News
Meet the brand new cast for our musical We’re Not Going Back, touring October 2024
We have exciting news…not only is ‘We’re Not Going Back’ touring for one final time this October but joining Musical Director and original Sue, Beccy Owen, are three brand new cast members: Rachel Gay as Olive, Keeley Fitzgerald as Mary and Daisy Ann Fletcher as Isabel.
Before you see them onstage, let’s get to know them a little better.
Rachel is over the moon to be joining the team of ‘We’re Not Going Back’ with Red Ladder this Autumn. She believes in theatre that has the power to affirm the soul and create change.
Born in Chesterfield, raised in Bakewell, Rachel is a Derbyshire-based Actress, Singer, Facilitator, Yoga Teacher and Mum. She was an Act One Drama Studio (Sheffield) student then drama teacher from ages 13 – 31. University took her up the Pennines to Newcastle where she earned a bursary to train as an actress with Northumberland Theatre Company. Since then she has specialised in Physical and Devised Theatre, later training at Arthaus Berlin.
She joined the previous ‘We’re Not Going Back’ cast earlier this year as understudy and fell in the love with the production. She worked with Beccy Owen on one of her first professional theatre tours back in 2011 and is overjoyed to share a stage with Beccy and the rest of the cast.
Theatre credits include: The Noise (UK Tour/Unlimited Theatre), Marina Abramovic Retrospective: Luminosity (Manchester Art Gallery), Sense (UK Tour, Level Centre), White Peacock, Rapunzel (UK Tour, Nottingham Playhouse), We’re Going on a Bear Hunt (International Tour/Kenny Wax Productions), Do Not Enter the Monster Zoo, The Worst Princess (UK Tour/New Writing North), TV credits include: Coronation Street, Emmerdale.
Keeley is massively excited to be part of the ‘We’re Not Going Back’ team and feels privileged and proud to be a working class actor exploring such important parts of history with Red Ladder.
Keeley trained in Salford and graduated with a First-Class Honours Degree in Performing Arts as well as attending night time TV acting classes at MSA and Act4TV.
Recent Theatre includes: Conscious Uncoupling (JB Shorts) and Romeo & Juliet (Storehouse Live).
Recent Television includes: The Full Monty (Disney+), Doctors (BBC)
Daisy was born and bred in Leeds in West Yorkshire. She was part of the National Youth Music Theatre and was the recipient of the Andrew Lloyd Webber Scholarship Award. She trained at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, igniting her love for the city of Glasgow, and she graduated in 2017, before locating herself in London. Since then, she’s worked at some brilliant theatres (Tron in Glasgow, Birmingham Rep, Leeds Playhouse, to name a few) and played some unforgettable characters. She frequently collaborates with Wrongsemble, an award-winning theatre company based in Yorkshire, on shows like The Not So Ugly Sisters, Billy Shakes: Wonder Boy! and most recently in The Snow Queen. In 2021, she played squatter and activist Lu in The RuV TuV Cream PuV Estate Agency – written by Chumbawamba’s Boff Whalley – at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry and in association with Cardboard Citizens. She played Grusha, one of the central characters, in The Doncastrian Chalk Circle, a co-production between the National Theatre and CAST Doncaster as part of the Public Acts programme.
We can’t wait to welcome them into the rehearsal room next week and onto stages next month.
Main image description: The lower half of three women dressed in 1980s clothes holding a placard and megaphone. Text: We’re Not Going Back New cast announcement Keeley Fitzgerald (Mary), Rachel Gay (Olive) Daisy Ann Fletcher (Isabel) Final Tour – October 2024 Book now: redladder.co.uk
CAPA College students discuss what they’re learning from their time on ‘Sanctuary’ about working in theatre
Isobel Chipp, 18, assistant director
What has it been like working on Sanctuary? “It’s been brilliant because I’m normally on the acting side of things, so to have my first opportunity to help direct something straight from college is really great. It’s been so beneficial to see how the other side of theatre works. It’s a brilliant first project to work on – it’s got such a great group of people, and has such a strong message. It’s just been really educational.”
What have you learned? “In my first week Cheryl gave me the chance to do some directing which I’d never done and it was a bit daunting, but it was also really good because that’s how you learn. I got good feedback from the direction I’d given them and that was really affirmative because you think ‘yes, I can do this.’ So that was a real confidence boost.”
Has this experience changed what you might want to do in this industry? “It’s shown me that acting is what I love and want to do. It’s also given me an appreciation that directing and writing is something I’d like to go into in the future. I think it has made me love acting even more, because I’m learning how to act better by telling actors how to do things differently.”
What have you gained from working on a professional production like this and collaborating with a theatre company like Red Ladder? “It’s given me confidence when it comes to the next opportunities because I’ll have this under my belt. Also just seeing the inner workings of a theatre company. I’d seen pieces by Red Ladder before doing this and I always thought ‘wow, it looks so cool and polished.’ And now I’ve seen it in the beginning when it’s not polished and you see how it gets to that finished stage. It’s made me really trust the process of what I’m doing.”
