Monkeywood Theatre

Following sell out performances at The Lowry, Salford Quays, with 5 star reviews, Monkeywood will be performing Once in a House on Fire at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from Friday 5 – Monday 29 August 2011.

During these difficult economic times, arts funding has been severely reduced nationwide so support from sponsors is the only way to make our visit to Edinburgh possible. By 25 June 2011 we aim to raise a total of £20,000, but would very much appreciate any contributions possible. We have created a funding campaign at http://www.indiegogo.com/Once-in-a-House-on-Fire that is a simple and accessible way for us to collect donations.

Monkeywood’s Artistic Directors Francesca Waite, Martin Gibbons and Sarah McDonald Hughes give an insight into the background of the play.

One of our key aims as a company is to make theatre with a northern voice, rooted in the community where we live and work. We were in the midst of rehearsals for another project, Maine Road, when mention of the book Once in a House on Fire kept cropping up. We were struck by how vivid, heartbreakingly truthful and deeply affecting this Manchester-based story is and how close it is to many people’s hearts – we became excited at its theatrical potential.

Andrea grew up in Moss Side, where Martin and Sarah now live (on the same street!), and went to the same sixth form college as Sarah and Francesca. Her story immediately felt like one which had real meaning for us and, more importantly, for our community and audience. Hers is a recognisable family – a unit of strong women who support each other in the face of poverty, discrimination, violence and constant disruption. What really stands out in the writing is the sheer strength of these women, their loyalty and love for each other, their bravery and their ability to carry on against the odds. This is an extraordinary story of ordinary people.      

We began to talk about how we might make a piece of theatre based on the story. We felt strongly that as it is rooted in the community where Andrea grew up, we should make our work within that community and specifically involve young people with whom Andrea’s story would resonate. In August 2010, the creative team worked intensively to build a structure for the storyline. Sarah then produced a draft which we took to Xaverian Sixth Form College and Chorlton High School (both attended by Andrea and featuring in the book), running workshops with the students and inviting their creative responses. This informed another draft which we performed for a small audience in October 2010, again inviting their thoughts.

Since then, Sarah has used these responses to develop the play further and we hope this process has helped us create a truthful, engaging and accessible piece of theatre that resonates with you, our audience.

Following successful performances at The Lowry, Salford, Monkeywood will take Once in a House on Fire on tour in May 2011. The production will go to The Civic in Barnsley on Thursday 5th May and The Continental in Preston on Friday 6th May. Developed with The Lowry Studio, supported by Arts Council England and funded through grants for the arts, Once in a House on Fire received an overwhelmingly positive response from critics and audiences at The Lowry and we hope those in Barnsley and Preston will feel the same.

The Civic, Barnsley

Date: Thursday 5 May

Time: 7.30pm

Tickets: £10/£8

Tel: 01226 327 000

The Continental, Preston

Date: Friday 7 May

Time: 8pm

Tickets: £7/£5

Tel: 01772 499425

After a sell-out run of performances at The Lowry, Monkeywood present their new work Once in a House on Fire at The Continental in Preston on Friday 6th May.

Once in A House on Fire

Based on the memoir by Andrea Ashworth, this inspiring new play follows a family growing up in 1970s Manchester.

Tickets are £7 / £5 concessions and are available from The Continental’s bar (01772 499425), from Preston Tourist Information (01772 253731) or online from seetickets.

The Lowry have created a Page to Stage film with footage from Monkeywood’s rehearsals for Once in a House on Fire alongside fans of Andrea Ashworth’s memoir reading sections from the book.

Monkeywood’s current production of Once in a House on Fire will help to support Women’s Worldwide Web, an online platform that empowers women, their families and communities, through microfinance, education, mentoring and social networking. At every performance we are selling the bestselling memoir by Andrea Ashworth, on which the play is based, for £7 – with 50p from each sale going to the charity.

Hannah Lorraine Tompkins, one of the young voices on the Women’s Worldwide Web, came to see Once in a House on Fire on Sat 2 April 2011, after being present during it’s initial development.

“The eloquence with which Monkeywood have executed this is impressive and beautiful: they have managed to illustrate the tale of a brutal home life while simultaneously portraying the flourishing of a young girl with big dreams.”

Read the full article here

MESSENGER NEWSPAPERS *****

“Monkeywood and McDonald Hughes are a potent combination and I hope they’ll be around for a long, long time to come. Outstanding and uncompromising – you simply musn’t miss this.”

PUBLIC REVIEWS ****

“Once in a House on Fire is a realistic picture of a dysfunctional family, but not a bleak one. The affection between the sisters, which is a key factor in their survival, is reflected in the vivid performances.…It is a tribute to the skill of the company that we care as much for those left behind as we do about the central character.”

WHATSONSTAGE ***

“Andrea Ashworth’s award-winning memoir is a breathtakingly honest account of her experiences of domestic violence and financial hardship when growing up in inner city Manchester in the 1970s and 80s and locally-based Monkeywood Theatre (in development with The Lowry) has done a commendable job of transferring it to the stage….This a gripping story which is well told by a local theatre company.”

CITYLIFE ***

“There are good performances from the strong cast, particularly Sarah McDonald Hughes as Andrea and Rachel Austin in a variety of roles. In spite of its dark story, this uplifting production will tour nationally and appear at the Edinburgh Fringe, so Andrea’s story will continue to inspire.”

JILDY SAUCE

“Once in a House on Fire is a terrific play, graced by excellent performances throughout; and the use (and apt choice) of songs and news items to segue from scene to scene was a splendid stroke.”

After a successful run of performances at The Lowry, Monkeywood present their new work Once in a House on Fire at The Civic in Barnsley on Thursday 5th May.

Once in A House on Fire

Based on the memoir by Andrea Ashworth, this inspiring new play follows a family growing up in 1970s Manchester.

Date: Thursday 5 May

Time: 7.30pm

Tickets: £10/£8

Buy Tickets Here

And we’re not the only ones who are excited! Star of BBC drama Silks, Maxine Peake, tells us why Once in a House on Fire should be seen on stage.

“I read this book over 5 years ago and it still lingers. If any story should have life beyond the page, this is it. A raw, sometimes bleak but uplifting and inspiring true story….” Maxine Peake

Once in a House on Fire with Monkeywood Theatre from Jordan Ahmadzadeh on Vimeo.

Watch here for when The Lowry spoke to Sarah and Francesca to find out more about the story of Once in a House on Fire and what inspired Monkeywood to base a play on the bestselling memoir.