VPT’s Traverse Dates
Four nights for Village Pub Theatre
Village Pub Theatre, the script-in hand new writing collective, is staging As You Make It, four nights of new work at the Traverse over the next fortnight.
The company usually works with short plays, staging half a dozen on a particular theme over an evening. The four nights of As You Make It will give Rosanna Hall, Giles Conisbee, Sylvia Dow and Grace Cleary a whole evening each.
Tiny. Image: Village Pub Theatre
The departure from VPT’s usual format, is partly an experiment for the company to see how longer productions might work, according co-artistic director Caitlin Skinner.
Skinner told Æ: “At the heart of each of these four plays lies an idea or question which the writer is truly fascinated by and because of that they feel ready to jump off the page.
“VPT has always been a small space where theatre makers can connect directly with an audience and where they come to a risk and with As You Make It we want to continue that tradition.”
The plays range from an exploration of how the war in Iraq war haunts the pavements of Leith Walk to the story of a man’s quest to find his purpose, a playful exploration of belief and an account of a rehabilitation hostel.
go for it
Skinner continues: “What we’re sharing at the Traverse is work that audiences will easily identify with and it’s also work where the writer is taking on big ideas and we hope the development will support them to really go for it.
“Part of this project is the start of us exploring what a bigger Village Pub Theatre play might be like and all four of these plays are an exciting possibility in that respect.”
The plays might be unknown, but the performers are not, with a mouth-watering cast list across the four nights, including Nicola Jo Cully, Victoria Balnaves, Samuel Jameson, Mary Gapinski, Muireanne Kelly, and Steven Hogan.
Also on script duties will be Jenny Hulse, Andrew Rothney, Grant O’Rourke, Kirstin Murray, Natalie Toyne, Sarah Macgilivray, Calum Fleming, Greg Powrie and John Kielty.
The performances take place in Traverse Two on Wednesday 7, Thursday 8, Thursday 15 and Friday 16 June.
Listings
All tickets: £6.50 (£4.50)
Tiny by Rosanna Hall
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED
Wednesday 7 June 8pm. Click here for details and tickets: Tiny
Leith shore to North Bridge. It’s 10 years since Iraq and for ten years Iraqi ex-veteran Scott has tried to make the last, remaining steps back home to his old life, partner and daughter. However ‘back to normal’ whatever that means becomes increasingly difficult as trauma infects his sense of self, alienating his family during blackouts that leave him back at the top of North Bridge ready to jump with unaccounted-for blood on his shoes.
This modern reworking of the Odyssey looks at vicarious trauma, victory, connection and how lives can be shaped by both small and huge political acts.
Callings by Giles Conisbee
Thursday 8 June 8pm.Click here for details and tickets: Callings
Sean can’t believe how good he feels performing random acts of kindness. Now that he’s found his calling in life, and fallen in love in a most unexpected way, not even his Mother can stop him. A touching, funny and surprising story of love, letting-go and the power of purpose – not to mention bananas and bongos!
Maven by Sylvia Dow
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED
Thursday 15 June 8pm.Click here for details and tickets: Mavern.
Maven is about belief – what we believe, why we believe. In a world of fake news and false prophets how can we tell what and who is true? Thomas the Guardian and his followers must decide which path to take when a new member joins their group and shakes their faith in their beliefs and in themselves.
Safe House by Grace Cleary
Traverse Theatre, 10 Cambridge Street, EH1 2ED
Friday 16 June 8pm.Click here for details and tickets: Safe House
How do we feel when we lose control of our lives or our situation? Safe House examines the issues of power and control through an often darkly comic lens. Grace Cleary’s fascinating play presents a motley crew of characters: Conflicted staff members, a student, a sinister resident and a paedophile, thrown together and trapped within a rehabilitation care hostel, fighting for their survival.
ENDS
