News
A New Chapter at Red Ladder Theatre Company as Artistic Director Rod Dixon Departs for Fresh Adventure
After 17 years at the helm at Red Ladder Theatre Company, Artistic Director Rod Dixon has announced he is leaving the company to help set up an Arts-Led, off-grid intentional community in Scotland at the end of the year.
For almost two decades, Rod has been instrumental in putting the work, ideals and values of Red Ladder Theatre Company centre stage. His energy, passion and commitment have been central to producing theatre that contributes to a more socially, environmentally and economically just world. From 2006, when he joined the company, Red Ladder’s work has widened its reach from small-scale touring to the main stages of the Liverpool Royal Court with Homebaked The Musical, Leeds Playhouse, The Lowry, York Theatre Royal, the Edinburgh Fringe and more with The Damned United, and many other prestigious venues over a number of national tours. He has also been a powerhouse of the Red Ladder ethos of bringing theatre to non-traditional venues, and audiences.
Rod has headed up a rich period of discovering and nurturing new talent as well as directing shows such as The Promised Land, Shed Crew, the aforementioned The Damned United, Mother Courage and Glory. He has helped to train and encourage hundreds of new actors and developed an impressive alumnus through Red Grit, Red Ladder’s unique, free and flexible alternative to formal acting training. In addition to helping many budding actors and supporting mid-career artists Rod has actively embraced working with early-career creatives like writers, set designers, lighting designers, sound designers and stage managers whose experience with Red Ladder has given them a springboard into the industry.
The company is very sorry to see Rod go and wishes him well for the next exciting chapter in his life; however, his departure leaves considerably large Doc Martens to fill! The Red Ladder Board has brought together an Artistic Direction Working Group to determine the way forward for the company. The Group is currently exploring what the future artistic direction may look like for Red Ladder Theatre Company as an Arts Council England-funded national portfolio organisation and will be consulting with a wide range of stakeholders and voices within the theatre community.
It’s a very exciting time for the company as we go forward into our new chapter. We are completely open as to what our future artistic direction might be but remain committed to our Vision, Mission and Values: we are a radical theatre company producing new theatre that contributes to social change; we take risks and challenge the idea of theatre and who it is for; we have a human heart and equality and justice are at the centre of all we do.
The application process for a new Artistic Director is likely to begin in July 2023. If you have any questions in the meantime you can contact the Artistic Direction Working Group directly by emailing recruitment@redladder.co.uk.
Taxi Casting Call Out
Red Ladder is excited to announce we are opening auditions to be part of our upcoming performance, TAXI, coming this August.
We are looking for volunteers to be part of the Community Chorus, tasked with bringing the city of Leeds alive.
TAXI is a unique production which takes Director Douglas Thorpe’s real experiences of driving taxis in Leeds to explore the city’s dark underbelly, bringing audiences face to face with the despair, hope and loneliness that a life in perpetual transit creates.
TAXI sees the streets of the city in all their visceral glory. He meets so many people but knows no one: a silent observer of the best and worst of humanity. Slowly fading into a fantasy world of black and white movies to escape this ugly reality, can anyone save him?
Climb aboard as Red Ladder Theatre Company brings Andrea Heaton’s searing script to life. Co-directed by Rod Dixon (Red Ladder Theatre Company) and mad dogs dance theatre director (and ex-taxi driver) Douglas Thorpe, this original fusion of exhilarating theatre and dance will take you on a thrilling ride you won’t forget!
TAXI is a joint production in association with Red Ladder Theatre Company, mad dogs dance theatre and Spin Arts.
TAXI is supported using public funding by Arts Council England, Leeds Inspired and Leeds City Council.
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY CHORUS
What will I be doing?
As a member of the chorus, you will be on your feet for the whole show, moving across the stage and helping to make the street scenes come alive. You will move pieces of set and props to make the scene transitions happen quickly and magically. You might get the opportunity to play characters who are passengers and customers, but you won’t have to learn lines, as all the chorus voices are going to be pre-recorded to be a track played through the PA. This becomes part of the sound design to which the chorus will respond and move to.