Zac Worstenholme, 17, company manager
What has it been like working on Sanctuary? “It’s been really good for me because I’m just going into my second year at college and I’ve found a real love for the production side of theatre. When I was given this opportunity I couldn’t have been more thankful because it’s just what I need to get a real insight into the industry. It’s a privilege to not only be involved in a musical but the first works of a musical where the scripts are being edited and it’s nice to experience that.”
What have you learned? “I’ve learned a lot. I don’t think I realised how much a company manager has to deal with, from printing the scripts off and helping out with social media to taking loads of rehearsal shots and making sure all the cast is there on time and that they’re all ok.”
How has it changed your perceptions of what’s involved in putting a production like this together? “I don’t think people realise how much work goes into something like this. There’s a lot more to the offstage roles than I think I’d realised.”
Has it changed what you might want to do in this industry? “From a young age I wanted to act and be a musical theatre performer, but during these past few weeks it’s made me love being a company manager and I think it’s what I’ve got my mind set on now. I really believe this is what I want to do when I leave college.”
What have you gained from working on a professional production like this and collaborating with a theatre company like Red Ladder? “It’s made me feel like I’ll be in a good position afterwards. Red Ladder’s really well respected and to have a company like them, and a show like Sanctuary, on your CV at just 17 years old is a really big step.”
Ellie Klemm, 17, Sanctuary chorus member
What’s it like being part of this production? “It’s been really good. I haven’t worked with a professional company before so it’s been really interesting to see how they work and what’s expected of us. There are high expectations of us in college but I didn’t think going into year two at college we’d be doing something like this.”
Getting to go on tour must be very exciting? “A lot of us are quite experienced and we’ve done a lot of shows and performances since we were little, but going on a tour is something very different and going to all these different venues and theatres is really exciting for all of us.”
What are you most excited about? “I’m looking forward to being able to experience places in the UK that we haven’t been to. Me and Matilda live near Huddersfield so the LBT (Lawrence Batley Theatre) is our theatre, it’s where we grew up and we’ve done so many shows there when we were little, so it’s really exciting to be going on tour near where we live.”
What have you learned from an acting point of view? “It’s been really good for our acting skills because the script’s been in development. I’ve never done a show where the script is subject to change. Normally you have a script and learn your lines and that’s what you do. But here, the actors have asked questions about some of the lines and sometimes it might get cut because the actor has said ‘I don’t think my character would say this.’ I didn’t think you could do that with a script and it’s teaching us to speak up if we have something to say about our character. I think we’ve learned that we can use our voice.”
How has it changed your perception of working in the theatre industry? “I grew up doing shows and theatre so it’s always been a dream to do it professionally and now it’s becoming a reality. This has given me a taste of it and made me want to do it even more.”
Matilda Simons, 17, Sanctuary chorus member
What’s it like being part of this production? “We get a call sheet each night to see what we’re doing the next day. It’s very structured so we can prepare ourselves well for the next day. We might be doing a lot of movement work so you can check the call sheet and you know what you’re going into the next day.”
Getting to go on tour must be very exciting? “It’s really exciting and being able to say ‘I’ve performed at Hull Truck’ is just mad. I never thought I’d get to say that.”
What have you learned from an acting point of view and has it changed your perception of what’s involved? “Being part of this production we’ve seen how professional actors interact with directors and stage managers. Some of the actors ask questions about the motivations of their character, while others focus more on the feelings of their character. So it’s been really interesting to see these different approaches.”
How has it changed your perception of working in the theatre industry? “It’s definitely still made me want to be a performer. I want to do musical theatre and it’s made me lean into my acting more. It’s also made us respect the behind the scenes roles more.”
Eloise Degenhart, 17, Sanctuary chorus member
What has it been like being part of this production? “Because we’re at an arts college we’re used to being part of a show but not really creating the show, the ins and outs of the script and the songs. The fact we’ve been able to say things like ‘this harmony might be better for this song’, that’s quite cool – to feel like you’re part of the creative process. Coming into this I thought it would be very strict but they have a laugh and they know when to be serious. It’s calmed my nerves about going into the industry.”
What have you learned about acting? “We’re working with professional actors who have gone through all the years of training and seeing how they work together and figure things out, like changing the script, has been really interesting. Seeing how connected they are to their character and what their character would say has been really cool to see.”
Has this experience made you want to be an actor even more? “It’s made me realise I can just be myself and I don’t have to put on this façade. I can have a laugh but also get my work done. I’m proud of myself but also so grateful for the opportunity. I mean how many 17-year-olds get to go on tour!”
Erin Hall, 17, Sanctuary chorus member
What has it been like being part of this production? “It’s an original musical and we’re building it together, so it feels really cool to be part of that. It feels like you’re always involved in some way.”
What have you learned about acting? “I’ve never been involved in a professional production before so seeing how the main cast do it has been really helpful.”
Has this experience made you want to be an actor even more? “I definitely know that I want to perform and this has helped me a lot to realise this. You get to see the whole process and you’re always learning something new.”
