CityLife

Royal Exchange Studio: Autumn/winter 2010

The Author

As the Royal Exchange Studio announces its autumn/winter season, its producer Richard Morgan explains how, unlike the studios at some other theatres, he believes the strength of the Exchange’s Studio lies in its coherent policies.

“We’re not just a place which you can hire to bring in a touring show, although we obviously do have touring shows visit us,” he explains.

“We have a policy of producing our own work and premieres.

“It’s not set up as a testing ground but it’s a place where you can be much more flexible in the programming and less reliant on box-office, so new and emerging artists and practitioners can develop.

Some of the work, David Williamson’s A Conversation, for instance, went on to reappear in the main house and several of the directors and designers have also gone on to do work there.

“Another element that we find important is children’s theatre. Although you do have the family shows in the main house, a lot of the work doesn’t really push below around twelve years of age.

“So there’s a whole younger age spectrum that we try to serve with at least one production of our own a year and also productions that we bring in,” he adds.

“Of course, we do bring in work from national touring companies but my policy with that is to always try to be premiering the work in our region.

“The likes of Paines Plough, Tim Crouch, Nabokov or Frantic Assembly are companies with good, strong reputations doing contemporary work. They’re all quite distinctive artists and I’m always looking for options to bring companies of that sort of national standing into the region for the first time with a particular show.

Richard continues: “The other aspect of it is the co-productions, the associations and connections we’ve made with various north west companies and artists, where a relationship is formed in which we’re offering what you might call producing support.

“We’ve got a strong technical team here and sometimes we’ll offer technical support or allow them to rehearse and tech a show which they’re then going to take out on tour.

“For instance, Cheap Seats –  whose 24:7 play 5.30 was MEN Award nominated – we’re going to be supporting them in their next production.

“The final strand is all the community and education work we do. That’s always a strong element of our work. That’s going on all the time, week by week, and the public outcome of that will be seen in the Studio.”

This season’s programme notably includes the World Premiere of Andrew Sheridan’s Winterlong, a winner of the Bruntwood Playwriting Competition.

Andrew is quite a familiar face at the Exchange, having acted in productions there including Port, Little Voice and Jonah & Otto. Winterlong is his first piece of produced writing. Directed by Sarah Frankcom and designed by Amanda Stoodley, and it’s running at the Studio from February 2-19.

Before that, though, the Studio boast several more exciting prospects, including another World Premiere, this time from Paines Plough.

The season opens with Lovesong (September 17-18), an English Touring Theatre show performed by nu-classic soul singer Omar, with his own music and lyrics, and written and directed by Che Walker. The pair previously collaborated on the soul-funk musical Been So Long and this new show centres on soul singer, Oscar, whose life in the fast lane has left something missing from his life.

Forced to reflect on a life lived recklessly, he is taken by surprise, finding love where it was least expected.

From September 23-25, New Art Club – Tim Roden and Pete Shenton – deconstruct the Eighties in This Is Now. Wrestling with hits by Bonnie Tyler and Duran Duran, plus many others from the days of ‘Now That’s What I Call Music’ cassettes, they simultaneously try to save the audience from drowning in nostalgia.

The Ching Room / The Moira Monologues is a double-bill of monologues written and performed by young Scottish writer Alan Bissett. Cheryl Martin and Sacha Kyle direct and the show runs from October 6-9.

Cheap Seats’ new show, running from October 19-23, is Plain Jane.  Written by Alistair McDowall and directed by Clive Judd, it’s the story of Jane, the new girl at an exclusive boarding school.

She wasn’t popular at her old school and she’s doing even worse with her new room-mates Becki and Holly, who are determined to rip her to pieces before term ends.

In the World Premiere of their new play Love, Love, Love (October 26-November 6), Paines Plough ‘take on the baby boomer generation as it retires and finds it full of trouble.’

Especially, it seems, in the case of Kenneth and Sandra. There are a number of associated events with this production, including the November 3 pre-show performance of Come To Where I’m From, a special performance of monologues commissioned by Paines Plough and the Exchange from local writers, inspired by their memories and experiences of their home town.

Tim Crouch’s new play The Author (November 16-20) is ‘about the harm carried out in the name of art’.

Performed within its audience, it tells the story of another play, a shocking and abusive story written by the playwright  Tim Crouch.

Rather less potentially disturbing - and certainly suitable for ages seven upwards - is the Studio’s Christmas show, Tangere Arts’ version of the Hans Christian Anderson tale Tin Soldier. From the team behind the enthralling Hood In The Wood and A Tasty Tale, the show also boasts live music and runs from December 14-January 1.

Old favourites Horse + Bamboo bring their new show Storm In A Teacup to the Studio from January 12-15.  Written, directed and designed by Alison Duddle and Bob Frith, it’s performed by Jonny Quick and Mark Whitaker and is suitable for ages four and over.

The Studio also boasts the ongoing series Word, featuring Carol Ann Duffy and Friends on September 27, October 18, and November 15, as well as poets and writers, such as Ian Duhig, Douglas Dunn, Jonathan Coe and Nicholas Royle, in conversation on October 26 and November 23.

Speakeasy – Segun’s ‘funky mix of poets, rappers and vocalists’ is on November 23 and Into The Blue (November 24-26) is an Exchange Education evening of devised theatre, presented as part of the Exodus Festival.

You can book or get more information from 0161 833 9833 or at www.royalexchange.co.uk/bookonline.