused. She also has a prime time TV series in development and is under commission to BBC R4 to write a Radio drama. The Swimming Man has been selected as one of North West Vision & Media’s Digital Shorts and is due to go into production in Spring.

About Jeff Young…

Jeff is an experienced television, stage and radio dramatist from Liverpool. Jeff is one of BBC Radio Drama’s most established and acclaimed writers, having written over 20 plays and been nominated for numerous awards. He is also a renowned playwright, specialising in unique collaborative and site-specific projects – see below for a list of selected credits.

In 2006, Jeff dipped his pen into the world of television drama for the first time. He completed the BBC Writers Academy in 2007, and has now written for CASUALTY, DOCTORS, EASTENDERS and HOLBY CITY. He is also currently developing original projects with numerous broadcasters and indies.

Most recently, alongside his continuing radio and theatre work, Jeff has completed his first feature-length screenplay, THE DON (freely adapted from his radio play of the same name) with funding from Digital Departures/North West Vision. THE DON is now scheduled to shoot in 2010, with original music by Liverpool rock legend Pete Wylie.

Jeff’s other recent work includes the book for the stage version of The Who’s 1973 album QUADROPHENIA (fully authorised and co-produced by Pete Townsend), which opened at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in May 2009 before embarking on a major UK tour.

About unitytheatre…

unitytheatre celebrates its 30th anniversary at Hope Place in 2010. unity has a reputation for staging innovative, high quality work in a friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere. Many people will go to performances at unity that they have never heard of because they trust its judgement. In this way the theatre has built up a committed and loyal audience.

It has an excellent track record in encouraging new writing and supporting new companies at a time when many theatres are relying upon the classics to guarantee audiences. Many writers whose work was originally promoted by unity are now writing for mainstream theatre in both Liverpool and elsewhere. Many of the companies who started at unity are now touring nationally and many actors, technicians and designers who got their first experience at Unity are now in full time theatre employment.

The theatre operates an open access policy making professional facilities available to local community theatre companies. Whilst not operating as a community theatre, it does provide unparalleled access to locally based companies and is the venue that most reflects the diverse communities in Liverpool.

For more information contact unitytheatre on 0844 873 2888.