Live Theatre's January to June 2015 Season Announced!

January to June 2015 Season: Now on Sale For fans of Live Theatre Christmas has come early as the company has just announced the exciting line up for its January to June 2015 season. Following the success of the multi-award winning show Wet House Live Theatre is delighted to be welcoming back Paddy Campbell with his new play Day of the Flymo (Wednesday 8 to Saturday 11 April).  Based on his own first-hand experience, this time of life working in a children’s home, Paddy has created a play which asks what do you do when the state decides it’s going to take over from your Mam?  Theatregoers will get the chance to look at the chaotic lives of some young people, and the mechanisms that swing into action when social services step in, and a brother and sister struggling to cover up the cracks. Making his Live Theatre debut will be playwright Torben Betts with the world premiere of What Falls Apart, directed by Max Roberts (Wednesday 22 April to Saturday 16 May).  Set in May 2015, audiences are being invited to meet Tom Savage, an ex-Labour minister parachuted into a safe North East constituency, trying to win hearts and minds as well as an Election.  Wrestling with a heady cocktail of mid-life crisis, growing dependency on alcohol and the consequences of his Government’s policies in Iraq, Tom finds himself in a Tyneside hotel bar at midnight with a newly-teetotal barman and a ‘criminally attractive’ woman.  What could possibly go wrong? 2015 marks the tenth anniversary of the death of novelist, poet and playwright Julia Darling.  To mark the occasion and to celebrate the life and work of Julia, who was writer in residence at Live Theatre from 2001 to 2003, Rendezvous is a chance to see five new short plays inspired by her work.  Rendezvous 2 will be an evening of poetry, fiction, extracts from plays and live music presented in association with New Writing North. Also new for 2015 is the re-launch of an electrifying new look Live Lab programme packed full of opportunities for budding writers, comedians, theatre makers and audiences to get involved.  In January new writing fans are being invited to take part in a week of events to celebrate the re-launch of the talent development element of the company’s work.  As Literary Manager Gez Casey explains: “Live Lab is an innovative and vital part of Live Theatre’s programme offering a forum for theatre practitioners to try out new material and gain insightful feedback, opening a dialogue between the people who watch work and those that make it.  Since its launch in 2011 Live Lab has attracted some of the most original theatre companies and artists creating work that is bold, ambitious and relevant.  We hope people will join us in 2015 as we expand our Live Lab programme and celebrate its re-launch with a series of events in January.” Celebrations will start on Sunday 25 January at 8pm when the popular 10 minutes to… returns with 10 minutes to... Take Off, an exciting opportunity for audiences to enjoy an evening of new plays by new voices.  Five playwrights will be tasked with creating five ten minute plays responding to the theme of Take Off.  Matched with five directors, they will be given just one adrenalin-fuelled weekend to get them rehearsed and ready to perform. On Thursday 29 January at 8pm celebrations continue with the first of this season’s two Scratch Nights, jointly curated by Live Theatre and The Empty Space.  This is a chance for audiences to see brand new work-in-progress performances and help shape their future development. Bringing the week to a close on Friday 30 January at 8pm Live Theatre will be hosting an official launch event where some of the UK’s most exciting voices will help re-launch Live Lab in a night of cutting-edge theatre, spoken word, comedy and music. On Thursday 5 March Write Stuff, Live Theatre’s flagship writing project for secondary schools, will see plays by 13 to 15 year old pupils from Furrowfield School in Gateshead performed for the first time as script-in-hand performances by a talented cast of professional actors and members of Live’s Youth Theatre. Combining a healthy mix of comedy and drama this is a chance for people to support young writers as they dip their toes into the world of playwriting. On Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 March audiences can enjoy Overload, a series of short imaginative pieces of theatre created and performed by members of Live’s Youth Theatre.  The plays will look at some of the challenges and complexities that face young people in a rapidly changing world. Live Theatre is also delighted to be welcoming some of the country’s most exciting theatre companies to its stages.  This includes three shows that were developed as part of Live Lab - Donna Disco by Lee Mattinson, a previous sell-out show which will kick off its national tour at Live Theatre, as well as Fat Man and We Can Be Heroes, which are both presented in association with LittleMighty and received early outings as part of Live Lab’s Scratch Nights.  Other companies that will be treading the boards at Live Theatre include The Paper Birds with their Edinburgh Fringe hit show Broke; The Six Twenty with a double bill of new plays by Robin French; the multi award-winning Fleabag presented by DryWhite and Soho Theatre; the welcome return of Mixtape with two evenings of bite sized theatre inspired by music; writer and performer Hannah Silva with her new show Schlock! as well as Open Clasp Theatre Company who have collaborated for the first time with Frantic Assembly on their new play Jumping Puddles. Finally the Jumpin’ Hot Club will be celebrating their 30^th birthday by presenting a series of toe-tapping gigs throughout the season as well as a special photo exhibition marking the company’s landmark year. There will also be a series of comedy gigs including the Live Theatre debut of the Silly Billies and the return of Gavin Webster’s Northumbrian Assembly Comedy Club. For more information about Live Theatre’s January to June 2015 season or to book tickets visit www.live.org.uk or contact the box office on (0191) 232 1232.