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)





STRAWBERRY JACK: The Arrival...and Dress Run Pics...

Hi all

JOE O'BYRNE - Melvyn, Strawberry Jack

Maybe it's just Tales from Paradise Heights productions...?  The TENSION backstage was palpable as we were about to go up last night.  A serious prop problem that occured 2 minutes before we went up - and I mean a MAJOR problem...A half blind actor practically incapacitated due to losing half his face behind a wonderful prosthetic...and a Director who hadn't spent quite enough time directing HIMSELF (I was putting on the best act ever assuring all that I was fired up and ready to go - in truth? TERRIFIED)...

And then we launched, the train left the station - no stopping now untill we reached the destination - curtain. 

It coughed, spluttered a little and then just...LAUNCHED.  The cast delivered, the tech delivered...things can be slightly slicker but this was a first run...the audience were gripped, the cast punching it out -  fans of the series are already calling it '...the best tale yet from Paradise Heights...' Some audience were already booking tickets to see it again this week before we had changed out of our costumes, we have a four star review in the pipeline and KNOW we can do BETTER tonight...STRAWBERRY JACK is a MONSTER production...this MONSTER is now very much ALIVE. 

We have four more shows...I can honestly say you won't have seen anything quite like STRAWBERRY JACK - a Seasonal Thriller Stocking Filler...Christmas will never be the same again without our JACK. I feel like Doctor Frankenstein - this simply incredible Cast and Crew have poured their hearts into creating a monster, a Monster full of Pure Paradise Heights Heart, but we LOVE our Monster and hope you do too...four more to go...DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT THOUGH, come and see for yourselves.

DRESS RUN PICTURES

Darren McGinn (the genius behind the trailer and the concept art) came to our dress run and began snapping away...here are just a few of his pics...

JO KIRKHAM as Shirley, IAN CURLEY as STRAWBERRY JACK

DAVID EDWARD ROBERTSON, Deaf Freddie and IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack

JO KIRKHAM, Zoe

Doin' The HAKA JACKA: MATTHEW GANLEY, Dave and JO KIRKHAM Zoe

ALICE BROCKWAY, Mandy and MATTHEW GANLEY, Dave

DAVID EDWARD ROBERSTON, Deaf Freddie and IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack

MATTHEW GANLEY, Dave

Deaf Freddie and Strawberry Jack

JO KIRKHAM, Shirley

IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack and ALICE BROCKWAY, Mandy

IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack and JOE O'BYRNE, Melvyn

DAVID EDWARD ROBERTSON, Deaf Freddie and MATTHEW GANLEY, Dave

IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack

IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack and ALICE BROCKWAY, Mandy

 JO KIRKHAM, Zoe

 DAVID EDWARD ROBERTSON, Deaf Freddie and IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack

 DAVID EDWARD ROBERTSON, Deaf Freddie

IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack and ALICE BROCKWAY, Mandy

IAN CURLEY, Strawberry Jack



FANTASTIC PICTURES from DARREN McGINN.

More updates later this week...Joe x

LIFT OFF...STRAWBERRY JACK Launches today...SAY YOU WERE THERE...

Hi all

It's 2:22 am...I'm exhausted...I still have a list about a mile long of things We/I would like to do...but I'm going to bed. Why?  Because the show is READY, the crew are READY, the cast are READY...


Today is about STEADY...


...and tonight at 7.30 PM at The Robert Powell Theatre, Frederick Road Campus, Salford University - where Tales from Paradise Heights was born...


...all systems will be GO -


as we lauch a host of New Paradise Heights characters in an intrigueing Christmas Tale from Paradise Heights...


PLEASE give this cast and crew an audience, they have worked their ass's off to pull this together.  Everything for this production has been built from scratch including the wonderful musical score - there's not much more we can do now - the only missing ingredient is you.


In the meantime here is BEN MOTTERSHEAD's mini Behind The Scenes look at the production - fuller version soon...

Strawberry Jack Behind The Scenes Promo from Ben Mottershead on Vimeo.

Come and enjoy Christmas - Paradise Heights Stylee...Joe and the Cast n Crew of...

Strawberry Jack...THE GALLANT CREW

Hi all


You know about the cast - well now it's time to mention the talented crew that are beavering away in the background for Strawberry Jack - from original musical score and sound, to set and production design to documentary/photography and publicity...so much is happening and it's all coming together beautifully so far...

Darren McGinn Trailer, Art & Production Design


Darren's frst project with us was on RANK, producing a fab new poster for the production -

- and getting supervising the video projections for the multi media play at The Lowry earlier this year.  From there Darren started work on the early art concept design for Strawberry Jack, those images can be found throughout this blog - obviously his Trailer for the play is really creating a buzz around the production -





- currently working on the projected backdrops for the play, it's clear that Darren is a major talent and his passion for the production and Tales from Paradise Heights shines through.


Holly Kim Wyatt Sound Designer and Sound Track Supervisor

Holly did an absolutley brilliant job earlier this year working on two projects, on sound design for the film THE WATCHER and running the sound decks for the play RANK at The Lowry.  The work she has produced so far for Strawberry Jack has been as always first class, she has a real feel for the production, her network of contacts to other professioanls brought in The Tangled Man and Ruth Parfitt who Holly is currently directing in bringing he score together.

