Hand in Hand Theatre Productions is a not-for-profit
organisation set-up by writer/director Bev Clark. Our aims are to bring
performance art to local communities and to work in partnership with
others to produce new and original Theatre Events.
Latest news
Feb 2013 NEWS UPDATE - go to news page
Jan 2013 HOW TO GET £2 OFFER TICKETS - go to news page
Nov 2011 Contact e-mail change
Nov 2011 2012 will be a very special year
Press Release - March 2013
DRAMATIC PLAY HELPS COMIC RELIEF
Hand in Hand theatre are no strangers to success – over the past 6 years they have received much acclaim and praise and have won many awards but their latest production of THE CRUCIBLE has surpassed everything they have achieved. They also raised £257.00 for Comic Relief with collections after performances.
4 performances in 2 days with a cast of 22; the atmosphere couldn’t have been more intense but audiences were riveted to this powerful drama. Not only did schools attend the school’s matinee but 5 schools attended on the Friday evening and sat, attentive and engaged, until they were on their feet clapping and cheering: The spectacular cast receiving overwhelming praise and a standing ovation.
What people said:-
“That wasn’t an amateur production ... they must have been professional!”
“Better than the playhouse! ”
“Amazing, brilliant, moving”
“The best play I have ever seen”
“Excellent production... a really powerful and impressive performance. Really impressed.”
“Stunning and breath-taking – the acting was so brilliant”
“Everything –the acting, the set, the costumes, the direction, everything was just fabulous”
With another stunning soundtrack from Andy Taylor this production was atmospheric and powerful.
PHOTOS can be seen: http://www.mlpix.co.uk/?gallery=08032013-the-crucible-the-floral-pavilion-in-new-brighton
Soundtrack can be heard: http://andytaylor.bandcamp.com
Hand in Hand Theatre would like to thank the Floral Pavilion for their help and support.
Please keep watching our website or our group on face-book for further details.
THE CRUCIBLE is now cast!
Thanks to everyone who auditioned.
TICKETS are available from the Floral Pavilion Box Office on 0151 666 0000 or floralpavilion.com
THE PRODUCTION: takes place in The Blue Lounge at The Floral on Fri 8th March 1pm and 7.30pm and Sat 9th March at 2pm and 7.30pm. Tickets at £10, £8 and a special £5 schools rate for Friday matinee. Email us for details hihtheatre@gmail.com
We will also be giving special free rehearsal extracts and Q&A sessions at
The Treasure House Theatre, World Museum, Liverpool on Weds 13th Feb 11am & 1pm tel. 0151 4784050
Melrose Hall, Hoylake on Sat 23rd Feb at 2.30pm (These will last approx 45 mins- 1 hour) tel. 0151 6322152
The Cast (and their Hand in Hand connections)
BETTY PARRIS will be played by Olivia Sebastian. This is Olivia's first production with Hand in Hand.
REV. SAMUEL PARRIS will be played by Jonathan Taylor who played Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest in 2010 (He was also joint producer of the production).
TITUBA we welcome Jenna Watkins to play the slave accused of being a witch.
ABIGAIL WILLIAMS played by newcomer Emma Davies who has just moved here from America to study at Liverpool Hope University.
SUSANNA WALCOTT will be played by another newcomer to H I H, Lauren Havard.
GOODWIFE ANN PUTNAM will be played by Viv Sebastian who joins us once again. Viv played Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest in 2010.
THOMAS PUTNAM will be played by Alex May who joins us again after appearing as the Judge and other parts in Bentley: Road to Justice 2011.
MERCY LEWIS will be played by Melanie Smith - who last appeared in our production of After the Dream but has been with HIH since 2009 and appeared in most of our productions.
MARY WARREN will be played by Bethany Ling who was DSM on the last production and appeared in Bentley:Road to Justice receiving an acting nomination for her 3 roles in our award winning festival play.
JOHN PROCTOR will be played by Michael Hetherington. Michael played Stephen in Remembrance Day and John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest for which he was nominated for Noda Best Actor award (he was also one of the producers of the production).
GOODWIFE REBECCA NURSE Jill Breckon returns to act with us after appearing as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest and receiving a NODA nomination for Best Supporting Role.
GILES COREY is played by Gareth Cattouse. Gareth appeared in Bev's play Stealing Me in 2007 as Mr Carlton and the Judge for which he was nominated for a best supporting performance.
REV JOHN HALE is played by Keith Simpson who played Dee in After the Dream.
ELIZABETH PROCTOR is played by Katy Ashton. Katy last appeared with Hand in Hand as Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest.
FRANCIS NURSE is to be played by Derek Weigh - a newcomer to H.I.H.
EZEKIEL CHEEVER will be played by Keith Hill who is appearing with HIH for the first time but has a wealth of experience with other companies.
MARSHALL HERRICK we welcome Adam Vinten.
HOPKINS/DEPUTY we welcome Barney Soames-Cundle.
JUDGE HATHORNE David Crosby who appeared in Remembrance Day, GH Suitcase and The Importance of Being Earnest and Bentley.
