Claire Dowie Double Bill

Arsehammers

The Year of the Monkey

Wed 12th - Sat 15th January 2011
7.15pm (+ Saturday matinee 2pm)

The Crescent Studio 0121 643 5858

www.crescent-theatre.co.uk

All tickets £8.50

Stage2 is delighted to have special permission from our Patron, Claire Dowie, to present the Premieres of two of her stand-up theatre monologues as full cast, one-act plays. In the same style as 2009’s Spoonface Steinberg, we will blast the monologues apart for an ensemble of 20 young people.

In Arsehammers a young boy mishears his parents discussing his Granddad’s Alzheimer's in whispered voices and thinks the secrecy means it must be a rude word! He then goes off on a flight of fancy, imagining him as a Superhero with magic powers. His theories all seem to fit in with his Granddad’s true predicament eg he keeps disappearing (to fight secret battles), he goes to get looked after by experts (who could invent special devices for him like James Bond).

In The Year of the Monkey a mother yearns for some dynamism and passion to puncture the boredom of her middle-class life. At her daughter’s wedding (which she wishes had an Irish theme so everyone could sing and dance and whirl…), she reflects ‘We’ve lived this superficial relationship and ignored the churning undercurrents, disregarded the bubbling emotions, because it’s not done to talk about them. Because now’s not the time, now’s never the time. All the time in the world to talk about nothing.’

Press Release

Following a fantastic summer term in which Stage2 performed a lively comedy of John Godber’s Shakers, “There is truly a wealth of talent within this society and Liz Light knows just what to do to extract that talent” Birmingham and District Theatre Guild, we are now embarking on the premiere of two monologues by acclaimed contemporary playwright Claire Dowie, Arsehammers and The Year of the Monkey. With special permission from Claire Dowie herself to present the Premieres of these two monologues as full cast one-act plays, we will be blasting the text apart for ensembles of young people. Both shows are stylised, containing choral speaking and synchronised movements, interspersed with naturalistic acting. This is bound to be a fantastic evening production that will match Stage2‘s high standards and brilliant reputation for putting on professional standard shows.

“I am always impressed by Stage2’s productions and look forward to their imaginative staging of my work. They are a brilliant company and I am very proud to be their Patron”
Claire Dowie

Arsehammers is about a boy who mishears his parents discussing his Grandad’s Alzheimer’s in whispered voices. Going off on a flight of fancy, he imagines him as a superhero with magic powers. His theories all seem to fit in with his Grandad’s true predicament – he keeps disappearing (to fight secret battles) and he goes to get looked after by experts (who could invent special devices for him like James Bond).

The Year of the Monkey is set at a wedding in which the mother of the bride yearns for some dynamism and passion to puncture the boredom of her middle-class life.  At the wedding she reflects: ‘We’ve lived this superficial relationship and ignored the churning undercurrents, disregarded the bubbling emotions, because its not done to talk about them. Because now’s not the time, now’s never the time. All the time in the world to talk about nothing.’  The play switches between naturalistic wedding scenes and inner thought scenes where the characters all take on the mothers’ ideas in a stylised, sometimes frantic portrayal of what she wishes she could say.

“A company that shows discipline beyond its years in a triumph of teamwork”
Evening Mail

Stage2 always strives to give members an incredibly valuable experience that they will be able to take forwards and build on in whatever they wish to do in the future. This show has allowed members to access different styles of acting and we are confident that this will be a show audiences will love. Just two years ago Stage2 adapted Lee Hall’s monologue Spoonface Steinberg into a play for a cast of 24 resulting in a fantastic 5 star review.  “The company has been choreographed into a vibrant whole, mostly on the move but at times freezing exquisitely into stillness” Evening Mail.  The same energy, effort and dedication that went into all our past productions will be poured into our two one-act shows, as Stage2 strives to maintain the high standards and professionalism that are now synonymous with the company.
 

Claire Dowie
Claire Dowie is a radical, contemporary playwright, described as ‘the supreme advocate of rebellion’ (The Stage). She invented her own theatre style, Stand-up Theatre, in which the actor is talking directly to, and responding to the audience – more reminiscent of pantomime than the traditional idea of a monologue performance. Through this unique style, Claire has written many award-winning plays, including Adult Child Dead Child (1988 Time Out Theatre Award) and Why Is John Lennon Wearing a Skirt? (1991 London Fringe Award). Her plays have been performed in five different languages, and are in production across the world. Claire and her collaborator Colin Watkeys are also Stage2’s patrons. They are hugely supportive of the work in Stage2, giving exclusive workshops to our members, and allowing the company free-reign to give her work the Stage2 treatment!

“Claire Dowie combines the smoothness and audience rapport of a stand-up comic, the hypnotic intensity of an inspired storyteller and the inventiveness of an insightful and sensitive author… alternately (and sometimes simultaneously) comic, moving and frightening,
 sprinkled with flashes of high comedy”
The Stage

Stage2
Stage2 is Birmingham’s busiest Youth Theatre, but most importantly one of the friendliest. No auditions are necessary to join, and anyone aged between 7 and 21 is welcome. We are also one of the cheapest Youth theatres in Birmingham, as all activities are already subsidized to some degree for all our members. However we are more than just a busy, friendly and affordable youth theatre. We’re an independent company, safe and supportive, free of bullying, and the perfect environment to grow in confidence and maturity. Our number one rule is that “No one is ever left out” and it is respected and upheld by every member.

“Stage2 gives these young people a sense of purpose, a sense of direction,
 a sense of belonging.”
Parent

The opportunities are endless in Stage2 – as the members of the company can be involved in its running at every level! Members can be involved in 3 or more full scale shows a year; having a cast role, being a part of the chorus, doing Stage Management, operating lighting or sound, doing front of house and even assistant directing. Members can also take part in a wide range of workshops – different each term, from General Drama, to Musical Theatre, to “Classics” (including everything from Faustus to Star Wars)! We offer a wide range of related qualifications such as LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts) and Arts Award for those who want to take acting forward as a hobby or career, and one to one support for those aiming to go to drama school. On top of all this, Stage2 has in place an extensive programme of varied work experience through Fundraising and Marketing Committees and our Trainee Tutor Scheme, where members can undertake their own projects to help support and run the company. Furthermore we have an integral Mentor Scheme to help maintain a friendly and supportive atmosphere, which has been accredited by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation (the first and only Youth Theatre to have been recognized as such).

If you would like any further information, photos, interviews or have questions about the show or our company, please visit our website www.stage2.org or contact:
Stage2 – This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 07961 018 841