If you want to learn about movement and develop your skills, this is an exciting opportunity to work alongside some of our talented cast.
What is the commitment?
Rehearsals: Sunday (10:00 AM – 4:00 PM), and Monday and Tuesday evenings starting from 9 July 2023
Performances: Technical & dress rehearsals and performances start on 7 August 2023 and the final show is on Sunday 20 August 2023. We will be having two teams so you would not have to commit to all the performances.
TAXI will be performed on the following dates-
Thu 10 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM
Fri 11 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM
Sat 12 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM
Sun 13 Aug 2023 3:00 PM, 8:00 PM
Tue 15 Aug 2023 8:00 PM
Wed 16 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM
Thu 17 Aug 2023, 3:00 PM, 8:00 PM
Fri 18 Aug 2023, 8:00 PM
Sat 19 Aug 2023, 3:00 PM, 8:00 PM
Sun 20 Aug 2023, 6:00 PM
If you need support with travel expenses for rehearsals and performances then please let us know.
How do I sign up?
Saturday 10 June 2023 – 10 am – 12 pm, The Bobbin Room, Sunny Bank Mills, Farsley, Leeds LS28 5UJ
Saturday 10 June 2023 – 1.30 pm – 3.30 pm, RJC Dance, The Mandela Centre, Chapeltown Road, Leeds LS7 3HY
Sunday 11 June 2023 – 11.30 am – 1.30 pm, City Exchange, 11, Albion Street, Leeds LS1 5ES
You can book here
Places are strictly limited on a first come; first served basis so get in there fast!
The audition will be in a workshop format so please bring water and wear loose and comfortable clothes as there will be movement-based activities. If you have any access requirements we can support you with, or medical conditions you feel we should be aware of for your safety, you will be able to let us know when you sign up.
The deadline to apply is 6 pm on the 8th June 2023
Feel free to select a different audition date/venue if your preferred option is full.
Red Ladder Theatre Company partners with The Cluntergate Centre to deliver Theatre for Wakefield
Red Ladder Theatre Company has announced its partnership with The Cluntergate Centre, Horbury to deliver its Theatre for Wakefield project. The project, created by The Cluntergate Centre, has been made possible thanks to funding from Wakefield Council’s Culture Grant.
As part of the project, Red Ladder, with The Cluntergate Centre, will work to deepen the reach and impact of cultural offerings in the district by taking high-quality theatre and professionally run participatory projects to three venues across Wakefield: The Grove Hall in South Kirkby, Queen’s Mill in Castleford and The Cluntergate Centre itself in Horbury. This includes delivering three theatre shows at each venue from October 2022 – March 2023 with all show tickets £5 or below.
The Cluntergate Centre was awarded funding to create, produce and generate creative and cultural activity in Wakefield, for the people of Wakefield. The pieces have been specially chosen based on the venues and their members’ feedback, reflecting the communities they represent and their values.
Another element of the project is to build a creative network across Wakefield. Linking up these three venues will facilitate collaboration, allowing them to swap successes and discuss shared goals. This includes bringing new people to the centres, growing participation at workshops, showcasing the venues as hire spaces, and increasing overall footfall.
The productions include: My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored, a gripping tussle of power which provokes questions about racial identity, and Blow Down, a production which explores the hopes and anxieties around the closure of Ferrybridge Power Station. Blow Down is expected to resonate with similar communities in the north and the urgent need for ‘levelling up’. Plus, Curious Investigators, an interactive engineering adventure for young scientists of 3-7 years old, and their grown-ups. A fourth and final production is also yet to be confirmed.
Two free stand-up comedy courses will also be held at The Grove Hall from the 18th of January and The Cluntergate Centre from the 22nd of January, run by comedian Alex Dunlop. The courses will provide attendees with an introduction to stand-up comedy and teach them the basics of creating and developing material, and delivering it to audiences. Alex also runs the Armley Comedy Club for Leeds Playhouse, which is funded by Comic Relief and won the Best Age Friendly Outreach Award at the Fantastic for Families Awards 2022.
