Six savvy scribes have soaked up the scouse spirit at Make It Write’s workshop and are serving up seven slices of storytelling in Liverpool.
Two years ago Make it Write ran workshops for writers and directors resulting in a showcase production headed “Seven Slices of Life”.
It has now been turned into a weird and wonderful show being performed at Hope Street Theatre, Hope Street, Liverpool on April 22 and 23.
Each play offers a fascinating slice of everyday drama. From the pizza shop to the massage parlour, the nursing home crisis to the good old kitchen sink.
One writer and director Jay Lally says: “The directors’ programme helped me also as a writer. I have written mostly with film in mind previously and now I can write with my own directing in mind from the conception.”
Mark Kyle Cooper directs “Hello Passions”, Tammy Doyle’s insight into the trials and tribulations of a teenage madam. Sarah runs a massage parlour in the 90s, long before the pandemic, masks were not required but were often included.
Phil the manager of the Crosby branch of a Pizza delivery chain, is alone with the weekend’s takings in the safe, when an unexpected visitor livens up his day in Bernie Winston’s “O Sole Mio”, also directed by Mark Kyle Cooper.
In “Twisted Sister” written by Liz Redwood and directed by Phoebe Dawn McSweeney, Sarah has got the best toy she’s ever had. But she’s got to hide it from her sister Amy, because that bitch has always wanted to steal her favourite toys.
Shaun Daly directs “Her First Time”, Gerry Johnson’s gentle and poignant look at how death in a nursing home can affect staff deeply and differently.
Martha is breaking the rules but she doesn’t know how. Lucy’s there to stop her but she’s not sure why. Both are trying to make sense of things in Nia Thomas’ “The Watchers” directed by Phoebe Dawn McSweeney.
In writer/director Jay Lally’s “Craft” two debutant paratroopers in World War II deliberate existence in a homage to 30s’ style U.S radio. Initially Jay wrote this as a five-minute, one scene radio play as an exercise, then decided to adapt into a theatre piece.
“Protagonising” from the same auteur is a silent play which sees a man who longs to be a hero start to ponder if a life of nihilism isn’t better for his health, mental and physical.