Press Release Internationally award-winning Devon theatre company bringing Beowulf to Plymouth, Brixham, Exeter & Torquay Issued October 10th 2022 For Immediate Release The classical 10th century epic poem, with heroic warriors, legendary trolls and dragons, based on olden mythology, is brought to life in a new action drama for the stage, by an awardwining theatre company from Brixham in Devon. A drama suitable for all ages, based on the classical 10th century poem Beowulf, a Key stage 3 text in schools, and featuring passages of the translated poem itself. This is an action drama based around Saxon and Norse / Viking mythology. A chieftains magnificent royal hall in Denmark, is ravaged by a newly woken creature of the night, and Beowulf, a warrior hero, alongside his small band, travel to the hall to destroy the creature. He is successful, although encountering two such creatures instead of only the one, before travelling back to his homelands, where war and strife between clans, eventually lead to him being crowned King. But there are other creatures that dwell in the dark places. An escaped slave, stealing a golden cup, awakes the dragon, and once again, Beowulf is called upon to defend the people once more.... Staged with drama, action, and larger than life puppetry, as well as excerpts of the original poem, this is an all-new retelling of the drama, by an awardwinning theatre company from Torbay. With both regard for production costs and for the environment, the shows set, props and costumes are all created from recycled and salvaged materials, with no loss of quality in the production itself. Similarly the cast, drawn from Torbay and Plymouth, range in experience from those who have performed professionally for decades, to those who are completely new to performing but are seeking to launch their career as actors, with a wide range of ages and skills. The show is created around the performing strengths of each actor. The actors and crew for Beowulf have worked together since August on this show, in and around their wider lives, jobs, studies, family commitments, etc; creating the costumes and props mostly from recycled materials; choreographing the action scenes, as well as working on the technical logistics for touring this show including soundscapes, and larger than life creature suits,- and all on a budget of selling second hand books and things on ebay, to fundraise. Now, with a show in the final stages of rehearsals, the case and crew are beyond excited to bring this groundbreaking show to the public at long last. The show is female led; Laura Jury, who adapted the script from the original poems, has been an actor since 1996, and directing since 2000, she is also one of four theatre directors nationally on Equity's Directors & Designers Committee, which meets regularly to discuss and advise on best practice and improving theatre working conditions on a national basis. Laura has an especial interest, born of experience, in championing regionally and rurally created theatre on a national scale. Laura Jury breaks many stereotypes, as an autistic woman of colour in a professional leadership position. The show - and theatre company - itself breaks down barriers for creatives. Laura also founded the South Devon Players, a not-for-profit theatre company based in Brixham, Torbay, in 2005 and led it to national and international arts awards for previous shows- the show creates opportunities for local Devon actors and creative talent of all backgrounds to showcase their skills towards, or to further, developing a career in theatre and the arts All dates and tickets can be found on the box office page at www.southdevonplayers.com. The show comes to Plymouth at Stoke Damerel Church on November 4th, Brixham Theatre on November 18th & 19th, the Barnfield Theatre in Exeter on December 2nd, and the new Royal Lyceum Theatre in Torquay on December 9th. END of press release Attachments: Group cast photograph photos (actor name as character, back left to right, front left to right) . Other roles are played by the same actors, also doubled up. Robin Purdie as King Hrothgar, Lisa Highton as Wealhtheow, Lily Marlow as Headred, Ruth Willis as Eadgils, Brooke Harris as Hygd Laura Jury as Hygelac, Rich Sandford as Beowulf, Sascha Spencer as Waegumund. Show posters (self-explanatory) More information: https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html Contact: Laura Jury 07855 090589, southdevonplayers@gmail.com Mail: care of our rehearsal venue at Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham, Devon TQ5 0SA Members of the press and media are cordially invited to get in contact for any additional information, or to be invited to rehearsals and see behind the scenes of our work. | Downloadables:
Google Drive of all press materials https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CyBN-YXSIzJ8W8P_wfGiKIqOlj7kBaEj?usp=sharing Cast photo Bigger photo available in the Googledrive above, names of actors in press release. Show posters |
0 Comments
Fab news, our professional theatre course at Brixham Theatre is now filled - all places are sold out as of this morning. Starting on October 13th on stage at Brixham Theatre - run by Laura Jury and an opening session from Gareth Foreman.
