Saturday 20 October 2018

NEWS: Gripping and gritty award-winning WW1 drama comes to 53Two, Manchester at the beginning of November!


                                                                                                                  


The Northern Premiere & re-mount of award winning play; the untold story of WW1…

‘The Glasshouse’

Nominated: 3 Off West End Awards
Winner: Off West End Award Best Supporting Actor

1-11th November
53two, Manchester

Directed by Sonnie Beckett

Confined in a cramped, makeshift prison on the back line of the Somme, two men stand charged with cowardice and desertion. Trapped inside the damp, cold and oppressive walls of this ‘Glasshouse’, a beautiful friendship crystallises between them.  But how long can friendship last? And how much can a man withstand before he breaks?

In the 100th anniversary year of the end of World War I, acclaimed emerging company Grindstone team up with MAP Productions to remount Max Saunders-Singer’s emotional, award-winning drama, THE GLASSHOUSE for a Northern Premiere. Based on extensive research into true stories of soldiers on the front lines, this powerful work explores a rarely seen side of trench warfare.

Horrifying and immensely provocative, this is a WWI centenary play that has an intelligence and power beyond expectations. A show that shreds heartstrings and decimates sensibilities, it’s theatre at it’s most outstanding.
- James Waygood, ‘The Glasshouse’, London, 2014

Following the intertwined stories of the misfits, idealists and tragic victims who pass through this hastily constructed trench prison cell, THE GLASSHOUSE is a moving, blood-pumping and powerful play. Through these stories, it also shines
a stark new light on the effects of 'Shell Shock' and failures in the treatment of so called 'Cowards' and 'Conchies' who were unable or refused to fight.

This piece will be supported by and mark the launch of the brand new and brilliant Switch MCR who will perform their devised ‘curtain raiser’ as a response to the script, on the 2nd, 3rd & 4th of November. The piece will also headline a rapid-response night on the 5th.



SWITCH MCR
SwitchMCR is a brand new theatre collective of young artists aiming to bring original and accessible work to Manchester stages. SwitchMCR’s creative team met through the Royal Exchange's Young Company after working collaboratively alongside directors Matt Hassall, Nickie Miles-Wildin and Andrew Barry.
Switch are currently working towards their debut performance in February 2019!

Give them a follow on Twitter @switch_mcr and Instagram @switchmcr to keep updated with our theatrical escapades!




Manchester Actors’ Platform & MAP Productions
The Manchester Actors’ Platform, MAP, was created in 2015 by actor/acting coach Simon Naylor. Designed to benefit adult actors, its focus lies primarily on providing services required at an affordable cost. MAP hoped to bridge the gap between the affordable and the achievable. Simon’s background as an actor means that he has, and still is, experiencing just how tough the industry can be, not just to break into, but to survive in. Combining his 10 years teaching experience at some of the country’s leading drama schools, a rich and varied experience on stage, screen and radio and some reassuring Northern roots, all of the services MAP provide aim to cut out the b*******t. MAP Productions was established in 2016 and launched with a sell-out show of Andrea Dunbar’s ‘Shirley’. Since then they have gone on to produce their own work both in Manchester and across the country, providing paid work for primarily working class actors, in new-writing and re-imagined regional productions. MAP Productions and their work have been nominated for and received both Manchester Theatre Awards and Northern Soul Awards and manage Manchester’s largest independent theatre, 53two.

Grindstone
Formed in 2012 by director Sonnie Beckett and playwright Max Saunders-Singer, Grindstone is an innovative and tenacious company dedicated to creating theatre and film of the highest calibre. Productions in London include RIP, Write Christmas, Black Star and Glasshouse for which the company have been nominated for three OFFIES and have won one. They are delighted to be bringing their work to Manchester to share it with the North of England.


53two
'53two' is Manchester’s, biggest and most versatile Arts Venue, managed by Manchester Actors’ Platform. Spanning two of Deansgate’s famous tunnels, the venue is made up of two separate components; ‘53’ & ‘two’. The venue will be operated primarily as a theatre and cafe, with the space also offering room for exhibitions, gigs, events, celebrations, rehearsals, classes, conferences, banquets, weddings and more. 53two has enjoyed two years in the heart of the city, forging a strong presence and priding itself on creating a platform for new and emerging talent.

Max Saunders-Singer – Writer/’Pip’
Max trained as an Actor, graduating in 2009 and in 2017 completed his Masters in Creative Writing. Since ’09 Max has worked extensively in Acting, Writing and Directing theatre and film and is now a Creative Writing teacher on the Italia Conti BA (Hons) Course. In 2012 Max formed the critically acclaimed production company Grindstone with its Co-Artistic Director Sonnie Beckett and went on to write several successful pieces; the most notable being critically acclaimed “The Glasshouse” which enjoyed a sell-out run at the Tristan Bates Theatre. Max is currently adapting the piece for film, going into production in 2020.


Sonnie Beckett – Director/Producer
Sonnie Beckett, Artistic Director of Grindstone trained as an actor and has performed in theatres across the country. Since graduating in 2010, she has turned her hand to directing and her work has seen her take shows to sell-out performances in some of London’s most acclaimed fringe theatres including The King’s Head, Oval House, The Cockpit & Southwark Playhouse receiving rave-reviews and firmly stamping her name on the ever-important list of rising, female directors. She received the ‘Work in Process’ award from Iris Theatre for emerging theatre practitioners and has also produced many shows both for Grindstone as well as other companies.

Sonnie teaches and directs at some of the country’s leading Drama Schools
including Italia Conti, Central School of Speech and Drama and Identity School of Acting, where she practices the work of Stanislavski and Meisner, both of which have a massive part in the process of bringing The Glasshouse to life.




Simon Naylor – ‘Harper’
As an actor, television includes Dane Hibbs in 'Coronation Street', Corporal Johnson in '24: Live Another Day', 'Casualty' as Officer Peter Dowling, 'Michael Ray' in Obsession for SKY TV &DC Croker in 'Emmerdale'.Films include BAFTA winning, 'The Mark of Cain' & James Corden’s, 'One Chance'. Other credits include: 'Creeped Out' (BBC), Doctors (BBC), Day Of The Triffids (BBC), The Bill (ITV), Primeval (ITV), 'Eastenders' (BBC). Theatre credits include 'The Shawshank Redemption' (Wyndhams Theatre), Palindrome (Arcola Theatre), 'Funny Peculiar' (Kenwright - UK Tour) and 'When Both Sides Surrender' (53two), Nominated for Best Fringe Production - Northern Soul Awards.

In the world premiere of 'The Glasshouse' Simon was nominated for an OFFIE as ‘Best Actor’.

Simon is also co-producer with MAP Productions and Artistic Director of 53two.

The Glasshouse
1 - 11 November
7:30pm nightly
tickets £10

Running Time
1 hour and 45 minutes (Inc Interval)

Twitter
@maplatform
@53two

Facebook

Instagram
@maplatform
@53two

Notes
Ages 16+

Cast
Pip – Max Saunders-Singer
Harper – Simon Naylor
Moon – Sam Adamson
Blythe – Corin Silva

Director
Sonnie Beckett


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