We were joined for comedy, a love story and a pint on 3rd December in the studio….

‘Actually – I think I went to school with him you know.’

‘What – that one with the apron on?’

‘No you cheeky mare. The one with the pint.’

‘They’ve all got bloody pints.’

‘The one holding his pint, now, look.’

‘What him?’

‘No – not him. Oh he’s put it down now. He’s lovely.’

Robbie is out on his last night of freedom. Michelle is out on her last night in Manchester. Ten years ago they very nearly kissed…

Last Orders is about everything always being the same and nothing ever changing – and everything changing and nothing being the same ever again.

Monkeywood were formed in 2003 and have been producing plays in Manchester to great acclaim ever since.

Maine Road by Sarah McDonald Hughes

July 2009: Directed by Martin Gibbons. Receiving 4 star reviews when it premiered at Manchester’s 24:7 Theatre Festival. Whatsonstage summed it up with 4 stars as… “a gentle and moving play examining the effect of change upon those things from which we derive our identity and sense of community…. Maine Road avoids nostalgia to deliver a bittersweet, moving tale that is highly recommended.”

Jan 2010: Sarah submitted the Maine Road script to the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award 2009, the most prestigious radio drama prize in the country. It was highly commended in a shortlist of 9, winning Sarah a year’s mentorship at the BBC. Following some redevelopment of the script the play was produced for BBC Radio 4, airing in January.

March – April 2010: The script underwent further redevelopment for a 2010 tour to The Lowry, Whitby Hall, Saltburn Community Theatre and Halifax Square Chapel. The tour was supported by Arts Council England with funding awarded through the Grants for the Arts initiative and Sarah’s rewriting was supported by the Peggy Ramsay Foundation. Maine Road sold out 3 performances at The Lowry 3 months in advance, before adding an extra matinee in the studio followed by an additional evening to première in the 450 seater Quays Theatre.

It was given 4 stars from Public Reviews, “My expectations for this play were high and after seeing Nedum Onuoha sat behind me and City fans turning up wearing scarves my excitement was probably higher… it is unique, sad, nostalgic, warm and occasionally funny, it is also about families and Manchester City which in my eyes makes it one of the finest pieces of theatre I have ever witnessed.”

Last Orders (Dec 2009) by Sarah McDonald Hughes

Accepted by the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, to be part of their PUB season. The studio was turned into a functioning traditional English pub in November/December with Monkeywood performing on Thu 3 Dec, alongside ‘pub landlord’ James Quinn, in their favourite positions – at the bar!

A Song for the Lovers by Sarah McDonald Hughes

July 2006: Debuted at Manchester’s 24:7 Theatre Festival.

Oct 2008: A redevised and rewritten production directed by Jo Fisher at The Lowry in Salford. Marking Sarah’s playwriting debut, it was given 5 stars by whatsonstage, described as “highly charged and engaging…packed with humour and pathos”, making their final list of top productions of 2008.

Coach G (May – June 2005) by Stephen Morris

Directed by Stephen Morris. Performed in Manchester at Taurus Bar, Chorlton Arts Festival and Studio Salford. “Hip… edgy and watchable… compelling and intriguing new play… well-served by a talented young cast.” – Manchester Evening News.

Closer (Oct 2003) by Patrick Marber

Directed by Steven Hobson. Performed in Platt Chapel, a 300 year old church building on Wilmslow Road, Manchester.

On Thursday October 30th and Friday October 31st 2003, Monkeywood presented Patrick Marber’s “Closer”, directed by Steven Hobson.

The venue was Platt Chapel (click for location), a 300 year old church building on Wilmslow Road, 5 minutes from Manchester City Centre. It’s the best venue you haven’t seen yet.

The play was a great success, both commercially and artistically. Monkeywood had arrived.

CAST:

Alice: Sarah McDonald Hughes
Anna: Zoe Rowden
Dan: Martin Gibbons
Larry: James Duncan Harris

Matthew Clarke is trapped on a train with a hitman, a femme fatale, a couple of smart-arses and a homicidal ticket collector. He can only leave on one condition: he gets his story straight. But which story should he tell? Coach G is a surreal, funny, brutal and surprising new play by Stephen Morris.

“Hip… edgy and watchable… compelling and intriguing new play… well-served by a talented young cast.” – Manchester Evening News

“The League of Gentlemen take control of the Trans-Pennine Express during rush hour.” – Manchester Metro

CAST:

Heidi: Sarah McDonald Hughes
Rabbit: Francesca Waite
Matthew: Martin Gibbons
The Conductor: James Duncan Harris

Timetable:

Coach G departed from Studio Salford, King’s Arms, Salford between Tues 21st – Sat 25th June 2005.

Previous stops:
JP Lounge, Taurus, Manchester. May 11th, 12th, 13th 2005
The Royal Oak, Chorlton. May 23rd and 24th 2005, as part of the Chorlton Arts Festival.

Read what the crits thought ]]> http://www.monkeywoodtheatre.co.uk/monkey/136/feed 0 http://www.monkeywoodtheatre.co.uk/monkey/15 http://www.monkeywoodtheatre.co.uk/monkey/15#comments Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:13:20 +0000 admin http://www.stylegala.co.uk/new_site/?p=15 Davy’s never had a best mate before, so he’s not going to let anything come between him and Catie – especially not Jenna.

A Song for the Lovers is a funny, compelling story about an unlikely friendship and an impossible evening.

‘Monkeywood are described as an ‘emerging’ theatre company. If A Song for the Lovers is anything to go by, I would say that they have now arrived and I can only hope that they are here to stay. – 5 stars’ Whatsonstage.com

CAST:

Catie: Sarah McDonald Hughes
Jenna: Francesca Waite
Davy: Martin Gibbons

Location

A Song for the Lovers was performed at The Lowry, Salford Quays, Manchester from Thurs 9th – Sat 11th October 2008.
And as part of the 24:7 Theatre Festival in 2006