Main image: CAPA students as Vox in Sanctuary rehearsals credit Robling
Sanctuary opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Thursday 19th September before touring to theatres and Red Ladder Local venues book here!
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‘This organisation is funded by Leeds City Council through the Leeds Cultural Investment Programme.’
Opportunity knocks for talented young creatives by CAPA College’s Artistic Development Manager, Stacey Johnstone
In the past, students like ours at CAPA College would have been able to hone their craft by joining a repertory theatre. But Rep theatre doesn’t really exist anymore in this country, which is why partnering with a pioneering theatre company like Red Ladder is such a fantastic experience for our young students to apply and develop their current training.
Working with Red Ladder gives them a chance to see the many stages of conceiving, developing and then touring a production. The relationship developed after programming My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored, a powerful play by Nana-Kofi Kufour. We were then part of the performance pitch at the Venues North event in Sheffield last year for Sanctuary. Rehearsing a short extract of the vision to be presented to the region’s gatekeepers not only gave the students a different type of performance opportunity but was their first experience of talking with venue producers and chief executives – as well as sharing a platform with talented and dedicated professional theatre makers. It was an insight into the work being created in the region and the importance of being able to professionally network with people.
It was a bit of a eureka moment for our students because it gave them an understanding of the whole creative process, one based around building relationships, collaboration and mutual respect. It also showed them what theatre can be, that it isn’t something only created by people in ivory towers, but ordinary people who look and sound like them.
When Mafwa Theatre and Red Ladder came in to develop workshops which our students then went out to facilitate in local schools, as part of the next stage of Sanctuary, one of our Muslim students really came into her own. Her family understands the complexities of being a refugee and seeking asylum in a foreign country and she made sure her voice was heard within the context of the work. Being part of the creative process not only boosts their self-confidence, but it also gives them space to explore sensitive and sometimes controversial topics safely with facilitators/creatives with lived experiences that reflect their own.
This autumn some of our students, most of whom will be 17 or 18, will be playing the chorus in Sanctuary and going out on tour to venues across the North of England. How many young theatre and drama students get the opportunity to work with such a renowned theatre company like Red Ladder? It really is priceless. They get to see the reality of what it takes to create a new piece of theatre. A lot of young people only see the end-product on stage, they don’t see the process of getting there, all the hard work – the partnerships and collaborations, funding meetings, networking, tour organising and planning – that goes into getting something on the stage in front of an audience.
That’s why our collaboration with Red Ladder is so important and not some box-ticking exercise. It gives our students the chance to work with brilliant artistic directors like Cheryl Martin, and talented writers like Boff Whalley and Sarah Woods. It also gives them an insight into the business aspects of running a theatre which they need to understand if they’re going to pursue a career in the arts.
With all the well-publicised arts funding cuts there are fewer and fewer opportunities for young people to get a foot in the door, which is why partnerships like this have never been more important. It’s crucial that local and regional theatre companies still exist in the future so that when students across Yorkshire and the North graduate from colleges, universities and conservatories, they actually have jobs and apprenticeships to go to, because if they don’t then we’re going to lose those career paths for our young people.
A lot of our students come from some of the poorest economic areas so for them to have the chance to share the same space as key creatives is something to champion and cherish. We hear politicians talk a lot about levelling up. Well, this is levelling up in action.
Thanks to partnerships like this one with Red Ladder, our students will have the confidence to go into rooms and speak to these artistic leaders without feeling like they are imposters. Hopefully, they will also realise that the theatre is a place for them, that there are still opportunities out there to forge a career in the creative industries but also that they are well-informed in what it realistically takes to develop their own creative practice.
By Stacey Johnstone, Artistic Development Manager at CAPA College, Wakefield
Main image CAPA students: Vox, Sophie Russell & Ella Watson (movement) credit Robling Photography
Sanctuary opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Thursday 19th September before touring to theatres and Red Ladder Local venues book here!
Cheryl Martin talks about the issues tackled in the musical, the impact theatre can have and the importance of supporting local arts organisations.
Sanctuary is your first Red Ladder show as director. How did it come about?
Work started on it last year before I arrived, but in a previous role I worked for about eight years with mostly women asylum seekers and refugees creating big community shows in Manchester. So while I didn’t choose this play, if I could have chosen a topic this is one I would have gone for because it’s something I think is very important.
What are the key issues explored in Sanctuary and why are they important?
I think what’s important is the distance between who the asylum seekers and refugees actually are and who people think they are, based on what they read about them. A lot of the people I worked with were doctors, teachers, or chemists, all very highly skilled. Most of them were forced to flee because they stood up for someone in their country of origin, or they’d stuck their neck out for free speech, or women’s rights. People are running from places like Iran and Syria for these reasons which makes them heroes in my eyes. They go through so much and they come to countries like ours because they think it’s a safe haven. So this production is about sanctuary and what sort of country we want to be.
Asylum seekers and refugees are unlikely topics for a musical to tackle don’t you think?
