Pub theatre in Saddleworth to benefit NSPCC /ChildLine
Bottom, left to right: Becky Heneghan, Pam Asling and Sharon Kelly with Alan Stockdill (top) rehearse for Five Kinds of Silence
Talking Stock Productions kicks off its 2014 season with a tour of Shelagh Stephenson’s ‘Five Kinds of Silence’. All profits from this production will be donated to the NSPCC/Childline ‘Now I Know’ campaign, part of the charity’s schools’ service.
The play will be performed in the theatre room above The Swan Inn, Dobcross (www.theswandobcross.com) on Sunday 2 February (Tickets cost £10, available in advance from the bar). The production is also calling at Halifax (Viaduct Theatre, 4 February) and Glossop (Partington Theatre, 7 February). It is directed by Alan Stockdill, who also acts in the play. It also stars Pam Asling, Becky Heneghan, Sharon Kelly, Catherine Pasek and Kerry Fennelly.
‘Five Kinds of Silence’ is a powerful piece of writing. This hard-hitting, thought-provoking drama is an outstanding portrayal of a violent man’s twisted love for his family and the bond forged between the women under his control. They are there to service him and his madness. He is violent, disturbed and sexually controlling but also tragic and sad – a lost soul who has also suffered abuse.
The stage play is adapted from the radio production of the same name. It was first performed at the Lyric Hammersmith, London in 2000 and won the 1996 UK Writers Guild’s best Original Play award and the 1997 Sony Award for Best Original Drama. This is what the Telegraph said about it:
“It brilliantly broaches a difficult…. What is truly arresting and brilliantly intelligent about Shelagh Stephenson’s award-winning play is how it handles the subject of brutal violence so quietly… all her characters are fleshed out with great truthfulness. Outstanding.”
“We are very pleased that Talking Stock have chosen to support and raise awareness of the ‘Now I Know’’ campaign, please help to support us by buying tickets and coming along to the theatre” says NSPCC Community Fundraiser Helen Verity. “The money raised will really help us to make a difference to children. Thank you to everyone involved in the production and everyone attending.”
About Talking Stock
Talking Stock was formed in Spring 2013 by Halifax businessman, actor, director and playwright, Alan Stockdill and writer/actress Catherine Pasek. Alan is involved on the main committee of the Hebden Bridge Little Theatre and has been a board director of the Halifax Thespians. He acts and directs for both. The company pledges to deliver cutting edge theatre with a loving heart and a loud voice.
Talking Stock raised over £1,100 for Alzheimer’s charities and benefits last year as a result of their award-winning play ‘The Last Memory’ written by Alan.
The play premiered in July at the Viaduct Theatre as part of the 2013 Halifax Festival to rave reviews. An award-winning performance at the Partington Theatre One Act Play Festival in Glossop followed where Alan won best director and all four actors involved in the two plays were nominated for acting awards. Keith Royston, who played the father with Alzheimer’s scooped best actor out of all twelve plays put on that week for his role in ‘The Last Memory’. It was also performed, alongside another one-act play, ‘Deathwatch’, in Saddleworth, Huddersfield and at the Brighouse Arts Festival in September.
Alan is currently writing two Talking Stock one-act plays for the Summer festival season. One is a gentle comedy about a cricket umpire who wins the lottery and the other is about a group of 50-something women, Bay City Rollers fans in their youth, who meet up for a reunion! “I guarantee laughter and tears in both,” says Alan. We plan to premiere them at the Halifax Festival in June with other venues as well.”
Now I know Appeal
The Now I Know appeal will fund the next stage of ChildLine’s groundbreaking work. The charity wants a generation of children to finally be able to say: “Now I know”. The money raised will put trained volunteers in every primary school in the UK. They’ll deliver difficult information with the expertise and sensitivity ChildLine has developed over 26 years of being a trusted place for millions of children ChildLine will visit every primary school in every community in the UK and continue to visit each of these schools every two years. “Together we can give children the knowledge to stop abuse. Together we can protect a generation”.
For more information about ChildLine contact Helen Verity – 07966 803677
For more information about Talking Stock, please contact Catherine Pasek on 07785 530129 or email catherine.pasek@sky.com or www.talkingstock.co.uk
Author: Jude Gidney - Editor
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