CityLife

24:7 - a feast of north west talent

Temp/Casual is on at New Century House

HURRAY! It’s time for this year’s 24:7 Theatre Festival, an event that has grown since its foundation in 2004, into one of the most exciting theatre events in the country.

Until July 26, this brilliant festival will premiere no less than 21 brand-new short plays, showcasing local writing, directing and acting talent, at five non-theatre venues in Manchester city centre.

These include three in the Printworks, on Withy Grove – Pure: Blue, Pure: Funktion and Pure: Round – as well as two in New Century House, on Corporation Street.

The latter venue, the Co-op’s headquarters, will also be the setting for The Hub, the festival’s own meeting, information and after-hours entertainment spot, right at the heart of the activities.

Here you can hang out with up-and-coming stars, as well as the movers and shakers of the theatre world, while enjoying light meals and refreshments.

After the last performance in New Century: one each evening, the main bar will re-open as The Hub – After Hours.

On permanent display throughout the week, artist/writer Len Horsey will be premiering a new body of work called 24 Words: 7 Images.

On Sunday, you can enjoy Billy Childish and friends, while Wednesday night features a free showing of short films from 9pm.

Next Saturday (July 25) the unique Edward Barton is appearing and Sunday 26 sees tears, backslapping, air-kisses and more at the 24:7 Festival Week Awards Party from 7pm.

24:7’s co-founder David Slack enthuses: “This year’s festival looks set to be our greatest yet. We have assembled a brilliant collection of Britain’s finest new writers and the audience are in for a real treat.

“This year’s line-up boasts absurdist comedies, dramas, physical theatre, dark comedies, storytelling and a psychological thriller.”

5:30 is written by Alistair McDowall, who studied Drama at Manchester University and is a second timer at 24:7.

Last year’s play Daisies was nominated for five theatre awards. 

Steve Timms, the writer of Temp/Casual is a north west playwright and actor who has been an active figure on the local theatre scene for some time.

His cast have screen experience in Spooks, Coronation Street and Life on Mars.

Ian Townsend is back for a second year after performing Granny Must Die in 2008 at 24:7 with his absurdist play The Last Chair.

Joe Graham, the author of Dancing to the Sound of Crunching Snails, also writes music for theatre with his brother and one of his songs is currently up for an award in the West End.

Karl Voden, writer of Blinded By The Light, has been hugely supported by METAL, a charity helping to fund the visual arts and created by Jude Kelly. 

Sarah MacDonald Hughes' play Maine Road was highly commended in the recent Alfred Bradley Bursary Awards and she wil receive a year's mentorship from a senior BBC radio producer. 

Eve Steele, the writer of Lub You, has been an actress for the past 15 years, most famously in Coronation Street playing Curly Watt’s psycho girlfriend, who ended up meeting a grisly end.

James Douglas top-scored in the Edinburgh Guide in 2006 for his Dark Lantern, a play performed at that year’s Edinburgh Fringe. His 24:7 play is called Detaining Mr. K.

Both writer Claire Urwin and producer Guy Jones, producer of her play No Wonder, studied at Manchester University. Claire is still a student and her first play How Hard it Happens won the International Student Playscript Competition. 

Bolton-born Jenny Yates saw her first ever short story win a prize in a Manchester Evening News competition.

Her 24:7 contribution The Person Without is directed by 24:7 veteran Ian Moore.

Steve Pearce, the writer of Freshers, is a former professional scientist who has always had a passion for creative writing. He is a second timer at 24:7.

Sean Gregson is a born and bred Mancunian and Donal Fleet: A Confessional is his second play.

It is fulfilling a goal Sean set himself whilst selling tickets on the 24:7 Box office some years ago.

Ailis Ni Riain, writer of Cell, grew up in Cork but has been in Manchester since 1999 after studying music at The Royal Northern College of Music.

Richard Vergette is a former teacher who was once part of the National Youth Theatre, performing with Jude Law and Jonny Lee Miller. Neither of them are likely to star in his play As We Forgive Them.

Out of Dead Air is Mark Murphy’s first time at 24:7, after working in a chemical company.

Michael Peacock trained at the Arden School of Theatre, and The Coffee Hour this play is his story of moving beyond the mistakes and tragedies in life and letting go of the past. 

Victoria Ofovbe grew up in Manchester and, although her story Frontline is fictional, the inspiration came from people she knew and met growing up.

Remember Me, by Jason Crouch is set in the early Nineties and features classic Mad-chester songs from Happy Mondays, Sub Sub, The Stone Roses, The Cure, The Smiths, 808 State, Orbital, and New Order.

James Jowett and Adam Davies’ Working Title is, they say, a short film extended for 24:7, based on the real life frustrations of the writers and their struggle to find integrity and identity in modern society. 

As a former stand up comic, Phys-Ed writer Simon Carter has performed with Jo Brand, Harry Hill, Al Murray, Jimmy Carr and Johnny Vegas.

Exit Salford, by Ed Jones, is the true story of the writer being run out of his Salford home by racists because his girlfriend and lodgers were Polish.

Ed has had five novels published and has written two short films for the BBC and Channel 4 and for TV programmes including Holby City and The Bill.

*For more information on the festival, check out the links to the right. You can also read reviews from the various productions.