It’s a different kind of musical. It’s not like Mary Poppins! It’s set in a C of E church but that doesn’t mean it’s church music. The music is from the heart so it’s very emotional, and we hope people leave feeling moved by it because though it’s a story it’s also a reflection of real lives.
This is your first production since you became Red Ladder’s artistic director. What are you most looking forward to?
I’m really looking forward to taking it from page to stage and having real voices and real characters. We’re working with CAPA College in Wakefield whose students make up our chorus. The students are only 16 or 17 and I’ve been blown away seeing how good they are in the workshops. I was nowhere near this good when I was their age. So I’m really excited to be working with them. I’m also looking forward to working with the cast. As a director I never tell actors what to do. I start by asking them what they see in the character and build on that. I can’t wait to see what they bring. The biggest buzz is when the actors go beyond you as a director and their performance just takes off. I’m also excited to see how audiences respond to the story and the characters.
You’re working with Boff Whalley and Sarah Woods who have written Sanctuary. What’s it like collaborating on a project like this?
I love collaborating on productions. I think the songs will have a really big impact and I feel very lucky to be working with Boff and Sarah. I’m very pleased to have inherited this play.
What made you want to join Red Ladder and why do you believe you’re a good fit for one another?
When I saw the advert I was like ‘oh my God. I can’t believe this job even exists.’ I’ve done a lot of community work and I was at Contact Theatre in Manchester when John McGrath was running it and bringing in a lot of people who hadn’t been to the theatre before. We were a non-traditional theatre, we had DJs, poets and novelists and encouraged this idea of doing any kind of performance anywhere and that kind of freedom is hard to come by. I also co-founded Black Gold Arts, a black, queer, performance-positive arts company, and that was about platforming people who don’t normally get that opportunity. Our role was to find new talent and give them the platform to start their careers. So when the job with Red Ladder came up I couldn’t believe my luck because there aren’t many places like this.
You’ve mentioned that students from CAPA College are providing the chorus for the show. What difference do these collaborations with local arts organisations and colleges make?
The beating heart of our theatre company is Red Ladder Local, which is all about working in non-traditional theatre spaces and reaching people who don’t normally go to a traditional theatre. I’ve been to a few of these performances and the connection you get with the audiences for the shows is so intense and so different from what you normally get. Our shows wouldn’t be the same without the collaborations we do with the likes of CAPA. And for these young people it’s such a priceless experience because they come out on the road with us. We’re helping them by giving them a real world experience and they’re helping us by enabling us to expand what we’re able to do with this play. We’ve all read a lot lately about arts funding cuts so being able to help a group of young people get theatre experience like this is crucial. Collaborations like this are at the heart of what we do and I’m delighted we’re able to do that with this show.
Why is it important that stories like Sanctuary are told?
We’ve all seen the headlines about immigration and asylum seekers and in an election year it really does become a political football. And this year we’ve seen the horror of what happens when people lose sight of our common humanity. This show included an attack on an asylum-seeker for all the 18 months of its development, and now sadly we’ve seen it across the country.
Theatre is an antidote to that, it’s about what it’s like to be human and that’s what this story is talking about – it’s more than just a newspaper headline or a video on YouTube.
There’s also more than one point of view. I want this show to reach as many people as possible. After the far-right violence, our story feels more urgent. There are characters in the play who are very anti-immigration and some whose parents travelled to the UK but who feel this new wave of immigrants are breaking the rules. So it’s not a simple, one-dimensional way of looking at things, it’s much more rounded that. Good drama makes human stories feel very real and highlights our shared humanity. That’s what I’m hoping Sanctuary can do.
By Chris Bond
Main image L-R Jennifer Pugh and Cheryl Martin credit Rhys of Robling Photography
Sanctuary opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Thursday 19th September before touring to theatres and Red Ladder Local venues book here!
Award-winning playwright, campaigner and co-creator of ‘Sanctuary’ Sarah Woods discusses the origins of the musical, the importance of artistic collaboration, and why theatre can help tackle serious subjects.
Where did the idea for Sanctuary come from?
Boff and I have been collaborating for a while now. We’ve done quite a lot of work co-creating community pieces, largely for Welsh National Opera, with people seeking refuge and asylum, and this was a story that we came to over a number of years.
We also set up an organisation called Artists in Exile, a not-for-profit group which supports artists who want to come to the UK because they can’t stay in their own country. So we have a lot of experience of working closely with people in this area. There’s a dominant narrative, not just in this country, that immigration is going up and that’s why people can’t get a doctor’s appointment or a job, and that’s not the truth of the situation. So we wanted to counter this in a way that draws out the different viewpoints and lays them out to the audience through the story of an individual.
Why did you decide to tell this story as a musical rather than say a drama?
The ability for a character to express themselves in music enables us to move beyond the everyday. At its heart it’s a way for people to communicate deep and profound emotions and tell a story with real immediacy. It’s not agitprop, or polemic, we want to invite the audience in and to think about other people’s lived experiences.
How and why did you start collaborating with Boff?
