Monday 12 December 2011

STRAWBERRY JACK: A Turning Point...

Hi All


Last week was a turning point for Tales from Paradise Heights.

The show was fantastic in every department, it could have stood shoulder to shoulder with any production in the West End.  This company excelled itself, threw itself whole heartedly into the production from the first reading of the script.  So far so 'nothing different' all the productions have been this way.

Launching it at Salford Univesity was important to me/us.  The seeds for the series were planted there, yes, but it was more about testing...how will the theatre going public?  How will they take to a story that was 'too violent' at least on paper - to one well known theatre in the region - and absolutley no grudge to that theatre, love them all there and I'm sure one of our productions will play there.  Of all the fabulous feedback we have had - none of it has even approached the subject of 'violence' - it was never an impression I wanted to leave the audience with, it was - as all the stories have been - about humanity, struggle, redemption, consequences of actions that must be faced and most of all - love

It's full of LOVE.  Deaf Freddie and Strawberry Jack's camraderie, Freddie's concern for his former Warhorse Hero, Jack's love for Mel and of course finding Mandy.  Mandy's love for the man that saved her, Mel's lost love and  - yes it's there - Mel's love for Jack.  So I'm happy that the violence stayed where it was, left behind in the story - present and necessary - but left behind. 

I am so proud of this show and delighted that so many fresh faces with so much talent are now part of the company, it will open some very exciting new doors for us.  There are already plans for a Tales from Paradise Heights Concept Album, music and song from The Heights - shot through with Paradise Heights flavour of course, this isn't Grease or The Sound of Music - but The Heights will be alive with the sound of music...Heights Stylee...;) 

Obviously to go hand in hand with that we will shoot video's to accompany those tracks, unleashing more fabulous creativity from the fantastic talents involved in the series so far. 

We now need to regroup, prepare Jack and the other productions - and indeed those to come - for a full scale launch across film and theatre.  It's not going to be easy but with the connections we have made over this production it will be easier. 

Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to get through this thing we call life - electric word life - whatever, GRAB IT AND MAKE THE MOST OF IT - we are here a very short time - LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND...

Tell the world that you're winning...love and life...love and life.

Here are a few more pix from the dress run of Jack last week, Making of Documentary on the way...STRAWBERRY JACK is here to stay...

Pictures and Poster by Darren McGinn

Strawberry Jack (IAN CURLEY) and Deaf Freddie (DAVID EDWARD ROBERTSON

Strawberry Jack (IAN CURLEY)

Dave (MATTHEW GANLEY) and Zoe (JO KIRKHAM)

ALICE BROCKWAY (Mandy)

 JOE O'BYRNE (Not in costume - tut! As Melvyn) and ALICE BROCKWAY (Mandy)

 JO KIRKHAM (Shirley) and IAN CURLEY (Strawberry Jack)

 JOE O'BYRNE (Melvyn)

DAVID EDWARD ROBERTSON (Deaf Freddie) and MATTHEW GANLEY (Dave)

 MATTHEW GANLEY (Dave)

 ALICE BROCKWAY (Mandy), IAN CURLEY (Strawberry Jack) and JOE O"BYRNE (Melvyn)

IAN CURLEY (Strawberry Jack) and JOE O'BYRNE (Melvyn)

 IAN CURLEY (Strawberry Jack) ALICE BROCKWAY (Mandy) and MATTHEW GANLEY (Dave)

JO KIRKHAM (Zoe) and MATTHEW GANLEY (Dave)






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