All registered students will recieve an email over the next few days with details for the first session and arrival. #theatre #acting #stage# #brixhamtheatre #devontheatre #brixham #actors #actorslife ##britishtheatre #torbay #devon #performingarts #stageschool More stock for the craft sale at #scalahallbrixham on Saturday 10th September. In addition to my cards, there’ll be lots of toiletries, costume jewellery and other goodies, raising funds for the South Devon Players, your local Brixham-based theatre group, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe! Come along and support local creatives #devonsentcards #brixham #brixhamart #brixhamartist #torbay #torbayart #torbayartist #devonart #devoncreatives #handmadecardsforsale #localtheatre
Registering for a free place on the course is on the understanding that you attend all sessions unless illness or an emergency occur - this is to prevent free places being taken from other people who would otherwise benefit from the donors generosity. If someone stops turning up, with no communication, they will be invoiced for the full price of the course, and the place re-offered to someone else on a low income. Classes take place at Brixham Theatre, Bolton Cross, Brixham, TQ5 8TA; starting at 7pm. Students please come to the stage door. Students must be aged over 18. So proud of our brilliant team of actors and crew for creating this amazing production of Ben Hur on stage -. The feedback from the first three performances of Ben Hur at Brixham Theatre has been phenomenal, as well as lots of incredible verbal feedback, we have also had some amazing written feedback for everyone as shown below. We now go on to bring the show to St Thomas the Martyr Church in Bristol, Stoke Damerel Church in Plymouth, St Petroc's Church, Bodmin, and Penlee Park Open Air Theatre - as well as screening a filmed performance at Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Booking details at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html #brixham #brixhamtheatre #lovebrixham #BeautifulBrixham #Torbay #devon #theatre #theatrelife #whatson #events #mustsee #booknow #britishtheatre #regionaltheatre #benhur #paignton #torquay #dartmouth #theater #whatsondevon #creative #actors #actorslife #professionaltheatre
We are in the last few rehearsals before the first performances at Brixham Theatre. the cast are doing brilliantly, and from Sunday the final three rehearsals are full dress/ tech.
Don't forget to get your tickets for the Brixham shows on April 8th and 9th Shows at www.southdevonplayers.com/benhurbrixham.html Brixham Theatre Bolton Cross, Brixham TQ5 8TA SHOW TIME(S) Fri: April 8th 7.30pm Sat: April 9th 2.30pm & 7.30pm Few rehearsals have resulted in some fabulous photoshoots for as many of the Ben Hur actors as could attend the shoots at Brixham Theatre last Sunday after rehearsals. Photos by Laura Jury at the South Devon Players and Paul at Brixham Theatre
Tickets are on sale at https://www.southdevonplayers.com/box-office.html for Brixham Theatre and all other show venues. Part of our show education packs for students traditionally, is a video showing ten words from the show in BSL (British Sign Language.) Sarah Gregori has kindly created this video for our Ben Hur education pack, and also added in the full alphabet in BSL as well. This video is subtitled as well. Feel free to share to anyone who may find it useful. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9URt2-OlrE We are looking for an actor to take on the role of Quintus Arrius, plus some additional one-scene roles for our theatre production of Ben Hur. This is a touring theatre show (touring the southwest of England), on our biggest tour ever, set in the 1st Century Roman Empire, based on the novel by Lew Wallace. Covid Safety Covid safety protocols are in place for the rehearsals and shows, in line with that provided by Equity. All actors and crew are asked to test themselves before attending. We keep a good airflow through the rehearsal space at all times, and the director & fight trainer together disinfect the space (a rented community centre room) thoroughly before the rest of cast and crew arrive, ahead of each session. Actor's roles: Recasting Quintus Arrius. Quintus Arrius is a pivotal character in the story of Ben Hur. Arrius is the Roman naval commander who is rescued during a sea battle by Judah Ben Hur, and later frees, and adopts Judah. The original character in the story is male although the original actor playing the role with us was female, so the casting is genderblind and based purely on "rightness for the part". Age is unimportant, we are ideally looking for late thirties up to seventies, but happy to be flexible. It is not a role suitable for a child. As with the