It was about six years ago. I was writing a musical called The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency and me and Adrian Jackson [the director] came across Boff’s work at the funeral of Heathcote Williams, who wrote the original work the musical was based on, and a song that Boff had written for him was played at the end and we were just blown away by it. So we got in touch with Boff and arranged to meet up. We talked to him about the possibility of him being the composer on Ruff Tuff and he said ‘yes’ – and we’ve worked together consistently ever since on a wide variety of projects.
This is the first time you have worked with Red Ladder. What was the appeal in working with the company?
I’ve known about Red Ladder’s work for decades and Rod Dixon, the previous artistic director, knew of my work too. We probably should have done stuff together years ago but just didn’t get round to it. So now that it’s happening it feels like a very natural meeting of hearts and minds.
How different is it collaborating with someone on a project compared to writing a play, or musical, on your own?
I really enjoy collaborating not only with Boff but also co-creating with communities. It’s a fantastic experience. For Boff and I, it enables us to travel through the whole process with somebody else, which gives you a huge amount of support, not just practically in terms of not being on your own, but also imaginatively and creatively we’re able to push each further which helps us take more creative risks. I feel we become more than the sum of our parts.
What are the challenges in writing a musical compared to a play or a radio drama?
With a musical you’re always thinking about what different jobs the songs are going to do. You’re not reliant on the dramatic dialogue for the whole of the story. When you work in different mediums like I do it’s about remembering to let the songs do the work, because you want the music and songs to do all the key jobs of a classic narrative like revealing the characters, moving the plot forward and telling the story.
How important is drama, whether it’s a play, a novel, or a musical, in tackling serious subjects?
It’s really important, particularly right now, at a time of enormous cultural shift and evolution. The narrative arts do two things – they show us where we are, like Hamlet’s mirror, holding a mirror up to society. And they also have the ability to make clear what we might do next, to inspire us to take action. As human beings, our emotions lead our decision making and we have a huge capacity for empathetic connection – and I think stories can help us with both of these things.
Are there underlying themes that connect your work?
All of my work uses stories for social good, to enable us to locate ourselves and to consider what we might do about where we are. I work around what I think are some of the big challenges we have right now, so lots of work around climate change, environmental degradation and the increasing inequalities in the world.
What do you hope audiences take away from watching Sanctuary?
I hope that people understand a little bit more about the hostile environment we have created in this country for people who are really just seeking safety and asylum. And to understand the extent of the hostility and the way some far right groups are fuelling really pernicious and false narratives. A lot of the artists Boff and I have supported, similar to Alland the lead character in this musical, were forced to leave their country because they stood up for what they believed in. They’ve done things that many of us might not have the bravery to do and these are people who we can learn a lot from.
By Chris Bond
Main image L-R Boff Whalley & Sarah Woods credit Ant Robling
Sanctuary opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Thursday 19th September before touring to theatres and Red Ladder Local venues book here!
Boff Whalley, co-creator of Sanctuary, discusses the idea behind the story, the power of musicals and why this is a story that needs to be told.
Writer and composer Boff Whalley is the co-creator of Sanctuary along with award-winning playwright Sarah Woods. Here, he discusses the idea behind the story, the power of musicals and why this is a story that needs to be told.
Where did the idea for Sanctuary come from?
It came from the fact that Sarah and me were working with a refugee and asylum centre in Cardiff on and off for about three-and-a-half years trying to find musicians, writers, singers and poets, and by default getting to know the stories of ordinary people trapped in extraordinary circumstances. As a young lad I remember there was the case of Viraj Mendis who sought asylum in a church in Manchester to try and avoid being arrested and sent back home to Sri Lanka. There was a campaign and I remember going over there and people spent the night outside and inside the church to try and help him. So that was in my mind. It’s also a bit of a hidden story – this idea of people looking for a way to escape and to be protected. We thought why don’t we look at this idea of sanctuary and what it means to people who are religious and fleeing persecution.
Does the story naturally lend itself to being a stage production?
We were both thinking wouldn’t it be good to have a stage production that doesn’t ook like you’ve just walked into a theatrical box, and instead you’re walking into a church, which is already a kind of stage. It’s got its pulpit and its organ, so it’s set up as a visual spectacle, so the minute you walk in you are part of a church congregation rather than a theatre-going audience.
Why did you want to do this as a musical rather than a play?
We thought let’s make it a musical and try to avoid the idea of people going to watch a piece of theatre that’s grim, depressing and hopeless. Let’s do it so there are songs and melodies and some sense of hope running through it where you’re rooting for people. It’s such a lovely way to connect with characters rather than having big soliloquies. I love the idea of taking something that is potentially quite depressing and using music to create something uplifting.
Musicals have enjoyed a revival in recent years often tackling controversial topics. What do you think is behind this resurgence?
When I was growing up West Side Story was a real marker for me in terms of telling a story about gangs, but at the time I didn’t know it had anything to do with Romeo and Juliet. I just thought it was brilliant because it was telling this really hard-hitting, powerful story and doing it with some of the best music that you could ever hear. And lately we’ve had shows like Hamilton and The Book of Mormon, which both use music brilliantly and do a similar kind of thing.