As well as this, at The Queen’s Mill Castleford from the 12th of January, Red Ladder will host its popular actor training course, Red Grit, a free and flexible alternative to formal acting training led by Red Ladder’s Artistic Director, Rod Dixon. Open to anyone who wants to explore their potential as an actor, the eight weekly sessions will teach attendees how to create a character, develop relationships and work as an ensemble. Also at The Queen’s Mill, the venue will host an Arts At The Arms event (12th December) providing an evening of cabaret from the best talent in the region.
For full details on how to sign up to the Stand-up Comedy courses and Red Grit, audiences should visit Red Ladder’s website here: https://www.redladder.co.uk/news/
To buy tickets to attend Arts At The Arms at The Queen’s Mill, visit Red Ladder’s website here: https://www.redladder.co.uk/whatson/arts-at-the-arms/
The performances were supported with a Culture Grant by Wakefield Council.
The Real Stories of the People Behind Blow Down
Blow Down is a new play by award-winning playwright, Garry Lyons, a gritty musical weaving the voices of local people from Ferrybridge and Knottingley, into a thought-provoking piece of theatre.
The play begins with the fall of the cooling towers at Ferrybridge Power station, focusing on an employee with 30 years of service, lamenting: “I spent a lifetime trying to keep that place going. Now it’s gone in seconds.”
The focus of the play is very much loss, as much about the fall of a community as the dramatic collapse of two cooling towers. A community that feels left behind; sold on a promise of stable work for generations to come, that was ultimately unfulfilled in a single generation. We talked to two of the main contributors to the play – Yan and Margaret – whose stories are brought to life by the actors on stage.
The people behind the voices of the stage production tell the tale of a once-thriving community, fading due to neglect and lack of investment. But also that of an enduring community, despite the demise of the physical space, and the importance of theatre in giving a voice to those who feel they have been ignored.
Between 2020 and 2022, the cooling towers of Ferrybridge Power Station in Knottingley were demolished, marking the end of nearly a century of history tied to the production of energy. Inspired by this, Garry Lyons gathered the stories and experiences of the local community living in the shadow of the towers and created Blow Down, mapping the fortunes of a post-industrial Yorkshire town from the 1970s to the modern day.
Yan, whose heritage was tightly interwoven into the local community, and Margaret, whose family moved to Yorkshire from Scotland to work in the pits, both had their stories conveyed verbatim. The play tracks their experiences and others growing up in the thriving community that existed around the Ferrybridge Power station and pits, and its eventual decline.
Margaret and Yan both speak fondly of growing up in the shadow of the towers and talk of a community forged together despite their differences. Margaret moved to the area in the 1960s from Scotland, moving as her family sought work in the Kellingley Colliery. She was one of many, as a large group of workers from Scotland and Durham moved to Knottingley and Ferrybridge in pursuit of work at the power station or mines. “We built a little Scotland,” she says, “right here in Yorkshire.”
Yan’s family had lived in the area for generations, and thus he can give a different perspective on how the local population reacted to the influx of new inhabitants. Both talk of initial hostility between the two communities thrust together by circumstance. Concerns about jobs and housing, and as Margaret jokingly puts it, “the Scots stealing the women” caused friction.
However, over time greater cooperation occurred between the groups, as it appeared the new population could create jobs rather than take them away. A new more cohesive community could be born.
Yan’s family gained work through this new influx of people and a shared community was allowed to flourish. “On Warwick estate” Yan notes “ You left your doors open, not just unlocked, from Christmas to New Year’s and people went in and out of people’s houses as they pleased, celebrating with one another.” Garry Lyons brings these experiences to life in Blow Down, with Margaret’s warmth and wit alongside her fellow Scot, Anna, a large presence in the play, illustrating the camaraderie that developed among those living in the shadow of the towers.
Both Yan and Margaret talk fondly of their time growing up in the area. While nostalgia can make us look upon the past with a rose-tinted view, their accounts tell of a local community thriving. A whole host of pubs littered the landscape, and a community centre funded by miners’ wages tells of a population invested in the ties to their local community.
