Theatre
Connections: A New Writing Showcase
Standard: £11
Concessions: £10
The Uncaged Theatre Winter Showcase, ‘Connections’, features four new writing pieces, by female-identifying writers, each lasting 30 minutes with a 15-minute interval. The plays explore themes such as troubled relationships, blurred boundaries, contemporary challenges faced by women, and the comedic but poignant upheaval caused by a forgotten friend in an ordinary family.
Stable by Taruna Nalini
Jack, a troubled psychologist, is drawn to his patient Ava. In his therapy with Tara, he attempts to explore his feelings but falters. Meanwhile, Ava’s newfound ease from therapy prompts her to invite home, Nathan, an old friend, resulting in troubling consequences for her and subsequently for Jack. This gripping narrative delves into relationships, boundaries, and the repercussions of our actions.
As We Know It by Paige Farnham
Two lifelong friends, Charlie and Georgia, are on the cusp of adulthood. Instead of being excited for their coming of age, they think it’s all coming to an end. After discovering secrets on the dark web, exposing an imminent world ending threat, they decide to spend their last night alive together.
How I See Things by Sophia Spooner
How I See Things explores some of the contemporary challenges that women experience today. The stories have been formed by an ongoing dialogue growing out of conversations and workshops with women. The play is raw and uncomfortable, containing challenging themes, depicting women in their most private and personal space, the bedroom.
Forgotten Friends by Eilish Poston-Saynor
Forgotten friends is a play that explores an ordinary family’s dynamic that is disrupted when an old forgotten friend comes to stay. Although mostly welcomed by Leonard, his wife, Jenny and daughter, Sarah are not so sure of him when he reveals secrets of the family he should not know.
Writers
Paige Farnham – ‘As We Know It’
Paige started her creative career as an actor. She studied Drama and Creative Writing at university as a mature student and there, she discovered her love of writing. Since graduating, Paige has been writing plays, novels and screenplays with the goal of having some of her projects published and seen on stages and screens.
Taruna Nalini – ‘Stable’
Taruna Nalini has worked with Theatre Nisha since 2004, acting in, producing and lighting both amateur and professional plays in India. Her first performance in the UK was a solo show, ‘Singarevva and the Palace’ at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014. In 2022, Taruna co-founded the UK wing of Theatre Nisha, to bring unique stories from the subcontinent to the UK. She is also the co-founder of Uncaged Theatre, an organisation that promotes the work of early-career creatives in South West England. Taruna debuts as a playwright with her play ‘Stable’.
Sophia Spooner – ‘How I See Things’
I am a writer and workshop facilitator based in Stroud. Having studied English and Sociology at University I am keen to engage with theatre as a way of telling stories to highlight contemporary issues. I want to use theatre as a tool to lift up marginalised voices and use art as a tool so we can understand ourselves and others better. How I See Things arose due to my frustration at the lack of roles and representation of women in theatre. Whilst there is a role for the everyman, I feel the role of every woman is lacking.
Eilish Poston-Saynor
I’m a writer and director based in Bristol. I studied Drama with Creative Writing at UWE, graduating in 2019. Since graduating I have been continuing writing plays, poetry and a novel. Most recently I have co-written and will be performing an original piece ‘Corporate Floss’ for Spark24 at the Tobacco factory theatre. I adore stories and find writing to be an almost therapeutic tool that I use to delve into difficult topics whilst also maintaining a light heartedness.
Directors
Jacky Crosher – Director of Stable
Recent directing Credits; Stable – Tobacco Factory Theatre, The Corner Shop Goblin – The Egg, Bath (Assistant Director), A Moving Grove – South West Tour, Shards of Light – Jackson’s Lane, Faith Healer, Constellations,– Bath Spa, Sky in the Pie – National tour, In Focus – Circomedia, Vasilisa and The Peacock – South West Tour, Claire De lune – International Tour (assistant director/performer).
https://www.jackycrosher.com/ Jacky is a versatile director, writer/deviser and performer with over 20 years’ experience. She toured as a circus theatre aerialist with contemporary circus companies such as: No Fit State Circus and Skinning the Cat. She has been a teacher and programme leader at the two leading UK circus schools and co-runs Hinged Theatre Co, which make magical shows for younger audiences. In 2021 she completed an MA in Directing Theatre with a distinction; whilst there she co-formed Fire and Air Theatre to make dynamic shows with twists on classic plays. She is excited to have the opportunity to direct a longer version of Stable and work with Uncaged Theatre.
Steph Lee – Director of ‘Forgotten Friends’ and ‘How I See Things’
Directing credits include:
2019- Assistant Director with Bristol Musical Theatre, taking home the 2019 ‘First Corporate Coup de Theatre’ South West Rose Bowl award for Outstanding moment/scene within a production.
2023- Assistant Director with Bristol Gilbert & Sullivan Society, 2023; Director & Stage Manager for ‘Second Chancers’ – Golden Scarab productions, which toured in Bristol, Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2023 and Chew Valley Arts Festival, Somerset.
Steph is really enjoying her first project working as Director with the Uncaged team and such a talented group of actors and cannot wait to see the ‘Connections’ tour come to life!
Phoebe Mulcahy – director of ‘As We Know It’ and ‘How I See Things’
Phoebe is a director, actor and theatre maker based in Bristol. She trained at University of Exeter, and has since worked performing in a variety of roles from Queen to prisoner, with companies such as Emerald Isle Theatre Company, Flash Back Theatre, The Old Bag’s and Rapscallion.
Her passion for new writing started her directing career with The Scullions, touring ‘Cycles’ around the South West. Leading to becoming a co-founder of Pin Theatre Collective, creating “He Wears It Well’ for Edinburgh Fringe 2023.
This will be her 3rd project with Uncaged Theatre Company, having collaborated as a director with the team since their formation. This project is their most exciting and challenging yet and Phoebe is loving working with such a brilliant team of actors and writers.
On Behalf of Uncaged Theatre
Supporting early career creatives in the South West
Twitter: @UncagedTheatre
Instagram: @Uncaged.Theatre