You’ve got a longstanding connection to Red Ladder. What is the appeal in working with them?
One of the big attractions is the collaborative nature of Red Ladder. I think a lot of theatre and art wants to be collaborative but when it comes down to it isn’t really. But in all the years I’ve worked with Red Ladder the rehearsal room has always been really open in terms of everyone being able to make suggestions and change things. Cheryl Martin is the artistic director but she’ll ask what other people think and is willing to be swayed by other viewpoints, and I love that. A lot of people in the arts have their own way of doing things and stick to them, but Red Ladder has never been like that.
Do you prefer collaborating to working on your own on a project and how do they differ?
I prefer collaborating, definitely. From the very beginning when I first started to write words and music I would take a song to our fledgling punk band and someone would say ‘how about changing this drum beat?’ I think you can always be helped by someone else’s ideas. And working with actors is a real collaboration. So many times I’ve been in rehearsals having written a line and I know how it’s meant to sound and the actor does it in a way I never expected that makes it better. I enjoy working on my own but then I love taking a song or a lyric to other people and asking, ‘how can we make this better?’
What do you hope to achieve through a piece of work, whether it’s a song, a poem, or a musical?
Everything I’ve done, whether it’s music or writing, has always had a political or socially conscious reason behind it. My main motivation is will this make people think and will it get them talking? Does it avoid just being nice and pleasant? I used to go to plays with Rod Dixon, the former artistic director at Red Ladder, and I remember him saying to me halfway through a big production one time, ‘well, it looks lovely and it sounds great, and the actors are brilliant, but what’s it saying?’ And he was right. I want people to think a piece of art is saying something, that it has an opinion.
What inspires or motivates you to tell a particular story?
First and foremost I’m moved by what’s going on in the world and then I have to put pen to paper. I often go for a run in the morning in the woods and if the sun’s shining you can think all’s good in the world and then I get back and turn the radio on and straight away I’m back in this world where I’m like ‘everything’s not alright’ and there are things we need to talk about. It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to put into words something that hopefully people will listen to.
Why is theatre important in telling stories like Sanctuary?
In the last ten years theatre has become something entirely different to what it was. I think it’s become an antidote to looking at things beautifully done on a screen that are scripted and done again and again and then frozen. Theatre is about real people, right in front of you, doing something that can be different every night, and that’s such an art. If I go to the theatre with my son or my daughter I remind them that what they’re seeing no one will ever see again the same way. It’s not like going to the cinema or watching Netflix. It’s also very physical and we’ve lost a lot of that idea of people doing things together, though I think it’s coming back and theatre’s a big part of that.
How important is theatre in terms of getting young people involved in the arts?
We’ve done some work with CAPA College in Wakefield with 16 and 17 year-olds who want to get into performance, or acting, or dance, and they’re incredibly talented. With Sanctuary we’ve got a chorus of nine, like a Greek chorus, who are commenting on the action and helping the audience understand what’s going on and they sing these lovely acappellas. Most of them have never done this sort of thing before and it’s such a brilliant opportunity for them to be on stage in front of an audience doing the thing they want to do.
What impact do you hope Sanctuary has?
I hope that it contributes to the ongoing debate about how we treat people who are seeking asylum. The more that’s said about this the better, because the noise that comes from some politicians and sections of the media is so overwhelming and negative that everything we do that counters this is important.
By Chris Bond
Main image: L-R Sarah Woods & Boff Whalley credit Ant Robling.
Sanctuary opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield on Thursday 19th September before touring to theatres and Red Ladder Local venues book here!
Red Ladder Theatre Company statement concerning the recent racist riots and violent disorder
We have been shocked and appalled by the recent racist, Islamophobic and anti-immigrant attacks and rioting that brought fear and destruction to our streets. As a theatre company with a rich tradition of amplifying voices that are often overlooked in society, including refugees and asylum seekers, we stand in solidarity with all those impacted by this mindless behaviour.
Equally, we take heart from the huge numbers of anti-racist demonstrators whose peaceful show of unity reflects the feelings of the overwhelming majority of people in this country. We have been inspired, too, by the selfless acts of people from all walks of life who have come together to support one another, clean up streets and help rebuild damaged homes, businesses and places of worship – these are the communities we recognise. We at Red Ladder will continue to shine a light on stories of hope and offer support and advice to anyone who needs it.
Sanctuary cast announced
We’re thrilled to introduce you to the cast for our brand new musical Sanctuary:
These five fantastic actors join the brilliant chorus of students from CAPA College, to begin rehearsals on 19th August, exactly a month before the show opens at Theatre Royal Wakefield.
Sanctuary is a compelling new musical written by Boff Whalley (We’re Not Going Back) and award-winning playwright Sarah Woods, charting one man’s plea for help and refuge at a time when not all strangers are welcomed.
The musical – Artistic Director, Cheryl Martin’s first Red Ladder production since taking the helm in January this year – tells the story of Alland, a young Iranian man who begs to be given sanctuary at a church in northern England, sparking a community to react in all the ways each member believes to be right.
