Workforce Development Programme – Showcasing and Creating
On the 9th June, we were proud to showcase to the Open Clasp family at our Annual General Meeting, two new twenty minute pieces of writing by Eva Edo and Guen Murroni following months in the company’s fold, training, delivering workshops, writing and creating. The warm and familiar audience wrapped their arms around the cast and creative teams, excited to be in a room, physically, with women to watch the first stages of new work that represented the lives of the women worked within Wolverhampton and Newcastle upon Tyne.
The following week, Julie Tsang’s new script, UsToo Alisha’s Story, was filmed on location with a crew of cameras, lights and an excited team. Currently, Christina Berriman Dawson is working with amazing women in HMP Askham Grange to create a new piece of theatre that will be performed back to the women in August.
Cakes and Condoms
Written by Eva Edo
Showcase Directed by Laura Lindow
Showcase Assistant Director, Siobhan McAuley (RTYDS)
Performed by Karina Holness
In collaboration with a women’s group in Wolverhampton
We are the Wolverhampton Group, women of colour
This group was born out of their desire to see theatre that held the voices of Black women and women of colour that looked at roles and expectations in society.
We
Written by Guen Murroni
Showcase Directed by Laura Lindow
Showcase Assistant Director, Siobhan McAuley (RTYDS)
Performed by Maya Torres and Jeannie May
Written in collaboration with young women from the Smash the Patriarchy group in West End Women and Girls Centre, who campaign for safer streets.
#UsToo Alisha’s Story
Written by Julie Tsang, for and with the #UsToo group, Devon and Cornwall
Film Director: Katja Roberts
Performed by Holly Wilkinson
We are us too, a group of four women trying to minimise the harm of domestic abuse and relationships, we have all been in a bad relationship, so we are teaching our peers how to spot domestic abuse and sexual violence
Commissioned by Durham University to work in collaboration with #UsToo group to create a film that will inform and educate police officers across the UK in response to recent research and lived experiences of women with learning disabilities when reporting rape/ sexual assault.
We want to thank our Associate Director, Laura Lindow as Dramaturg and director throughout the workforce development programme which is ongoing! Thanks also to Set and Costume Designer, Verity Quinn, Composer and Sound Designer Roma Yagnik, Producer, Erin Connor, Assistant Director, Siobhan McAuley, Associate Stage Manager, Rachel Glover and Assistant Stage Manager, Katie Bell.
