Winning combination: Scott Graham. Jasmine Hyde and Steve Hoggott
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Take a Fringe First winning playwright and the combined talents of Paines Plough and Frantic Assembly. Throw in assorted members of Improbable Theatre and Suspect Culture. And voila! The Fringe’s first supergroup.
Words: Steve Cramer
travelled to Manchester in trepidation. For a
theatre journalist. it was like being trapped in the
same lift as Blur and ()asis after they'd been ordered to work together. I practised my ducking and diying on the train. and checked through tny army- style medical kit to see if all unforeseen injuries could he stanched. bandaged or splinted. But tny arriyal at rehearsals in Manchester's (‘ontact Theatre proyed my fears ill-founded.
Beneath gigantic blue drapes hung against the bright yellow walls of the rehearsal space. two actors. Scott Graham and Stephen Hoggett of Frantic Assembly. are working through a fragment of Tiny Dynamite. as Vicky lbathershme of Paines Plough watches. Actress Jasmine Hyde. the third part of the acting ensemble sits quietly on the floor. awaiting her scene. making quiet conversation with Featherstone.
Nick Powell. a founder member of Stispect (‘ulture makes some adjustment to a computer in the corner. and his rapture-inducing electronic score floods the room. Amid the tables of discarded purses. newspapers and coffee flasks. among the bric-a-brac of throw'n-dtmn coats. backpacks and the eyer-
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present rehearsal room piano at the back. a little epiphany of harmony manifests itself.
And harmony is what it‘s all about. as this group of young artists work through .'\bi Morgan‘s script in a collaboratiye fashion. with not a hair~flick in sight. When they talk about this play of grief. loss and friendship. they talk a team game.
The Writer:
Abi Morgan
Morgan's award-winning .S'p/t'm/our on last year's fringe has made her one of the most sought-after writers in British theatre. This year's offering tells the story of two men w ho share a deep—buried grief about the suicide of a young woman in their past. ()ne maintains control by living an ostensibly normal life. while the other has gone off the rails through his sense of loss. When they meet a young girl who reminds them of their past acquaintance. the consequences are deyastating to their relationship. "l'here's a yery strong emotional metapitor about three-way relationships running through it. about who‘s going to catch who. and who‘s going to fall.' says Morgan.
The playwright has found the collaboration inyigor‘ating: 'l'ye always found Nick‘s music inspiring. His inttsic is a character in itself. Julian's design became so important that it affected the way I wrote the play. and there's a key scene at the end which came straight ottt of Julian‘s design concept. Suddenly I could write a Very non-yerbal scene.
' THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 19