Molly, a young worker there, joins forces with vicar Fiona to resist both the angry vigilantes and the hard-hearted authorities beyond the church walls to try to protect Alland.
Holding a special community service where voices on all sides sing their songs of redemption and condemnation, Fiona asks the question to everyone present: “Do we give Alland over to the State or live up to our well-versed ideals of compassion?”
The creative team has worked closely with people hoping to call the UK home, shaping Alland’s story. Writers Boff and Sarah spent the past six years collaborating on projects for Welsh National Opera, in partnership with the Oasis Centre for refugees and asylum seekers, to co-create original operas for a more diverse audience, and director Cheryl spent eight years directing women refugees and asylum seekers in shows for Manchester’s Community Arts Northwest.
Earlier this year, Leeds-based Mafwa Theatre ran sessions with the team and students from CAPA College, who then created their own workshops for secondary school pupils, supported by asylum seekers, that have helped shape the production.
This unique collaboration between Red Ladder, Theatre Royal Wakefield and CAPA College, mixes hard-hitting ideas with memorable melodic tunes and harmonies.
Sanctuary welcomes us in and asks the question: “Do we want safety and freedom for only ourselves, or for us all?”
Come on in – the Service is about to begin…
Kindly supported by the Mayor of West Yorkshire’s Safer Communities Fund.
All performances will be captioned via The Difference Engine, a tool that
enables deaf and hard-of-hearing people to read performance captions on their
phone.
Dates
Coming Soon
.
Characterisation, collaboration, and community: on Cheryl Martin’s writing for emerging playwrights by Leslie Ann Po and Samantha Wilson
I’m Leslie Ann Po, an alumnus of Red Ladder’s recently concluded “Writing for Emerging Playwrights” course led by Cheryl Martin. As the rest of the courses were in-person and open to West Yorkshire residents, I consider myself lucky that Red Ladder and Cheryl decided to create an online version of the writing course available to everyone. This is especially since I am originally from the Philippines and only this February migrated to London, where I am currently based. My only previous foray into playwriting was a full-length play I penned in high school, solely for my own entertainment.
Admittedly, I had no prior relationship with Red Ladder. I just chanced upon it while googling opportunities to learn. Whilst I still have a long way to go, I feel like I have my foot (or at least more than a few toes!) in the door through Cheryl’s mentorship. The writing course inspired me to chase more opportunities and renewed my confidence in my writing.
As for the classes themselves, I am still in awe with how Cheryl managed to pack so many lessons in such a short period of time. Above all, she emphasised the importance of character-building in playwriting. I was impressed with how in just four sessions, she helped us hone our abilities to create complex characters. Amongst many other things, we learned to evaluate a scene’s relevance and necessity for our characters’ development, as well as to discern the necessary details about our play’s setting to include for the audiences. What struck me the most, however, was Cheryl’s emphasis that the playwright has to root for their characters and that we should write in three levels of motivation: the conscious, the unconscious, and what the characters really need.
Sunday 14 July 2024, we writers had the chance to see our work come to life through our fellow students. At one of the studios in Northern Ballet in Leeds, those from the directing and acting classes staged our written monologues and dialogues. I had a great time meeting my fellow students in Cheryl’s classes. Whilst I already had an inkling of the talent of my fellow writers as we shared our work during our sessions, I was blown away by the sheer volume of talent among the directors and actors. Personally, seeing what I have written come to life, is definitely better than what I imagined my work to be. The performances also helped me think about how my scripts could be further improved. It finally sank in that what makes theatre quite different from other forms of writing was its collaborative nature. Whilst writers have their ideas about how their plays will come to life, the medium allows space for the creativity of directors and actors to shine as well.
I really appreciate being given this opportunity and I will always be thankful to Cheryl and Red Ladder. I feel that the courses created a community of directors, actors and writers who are all rooting for each other. I will definitely keep going back to Leeds and be on the lookout for what the theatre company has on.
As for the writing, I feel like this is only the beginning. I will just keep on going.
By Leslie Ann Po
I have always enjoyed a good old coincidence.
Working as an independent advocate in health and social care settings, I hear people’s stories and plights. Seeking to draw attention to lesser heard voices, I wrote my first play ‘Frank’ about a man trapped in a care home. At the time, I had the 90’s banger ‘Tubthumping’ by Chumbawamba in my head, later discovering that two of the band are now writing for theatre. A few internet rabbit holes later and I found Red Ladder theatre! A radical theatre group offering a free course for emerging playwrights- flippin’ ‘eck I thought, better sign up quick!
As a woman with autism I can worry about new situations, but Cheryl Martin led the course with inclusivity and generosity. The online sessions exceeded my expectations, offering a wealth of practical advice on structure and creating character depth. There was no pressure, just lots of food for thought. What a buzz it was. I went in with no prior training, just a passion for social justice, and came out with a monologue and development of a new play. I recommend the course to any would-be writer. It’s never too late.