Margaret recalls packed clubs being a regular occurrence, she said: “It was always busy. They used to have busloads in. They used to have to shut the doors because they couldn’t let anyone else in!”
Even a locally renowned carnival, reminiscent of that of Notting Hill, was an annual celebration going back decades. Yan says “people would spend weeks making outfits. It was massive!” Their accounts reflect what Garry seeks to encapsulate in his play, a working-class community that forged close bonds, despite the difficult and sometimes dangerous jobs they carried out.
Both Yan and Margaret speak of a community once thriving, and both too speak of anger at its decline. Yan points to the decline in industry leading to slow neglect of the area. Yan says “There’s nothing here now, there’s no investment in the community. It’s the same as loads of little mining towns in the North.”
The power station and the colliery were gradually drawn back in scale decades before the eventual blowing up of the cooling towers leading to a gradual dismantling of local community ties. They argue that community hubs remain underfunded and public services that were once provided are now taken away. Yan in particular notes promises that a swimming pool would be kept open, something of particular importance with the community being surrounded by waterways. He said “I have the letter somewhere. They promised they would keep the swimming pool open, promised they wouldn’t shut it. That’s gone now.”
The thriving social scene of pubs has now been reduced to a handful of sites, and the community centres have one by one been redeveloped. Knottingley Community Hub originally funded by the labour of the miners fell into disrepair, a microcosm for a community built on the promises of prosperity for generations to come, now broken.
The picture you get from talking to both Margaret and Yan is a sense of anger at the state of their community, left to fade unheard. Yan notes “people don’t know what they’ve lost because they’ve not experienced it.”
Margaret herself says that she feels “their history has been being rubbed out.”
While anger at the fading of community is a through line in both Blow Down and the accounts of Yan and Margaret, you also can get the sense of an eagerness to sustain their social ties and celebrate their community regardless. Yan himself has made substantial efforts to preserve the voices of the local community. He interviewed significant figures from the area, recording their accounts for perpetuity and sharing the stories of people who have since passed away. He also created a Facebook page for people to share their stories growing up in the area, strengthening social ties that had been strained by time and distance. Yan noted it was a place to “post pictures, memories, get people talking despite living miles away.”
On this fertile ground, Garry was able to create Blow Down, amplifying the voices of people eager to share their experiences. Blow Down allows a creative expression for the community, something lost with the shutting down of pubs and halls, which put local comedians and performers out of business. This makes it all the more important that Red Ladder theatre company is bringing the Theatre Royal Wakefield production of Blow Down to local venues, hopefully reigniting the creative scene in the area. Local people can see their stories dramatized on their doorstep.
Margret and Yan both articulate their excitement at the play to possibly draw attention to the difficulties of the area and instigate change. Blow Down captures the voices of people who believe they have been unheard, bringing those voices to new ears in non-traditional venues, potentially inspiring the change that the community seeks.
The Theatre Royal Wakefield production of Blow Down has been brought to Cluntergate Centre, Queens Mill and Grove Hall, courtesy of a Wakefield Council Culture Grant. Red Ladder Theatre Company collaborated with The Cluntergate Centre to secure its Theatre for Wakefield Project, funded by Wakefield Council to bring professional theatre productions and performances to non-traditional venues, bringing Blow Down to the doorsteps of the community that inspired it.
The Theatre for Wakefield Blow Down shows will be performing at:
Friday 17th February – Grove Hall, South Kirkby
Saturday 18th February – The Cluntergate Centre, Horbury
Sunday 19th February – The Queen’s Mill Castleford, Castleford
Tickets for the three shows are available to buy via the Theatre Royal Wakefield website:
The full Blow Down tour dates can be found here: Theatre Royal Wakefield
Belle Isle Stories: a blog from our Creative Producer Alice Barber
Since 2016 we have been curating Red Ladder Local, our network of alternative venues – village halls, working men’s clubs, and community centres – across West and South Yorkshire. In collaboration with the people who run these venues, we plan a regular programme of theatre performances and creative activity, bringing theatre to the doorstep of each community.
