Mind the Gap, The Arc Theatre, Trowbridge.

Children’s Dramatic Arts Group Characters Stage Company To Perform ‘Mind the Gap’ at Arc Theatre, Trowbridge

For Immediate Release: June 2015

Characters Stage Company which this year comprises a cast of 21 young people aged 10-20 have been working over the last few months with professional director, Sara Griffith and writer-in-residence at the Bristol Old Vic, Tom Wainwright, devised an original play for performance at The Arc Theatre on Saturday July 4th (7pm performance) and Sunday July 5th (3.30pm matinee and 7pm performance).

Mind The Gap:

The action takes place in a care home, where a small group of teenagers on the run from the police seek refuge. Unwittingly stuck together for a couple of hours, the elderly residents and the teenagers are forced to get to know each other. The characters relate stories from their past, or about their own lives and gradually come to realise that the generation ‘gap’ is not the gulf they originally thought. The play starts off with heightened comedy, but this is stripped away to reveal the real issues and dilemmas that each of them face, or have faced in their lives. Finally, a surprising truth is revealed in the plays' dramatic and poignant conclusion. This play will appeal to everyone aged from from 10 to 100 years old.

Following a successful fundraiser including a talent show, which raised £245 from ticket sales and a raffle and bag-packing at Asda Trowbridge which raised £314. 58 from the kind donations of the shoppers, which is a grand total of £559.58 will go towards costume and set. It is still possible to donate via their IndieGoGo Crowd-funder campaign, which has raised so far, a further, £180.

Available for interview:

Moira Townsend Williams

Cast members:

Isobel Pittman, aged 14, playing a care-worker

Ellen Hendry, aged 14, playing a care-worker

Gareth Powell, 15, playing an elderly resident

The producer of the show is Bradford on Avon-based Moira Townsend Williams, a former West End casting director, actors’ agent and copywriter for Saatchi and Saatchi. Mind The Gap will be the third production of the Characters Stage Company, which is made up of auditioned children from the Characters Stage School, founded in 2011. She is also vice chairwoman of the recently formed Juno Theatre in Salisbury, which will be giving opportunities to female theatre makers in the region.

The show is directed by Sara Griffiths, a highly qualified Drama teacher and Director, experienced with all key stages. She has supported the RSC with the Shakespeare for Schools project and also worked in association with The National Youth Theatre. Working in a Specialist Humanities College her TIE work was recognised with an award at the Kent Schools Drugs and Alcohol Competition 2011.

Tom Wainwright is a writer and performer based in Bristol. Credits include I Am The Walrus (Young Vic); Banksy: The Room In The Elephant (Oran Mor/Tobacco Factory/Arcola Theatre)The Wainwrights (Radio 4 afternoon drama), Altogether Now (North Wall), Barry The Beaver (MAYK), Buttercup (Bristol Ferment, touring) This Is Only A Test (Box of Tricks Theatre) Pedestrian (Theatre Bristol/Bristol Old Vic/Seared Productions), Muscle (Hull Truck/Bristol Old Vic, published by Oberon Books), Emo (ATC/Bristol Old Vic Young Company), Hansel and Gretel and 10W2 (Theatre Royal Bath, The Egg), Run and Fallen (Bristol Old Vic Young Company) and Come to Where I’m From (Paines Plough), One, Love in Idleness, The Grill Chef and Christmas sketch-show Jesus Christ it’s Christmas (Bristol Old Vic/Paper Aeroplane). Tom has worked as an actor for Bristol Old Vic, Tobacco Factory, Theatre Royal Bath Theatre Alibi, Scamp Theatre, Myrtle Theatre, Bodies in Flight, BBC1, Radio 4 and performed with street show The Big Heads.

Play performance dates:

Sat July 4th 7pm

Sun July 5th 3.30pm & 7pm

For information about joining the school visit: www.charactersstageschool.com

For interviews and hi-res images please contact:

Moira Townsend Williams

M: 07932 785807

E: moira@charactersstageschool.com