At the end of four classes we were invited to watch our pieces performed at a showcase event in Leeds. What a treat! An actor had learnt words I had written and real people listened and also laughed! Good folk abound, new friendships and a supportive atmosphere made for an encouraging experience. I won’t quit writing, I thought.
I have recently been shortlisted for the Shelagh Delaney writing award and am developing some new work around taboo social care themes. Thank you Red Ladder!
By Samantha Wilson
Uneasy Allies: Women’s Role in Sacriston, Durham during the 1984/85 Miners’ Strike
The 1984/85 miners’ strike stands as a pivotal moment in British history, marked by resilience, solidarity, and sacrifice. Yet, amidst the narratives of courage and struggle, the vital role played by women during those tumultuous times sometimes remains overlooked. This is no different for the village of Sacriston, nestled in the heart of Durham’s mining community, where Anna Lawson and other “ordinary women” fought for miners’ rights.
As Red Ladder will tour ‘We’re Not Going Back’ to Durham and the North-East next month, Anna, a remarkable woman, still deeply involved in Women Against Pit Closures forty years on, spoke to me about the realities of that fight shattering the romanticised notions surrounding women’s involvement.
Contrary to popular belief, nationally, the burden of organising and sustaining many of the welfare aspects of the strike fell heavily on the shoulders of a mere handful of women. And the prevailing conservative attitudes, particularly within Sacriston Lodge (Anna’s local union branch), posed significant challenges for this group.
Whilst in most cases the mining union men in the country, after some initial reluctance, eventually let women handle hardship relief, etc. in the village, this was most definitely not the case in Sacriston. Here, union men insisted on controlling everything about the strike all year long. It was tough for women to get the men’s support; they preferred women to stay home and make dinner.
Despite this obstacle, the women of Sacriston rallied tirelessly; they organised raffles, asked local shops for prizes, and held events like jumble sales and coffee mornings to raise funds. Yet, they had no control over the money they raised. The Lodge controlled both the general Lodge fund and a separate hardship fund. The women’s support group had to justify every expense with detailed plans and budgets when they needed money. Yet it wasn’t long before the women found ways to syphon off a good deal of the money thereby having an income of their own.
Women also organised discos to raise money and keep young people off the streets. They only got help from the men as ‘bouncers’ to handle unruly youths. Miners were reluctant to do this job, but women insisted that the discos would stop without their help.
At first, the Lodge also did the shopping for the food parcels, but their choices weren’t nutritious. Women suggested better alternatives, carefully, to avoid offending them. Then eventually, the Lodge let some of the women go with them to do the shopping. Whilst it sometimes felt like everything and everyone was against them, the women found ways to get the job done.
We could only use the school kitchen in the holiday periods, and we had to follow very strict rules laid down by the council. The council also wanted us to buy from their suppliers – it was crazy as they were much more expensive than the cash and carry. We had to prove that we had used them, but then we used to get other things and just sneak them in, but they would have inspectors coming out to check. It was a hard slog. We fed about 300 families.
Undeterred, the women of Sacriston sought innovative solutions, such as establishing a second-hand shop. This initiative not only provided financial support but also served as a sanctuary for miners’ wives, fostering solidarity and support amidst adversity.
Their struggles extended beyond the confines of Sacriston too. The Department of Health and Social Security’s punitive measures, deducting benefits for receiving food parcels, exemplified the systemic challenges women faced, including from the police.
When we were out picketing, we were thrown to the ground, we were handcuffed. We were treated like the men. In fact, when the police were in the village, they targeted the women, stopping them in the street, questioning the whereabouts of their children.
Although their efforts were not without internal tensions, the women navigated these bureaucratic hurdles and male dominance to ensure the well-being of their community. Balancing loyalty to the union with the need for autonomy, women traversed delicate relationships within the community. And despite resistance from entrenched Lodge officials, support from younger NUM members offered a glimmer of hope amidst the strife.
Sacriston’s women demonstrated resilience and solidarity, their contributions integral to the fabric of the strike. Anna’s first-hand account serves as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by women in the mining communities, a history often overshadowed by tales of male heroism.
As we reflect on the legacy of the miners’ strike, we need to remember the untold stories of women like Anna, whose courage and perseverance continue to inspire generations. Theirs is a legacy of resilience, defiance, and unwavering solidarity.
Which we honour again in July with We’re Not Going Back, including a trip to Durham. Book here!
John Heywood
Main picture: Anna at a rally in Sheffield (c) Ethel Claughan & Anna Lawson
Recent News
- Meet the brand new cast for our musical We’re Not Going Back, touring October 2024
- CAPA College students discuss what they’re learning from their time on ‘Sanctuary’ about working in theatre
- Opportunity knocks for talented young creatives by CAPA College’s Artistic Development Manager, Stacey Johnstone
- Cheryl Martin talks about the issues tackled in the musical, the impact theatre can have and the importance of supporting local arts organisations.
- Award-winning playwright, campaigner and co-creator of ‘Sanctuary’ Sarah Woods discusses the origins of the musical, the importance of artistic collaboration, and why theatre can help tackle serious subjects.
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