This time last year, we were approached by one of our partners, Belle Isle Tenant Management Organisation (BITMO), who run The Gate in South Leeds. They asked if we could create a piece of theatre that shone a light on positive stories from within their community. And so – after the securing of some serendipitous funding – “Belle Isle Stories” was born in the Spring of this year.
The project saw professional writers, actors and creatives collaborate with tenants living in properties managed by BITMO to create some short pieces of writing, based on their stories and experiences. Parallel to this, we ran two courses: an Acting course, and a Writing Group.
Four short pieces were produced; one of them, the epic poem ‘Belle Avenue’, was co-created between a professional writer and the participants of this Writing Group. All were inspired by the stories that people told us. We came across accounts of phenomenal strength, resilience, kindness, and community – the senses of which have made their way into every piece. It was a bloomin’ pleasure.
You can view ‘Belle Avenue’ below.
It felt like a waste not to document them more permanently – and so, we filmed each piece, with the help of a few familiar faces. All four films are now available to view in full on Red Ladder’s YouTube channel.
The films are a “Who’s Who” of Red Ladder success stories: previous participants of community productions such as ‘Leeds Lads’, and graduates of our free-to-access Red Grit Actor Training course. See who you can spot!
Too often, work in communities doesn’t receive as much fanfare as it should. But delivering more work like this forms a large part of our most recent National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) funding promise, and is the crux of the uplift we received – building further on Red Ladder Local’s network, and extending it further into the Barnsley district. I’m very excited about it, so watch this space.
Thank you to the incredible Belle Isle Stories team, who with very limited time and resources, but a great deal of goodwill and passion, have made this project possible.
We hope you enjoy what we created, and we hope we’ve done the community proud. If you want to watch all four films, they’re now available on our YouTube channel. Click here.
BITMO & Red Ladder’s Belle Isle Stories is kindly supported with funding from Let’s Create Jubilee Fund, Leeds Community Foundation, National Lottery Heritage Fund and Arts Council England Funding.
Sign Up Now! Red Grit & Stand-Up Comedy
In partnership with The Cluntergate Centre, we are running three exciting courses in Wakefield District. They will be held at Red Ladder Local venues: Queen’s Mill in Castleford, The Grove Hall in South Kirkby, and The Cluntergate Centre in Horbury.
Courses are free of charge to the participant, and sign-up is open NOW!
STAND-UP COMEDY COURSES IN SOUTH KIRKBY AND HORBURY
In a Red Ladder first, we are excited to announce that we will be holding two Stand-Up Comedy courses, run by local comedian Alex Dunlop!
The course will be an introduction to stand-up comedy. You don’t need to have any performing or writing experience, just a willingness to learn and try something new. Every week we’ll go through the basics of creating and developing material and delivering it to audiences.
Alex has been teaching comedy and improvisation for almost five years, with a background in live performance. He also runs Leeds Playhouse’s Armley Comedy Club, which recently won the Fantastic for Families Award for the Best Age-Friendly Outreach activity.
The courses will run as follows:
The Grove Hall, South Kirkby
Wednesday evenings from 6.30pm – 8pm on the following dates: 18th Jan, 25th Jan, 1st Feb, 8th Feb, (NOT 15th) 22nd Feb, 1st March, 8th March
The Cluntergate Centre, Horbury
Sunday afternoons from 2.30pm – 4pm on the following dates: 22nd Jan, 29th Jan, 5th Feb, 12th Feb, (NOT 19th) 26th Feb, 5th March, 12th March
Places are limited and allocated on a first come, first served basis. Wakefield District postcodes will be given priority. If the cost of travel is a barrier to your attendance, we can reimburse your costs; this will be arranged once your place has been offered. Please note that the course is for 18+ only, and both venues are wheelchair accessible.
Applications closed on Friday 9th December, however we may still be able to offer you a place. Please email alice@redladder.co.uk to enquire.