DEPUTY GOVERNOR DANFORTH played by Baz Powell who last performed with us in Bentley:Road to Justice.
MARTHA COREY/ SARAH GOOD played alternatively by Sue Boardman and Jan Bradshaw. Sue is new to HIH but Jan was part of the cast in Bentley and the FOH crew for After The Dream.
Jackie Prudom joins us as townswomen/understudy and design assistant with her daughter Kate.
Once again Andy Taylor will compose an original soundtrack with Calli Hughes (who appeared in After the Dream) Annette Evans will be DSM and Liam Garnett & Trevi Haskayne the SM Team. There will be more joining the team over the next few months. We also welcome back Ole Hansen as our project photographer with his colleagues at WAPS and welcome a student Josh Stride from St Marys College who will be shadowing for the project.
Great to have you all on board!
Bev Clark
Director
OUR VISIT TO CONTACT THEATRE MANCHESTER
RSC OPENSTAGES REGIONAL SHOWCASE
Weds 23rd May, the sun was shining and we were all excited. We packed our cars with costumes, props and set, and off we went to showcase Act 1 of After the Dream at Contact Theatre. After a technical rehearsal and a run, it was the real thing and by all accounts it went brilliantly. Along with two other groups we performed in the superb SPACE 1 to a small but appreciative audience and a really helpful and supportive staff at Contact. The first evening of the RSC regional showcase was a great success and the whole team enjoyed a wonderful experience.
REVIEW: William Shakespeare once declared 'All the World's a stage' and Manchester is playing its part in the World Shakespeare Festival 2012.
"Twice National Operatic and Dramatic Association nominated 'Hand in Hand Theatre Productions' performed a dinner-party gone wrong named 'After the Dream'.
Hand in Hand's performance - set 20 years after 'Midsummer Night's Dream' - centres around Demetrius and Helen's 20th anniversary party. A family of palm-reading travellers impose themselves on the party with disastrous consequences ..... (and) cause mayhem with comic effect with many nods not only to the original play but many of his works.
Chemistry oozes between the cast members allowing many strong figures to be built within the tight window and even a cunning twist to boot"
James McLaughlin Mancunian Matters.
Cast & Crew outside Contact Theatre
Sunset Dawn
We are delighted to link up with SUNSET DAWN - the festival for the dawn of a global age taking place in New Brighton, Friday 22nd June. Visit their website for details or contact info@sunsetdawn.com (07828 392788).
Hand in Hand in the Wirral News
The Wirral News recently carried an article on our forthcoming production, After The Dream. Please follow the link below to read the entire article.
2012 WILL BE A VERY SPECIAL YEAR
The Olympics, The Queen’s Jubilee and The Royal Shakespeare Company’s OPEN STAGES Event taking place around the country.
As part of their 2012 programme Wirral-based Hand in Hand Theatre has been selected to present a new Shakespearean-themed production
AFTER THE DREAM is a modern sequel to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
In Shakespeare’s comedy Demetrius was still left “under the spell” of the fairy magic. What would happen if years later the spell was broken?
Set in the present, Dee and Helen are celebrating 20 years of married bliss with their old friends on a beautiful midsummer evening but the arrival of some New Age Travellers turns their tranquillity into chaos as the spell is finally reversed.
A ROYAL OCCASION
9th MAY 2011
Hand in Hand Theatre's director Bev Clark was truly honoured to be invited to a reception held by Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh at Buckingham Palace this week. It was a star-studded occasion to celebrate the achievements of young people in the performing arts.
Over 300 guests from theatre, music and dance gathered in the magnificent state rooms for champagne and canapes and to meet her majesty and members of the Royal household.
Then an amazing performance on the theme of Romeo and Juliet introduced by Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, conducted by Mike Batt and performed by members of The Royal Opera, English National Ballet, The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, The National Youth Music Theatre, The Young Vic as well as X factor winner Joe McElderry, recording star Rumer, rapper Ironik and the dance group Flawless.
Afterwards The Queen mingled with guests which included Dame Helen Mirren, Kevin Spacey and Michael McIntyre to name but a few.
Also among the guests were people from charities and arts organisations working with young people at grassroots level. Bev was privileged to be included in such worthy company and will remember this as the highlight of her success with Hand in Hand Theatre which she formed in 2008 aiming to bring exciting and challenging theatre productions to The Wirral area.
In just over three years the company has produced six productions and have won ten awards to date. Their work has been seen across the North West and as far as Surrey. The company is a member of NODA, who have given Bev great support over the past few years and have licensed two of her plays for amateur performance.
LATEST AWARD
This week also saw Hand in Hand win at the Quarter Finals of the All England Theatre Festival at Grange over Sands and they will now perform their current production BENTLEY: Road to Justice at Todmorden on 21st May.
Remembrance Day Revisited
This November, Bev Clark's awarding play Remembrance Day is to be featured again on Vintage Radio during Remembrance week- available to listen on line at Vintage Radio. The programme will go out as part of a 2 hour programme on 11/11/10 and on the following Sunday (Remembrance Sunday). The first hour contains a variety of things including an extract of the interview you did with me and the second hour contains the play
Past Productions
Click image for details