Ruth Parfitt Composer and Sound Engineer, SSR Manchester

Ruth was the sound engineer on the recording of THE GEMINI MAN, over at SSR Studios in late November, she is also working on composition of tracks for the original sound track for Strawberry Jack. what she has produced so far really fits the feel for the play - fast turnaround and absolutlely no compromising quality, beautiful stuff so far from Ruth.

Tangled Man Composer of Melody on THE GEMINI MAN, and additional tracks for Strawberry Jack.

Tangled Man is clearly extraordinarily talented, the compostions he has put together for Strawberry Jack are really, really beautiful.  On top of this he read the lyrics for The Gemini Man, picked up his guitar and instantly composed the melody, he has also produced some really quite beautiful compostions to bridge certain scenes in the play, symphonic string arrangents that really connect with the story, again all to very tight deadlines but with no compromise on quaility. 

Stella Grundy, Assistant Director and Vocals on THE GEMINI MAN

A good mate and a stunning performer, Stella is a true eclectic all rounder.  A writer/dirctor herself (NICO ICON Play and another couple of projects in the works) she was also lead singer and song writer in INTASTELLA, a band huge on the Indie scene around MADchester in the late eighties and early 90's.  Many of you will know Stella from her crackling character creations in THE BENCH: A Tale from Paradise Heights.  Stella returns to The Heights as Assistant Director on Strawberry Jack, and that's her haunting vocal on The Gemini Man - link below.

THE GEMINI MAN - Stella Grundy (Lyrics: Joe O'Byrne, Music & Composition: The Tangled Man) by Paradise Joe

Ben Mottershead Documentary Producer and Photographer

After doing such a fantastic job on the documentary on The Making of THE WATCHER, Ben is now beavering away on The Making of Strawberry Jack, on top of that he has a great eye for photography and has produced some great work so far, there will be more pics from Ben over the next few days...and maybe a little something extra special.

Rhainnon Clifford Set Builder

With a keen eye for detail, award winning set designer Rhiannon is keeping ahead of the constant updates on the set and sending regular pics through of the work in progress, everything looks fab so far and it's great to have her on board - first of many productions with us we hope.

Jeni Howarth Williams...a GREAT MATE x

Many of you will know Jeni well from Manchester's theatre circuit, the former MEN Best Actress Award Winner has appeared in many productions and of course she has appeared in THE WATCHER and RANK as Lisa McGeehan the fiery, determined owner of LUCKY CABS (now CORNY CABS) on the Paradise Heights estate.

I asked Jeni to help in casting the part of MANDY, as an agent herself she has a keen eye in matching the right person to the right part, she stepped in and gave me some excellent advice around the auditions.  Thanks hon...;) Jx 

A great team that are all working their socks off, really pushing the Quality Factor...

More updates later this week...including an extra special IAN CURLEY update...

Joe x

Strawberry Jack: FULL TRAILER to the play Premieres

Hi all

It's late, I'm shattered and no doubt so is DARREN McGINN who completed work on this trailer this evening...



...but I still thought that at 2:38 in the morning it's more than worth loading up. He's done a great job.

Please share it and feedback on it...we'd really appreciate it, this cast and crew are going all out to bring you a show you will never forget, a Seasonal Tale from Paradise Heights.

STRAWBERRY JACK only has five performances and already tickets are selling fast, the booking line number is on the poster below so don't miss out, this one is a Cracker for Christmas...

CREW UPDATE later this week...

Joe x



STRAWBERRY JACK: Stella Grundy Torch's SCHOOL OF SOUND Studios

Hi all


Last Thursday night saw something of a milestone in Tales from Paradise Heights as Stella Grundy performed THE GEMINI MAN - the first song from the series, a track that will bridge two productions - next weeks Premiere run of STRAWBERRY JACK and the next play in the series TORCH.  Of course, Tales from Paradise Heights photographer and Documenatary maker BEN MOTTERSHEAD was there, these GREAT pics are his...

STELLA GRUNDY sings THE GEMINI MAN

The Tangled Man (James Trott) produced a wonderful melody for the song within a minute or two of reading the lyrics, he also performs the melody here, it needed a TORCH song feel and I think we've achieved that here - more details in the link to the song, HOLLY KIM WYATT, who is working on the sound design for the play (Holly previoulsy worked on THE WATCHER and RANK) did the final mix on the song alongside The Tangled Man - HUGE THANKS to RUTH PARFITT and all the staff at SCHOOL OF SOUND recording studios in Ardwick http://www.s-s-r.com/.

A Sound Girl...;) HOLLY KIM WYATT

 Joe's side line is advertising watches...

RUTH PARFITT (Centre) Oversee's Recording

Here's the final track, there will be more tracks to come for TORCH, and this isn't a bad start...

THE GEMINI MAN - Stella Grundy (Lyrics: Joe O'Byrne, Music & Composition: The Tangled Man) by Paradise Joe

With a KICK ASS Trailer due soon from DARREN McGINN things are getting really exciting now in the run up to the play next week...details in the Poster below...