RED GRIT IS COMING TO CASTLEFORD
We are thrilled to confirm that we will be running a Red Grit Beginners Acting Course at Queen’s Mill in Castleford!
The sessions will run on Thursday evenings from 6pm – 8.30pm on the following dates: 12th Jan, 19th Jan, 26th Jan, 2nd Feb, 9th Feb, 16th Feb.
Read more, and sign up to the course via our Red Grit page.
All activity has been funded with a Culture Grant by Wakefield Council.
Casting Call Out For New Production ‘Blow Down’
Theatre Royal Wakefield are looking for Yorkshire-based actors for Blow Down written by Garry Lyons (Frankie and Tommy, Wicked, Yaar! & Mohicans) and directed by Tess Seddon (Say Yes To Tess, Leeds Playhouse).
Researched during the pandemic, Blown Down is a verbatim piece with musical elements to mark the closure of Ferrybridge Power Station near his home in Yorkshire, and the phased demolition of its iconic cooling towers.
Dates required:
Rehearsals start: Monday 9th January 2023
Leeds Playhouse run: 3rd – 11th February 2023
Yorkshire Tour Overall Dates: 14th February – 5 March 2023
Tour dates in full are listed below.
Theatre Royal Wakefield are looking to fill the following roles:
JACK ALL-TRADES
– Any ethnicity, male, ideal age – 40-60 (could be 35-70), authentic northern (Yorkshire), and must be a skilled drummer.
-Jack throws himself into everything he does, until he burns out. A late in life diagnosis of bi-polar disorder has given him a new understanding of himself.
POWER WORKER
– Any ethnicity, male, ideal age – 40-60 (could be 35-70), authentic northern (Yorkshire)
-He’s worked his way up at the power station through the good times and the accidents only to see it fall apart. Reflective and conflicted.
GLASS WORKER/LOCAL COUNCILLOR/CLUB MANAGER
– Any ethnicity, male, ideal age – 40-60, authentic northern (Yorkshire), capable of playing a range of ages/characters
-GLASSWORKER – a practical man who feels conflicted looking back at the jokes of his youth
-LOCAL COUNCILLOR – always on the go, keen to improve his hometown
-CLUB MANAGER – a believer in his community, passionate
1st WIFE FROM FIFE
– Any ethnicity, female, ideal age 40-60 (could be 35-70), authentic Scottish (Fife),
-best friends with 2nd Wife from Fife, they’ve lived through some challenging times but want to look on the bright side, comic but reflective
2nd WIFE FROM FIFE
– Any ethnicity, female, ideal age 40-60 (could be 35-70), authentic Scottish (Fife),
-Best friends with 1st Wife from Fife, they’ve lived through some challenging times but want to look on the bright side, comic but fiery
They are seeking to reflect diversity of the region and are keen to hear from anyone identifying as ethnically diverse, disabled, and / or neurodivergent.
HOW TO APPLY
To apply, please send your name, which role you would like to be considered for and a CV/spotlight link via email to Olivia Barr (Casting Director) on livbarrcasting@gmail.com. If they would like to consider you for the production, they will request a self-tape which will need to be returned to Olivia by 10 am on Monday 28th Nov.
Due to high volume of applications, if you have not been invited to meeting by the 5th Dec 22, then you will not have been successful on this occasion.
Confirmed Tour Venues:
14 February 2023 Wakefield Theatre Royal
15 February 2023 Harrogate Studio
16 February 2023 Washington
17 February 2023 Grove Hall
18 February 2023 Cluntergate
19 February 2023 Queen’s Mill
23 February 2023 Selby Town Hall
24 February 2023 Hull Truck
25 February 2023 Knottingley
26 February 2023 Knottingley
28 February 2023 CAST Doncaster
01 March 2023 Alnwick Main House
02 March 2023 Queens Hall Hexham
03 March 2023 Viaduct Halifax
Arts Council England Funding Announcement
Leeds-based theatre company, Red Ladder is delighted to announce it has retained core funding from Arts Council England (ACE) after it announced its National Funding Portfolio (Friday 4th November).