majority of actors in our show, the actor will also be asked to take on small additional roles in the show. The main scenes are below. FULL speaking scene list for this actor - (As Roman soldier): The arrest of Judah Ben Hur & family - ( As Quintus Arrius): Arrival at the port in Misenum - ( As Quintus Arrius): The Roman Galley - ( As Quintus Arrius): The Sea Battle - ( As Quintus Arrius): meeting Emperor Tiberias in Rome - (As gladiator): The Roman Games in Jerusalem - ( As Quintus Arrius): Final scene where Arrius reunites with the Hur family This role involves fight action (Sea Battle and Roman Games). Fight scenes are choreographed with out fight choreographer and cannot be "improvised" No scenes for this show involve nudity or sexual content. The actor must be based in Devon, UK (Ideally in the Torbay area) because of attending rehearsals in person. We are delighted to consider any actor who wishes to apply, regardless of ethnicity, religion, nationality, or accent. Script, costumes, rehearsal refreshments all provided. Rehearsal Dates & Location Rehearsals are already underway, and take place on a Wednesday evening 6.30pm - 9/ 9.30pm, and Sundays, 12.30pm to 4/ 5pm. Rehearsals are in a large community centre room at Chestnut Community Centre, 1-3 Poplar Close, Brixham, Devon TQ5 0SA. We expect 75% attendance for the rehearsals in which your character appears. For safety, we do require you to attend all mutually agreed fight calls for your gladiatorial scene. If you cannot attend rehearsals, you do need to let us know ahead of the session. Just as you rely on the other actors in your scene to be there to rehearse with, so they rely on you as well. (any absence due to Covid etc is treated as unavoidable and not treated as "missing rehearsals".) Ongoing no-showing may result in the role being recast Show dates Our confirmed show dates are as advertised on the left, with the note that we are in discussions about two additional performance dates. These would be either a Friday evening or a Saturday within/ close to the timeframe of the other shows. The potential locations are in Torquay and Exeter. Payment (financial) and remuneration (in kind) - Equal profitshare. This is the money we earn from ticket sales performing at the venues, split equally among the actors and crew in that performance. We do not deduct for costumes/ props/ rehearsals/ advertising costs as those are funded by selling second hand items on ebay etc. All actors and crew are given full access to the final box office sales reports from venues, for openness, in all profit-share situations. - Portfolio photos and videos. We always do costumed/ character photoshoots for each actor, to promote the show, which the actors are also most welcome to use in their portfolios, and we may also be able to provide generic actor headshots. We also film the show for streaming and online screening, all cast and crew are also provided with the footage for their own portfolio/ showreel use. - Refreshments We always supply simple refreshments at rehearsals and backstage. These are tea, coffee, squash and biscuits. - Spotlight eligibility Several actors have been able to get their Spotlight registrations at least in part based on credits working with our shows. A credit in a show with us, therefore, counts towards getting your Spotlight, if that is something you are working towards. NOTE: We are currently waiting to hear from the Arts Council re funding for full payments but as it is therefore we can only promise what we can guarantee. All actors and crew in our shows, join on a project by project basis, as self employed, freelance creatives, who must report their earnings to HMRC. The show is fully insured. About the director The show is directed by our theatre company founder Laura Jury. Laura is a freelance actor, as well as working with the South Devon Players as an actor, director and producer. She has been an actor since 1996, a director since 2000, and founded the South Devon Players in 2005, to make opportunities for local freelance creatives and those wishing to embark on a career in theatre. Laura is a member of the Equity trade union Directors & Designers committee. Laura is also autistic, this is stated openly in case it affects communication or why she may appear "different", but doesn't affect the creating of awardwinning theatre projects, and it does not affect the care and respect for the rest of the team! To apply Please email Laura on southdevonplayers@gmail.com to arrange an audition. Laura will ask to meet you for a face to face audition in Brixham, alongside Rich, the fight director, and some of the stage crew, as soon as is possible. This will involve working with some excerpts of the show script. |
Updated by our founder
|