The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company News

Press release materials for our Devon tour of Beowulf

10/10/2022

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,
[email protected]
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.