Red Ladder Artistic Director, Rod Dixon, said: “This is excellent news for Red Ladder Theatre Company and will help us to continue to support new writing, nurture emerging talent, both on stage and behind the scenes, and provide a platform for marginalised voices.
“Today’s announcement will help us to carry on bringing challenging theatre and productions to new, non-traditional audiences. It is a huge vote of confidence in our work.”
Red Ladder Co-Chair, Emma McDowell said: “We are delighted with the news today that Arts Council England has chosen to continue to support Red Ladder. The team and board collaborated on an incredibly strong programme of work, building on the success and hard work of the past few years. This crucial investment enables us to work with artists and creatives who would not be able to access theatre through more traditional routes and provide a platform for voices and stories that would otherwise go unheard across communities and theatres nationwide.”
“Whilst Red Ladder is grateful to receive continued core grant support, we acknowledge the disappointment felt by other organisations who were less fortunate and hope to provide many opportunities to work with and support a broad range of creatives over the next funding cycle.”
Photo Credit: Ant Robling
Bernard Atha CBE Statement:
Red Ladder Theatre Company is deeply saddened to hear of the recent passing of Bernard Atha CBE. Mr Atha was fundamental in bringing Red Ladder to Leeds and was an outstanding Chairman and advocate for Red Ladder from the early 1970s until 2014, when he stood down. His leadership and friendship and championing of the arts in Leeds coupled with his fierce support of independent theatre was an important part of Red Ladder’s history. Our deepest condolences to his friends and family, he will be sorely missed.
Image courtesy of Yorkshire Post
Edinburgh Fringe 2022
Watch out, Edinburgh. We’re heading to the Fringe!
We’re excited to announce that we will be taking MY VOICE WAS HEARD BUT IT WAS IGNORED by breakthrough talent Nana-Kofi Kufuor to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2022 as part of the Summerhall programme.
Following a successful tour in 2021 we are thrilled that this gripping and urgent play – and the pertinent questions it raises about racial identity – will reach a wider audience at this year’s festival.
Rod Dixon said: “ We’ve reunited a fantastic creative team including director Dermot Daly and look forward to taking this necessary and relevant work to an international audience in Edinburgh.”
Nana-Kofi Kufuor is a Ghanaian-English writer from Stockport making big waves in theatre. He is currently a cohort of the Hampstead Theatre’s INSPIRE programme mentored by award-winning playwright Roy Williams and an associate artist at Oldham Coliseum.
The play draws influence from his experiences growing up in Stockport with Ghanaian parents, and working in education with young people from a range of backgrounds.
Nana-Kofi Kufuor said: “Working at a Pupil Referral Unit, I once had a student try to take a knife to stab another student. Once I’d calmed him down, we sat in the canteen and he explained to me he wasn’t going to go quietly. The police were outside and they took him. I saw him a few weeks later, and he asked why I didn’t help him? That rush of guilt changed to anger and quickly to sympathy as he saw me as his protector. But I knew I couldn’t do anything. The crux of this play is how two people react to the same situation: they go on a journey; a journey a lot of people of colour go on – a realisation that where you are now isn’t necessarily where you come from.”
The play is directed by Leeds-based actor, director and filmmaker Dermot Daly whose extensive credits for stage and screen include work with Leeds Playhouse, Slung Low, Talawa, Theatre Royal Stratford East, BBC, ITV and Channel 4.
Dermot Daley said “My Voice Was Heard But It Was Ignored is a play about identity, about love, and how both of those things intersect with race. We don’t talk about race. We shout about race, we worry about it, we ignore it, we politicise it, but we don’t talk about it and the experiences and quality of life that are impacted by being ‘other’. This play investigates what race can feel like; how it touches everything, including a tangible sense of self.”
The original cast reprise their roles with Misha Duncan-Barry as ‘Gillian’ and Jelani D’Aguilar as ‘Reece’.
MY VOICE WAS HEARD BUT IT WAS IGNORED will play from Wednesday 3 – Sunday 28 August 2022 (No performance 15 & 22 August).
