macbeth - blood will have blood - tour pack...target audiences and key messages / benefits macbeth...

Contender Charlie, China Plate and Warwick Arts Centre present

MACBETH – BLOOD WILL HAVE BLOOD Production Pack

‘I cannot but imagine that Shakespeare himself would have loved this interpretation and that the visceral, earthy and mischievous re-telling of his story would have delighted him.’

Steve Hawthorne, InSuffolk Review

‘

CELEBRATING THE 400TH ANNIVERSARY OF SHAKESPEARE’S DEATH

Supported by Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton and funded by Arts Council England.

1 CHINA PLATE www.chinaplatetheatre.com

CONTENTS 02 About the show 04 Brochure copy 05 Target audiences 06 Engagement for schools 07 Feedback 09 Technical info 10 Creative team 11 Companies 12 Contacts


THE SHOW China Plate’s captivating one-man adaptation of Macbeth – Blood Will Have Blood, returns in 2016 following two incredibly successful UK tours in 2014 & 2015. Adapted from the original mid-scale production, this new one-man version offers flexible touring through seamlessly merging live performance with a dramatic on-screen world. Using razor sharp storytelling and a heart-stopping soundtrack, this new adaptation takes audiences on a break-neck journey through the blood-soaked world of Macbeth. The thrilling production, written by Nick Walker for 9-13 year olds, builds on the company’s innovative approach to putting live narration and modern language alongside Shakespeare’s classic text – increasing the focus on clear storytelling and accessibility. This new production has been designed with greater technical flexibilility to enable us to continue to reach our target audience in a wider variety of locations and venues. Across the 2014/15 tours the project has been particularly successful at reaching areas of low arts engagement (particularly with boys / reluctant learners/ and with young people whose second language is English), “The show was extremely well presented and brilliantly performed. The surround sound and quality of composition and sound design was particularly good, serving to enhance the atmospherics and also inform the story…The pacing was punchy and kept young distractible minds engaged throughout.” Arts Centre Washington EDUCATION PACKAGE An extensive education programme, created by Contender Charlie, one of the UK’s foremost theatre education companies, accompanies the show. The programme offers teachers and schools the opportunity to deepen and extend their theatre experience through a workshop and interactive online resources. For more information please read page 6. This project offers venues:

• A stunning and powerful adaptation of Shakespeare Macbeth. • A brilliant introduction to Shakespeare for 9-13 year olds with little previous theatre

experience. • An opportunity to engage wider audiences and to establish/build on a reputation

for promoting top class work for young people. • An innovative 3 tiered education programme

OFFICIAL SHOW TRAILER – Click here.


NICK WALKER (WRITER) ON THE PORTER AND THE DRAMATIC ON SCREEN WORLD “During the writing of the first adaptation of Macbeth, for a cast of 6, it became clear that the role of the Porter, who navigated the audience through the fast moving plot, was an extremely exciting and powerful device. Funny yet deadly serious; charismatic yet shy; subversive yet naïve; untrustworthy yet sincere. His complicity in the story was both a source of fear for him, but also a gleeful and manipulative pleasure. The kids loved him. The strength of such a role made us speculate how far we could push him, and whether he could hold the whole play on his own. This is what we have written. He opens the Pandora’s box holding the story of Macbeth and talks to, into, and through the screen to help the audience feel those moments of danger, temptation, power, despair and guilt. It provides an audacious interaction both with an audience and with a dramatic on screen world, and all those exciting spaces in between.” TOURING PLANS Macbeth – Blood Will Have Blood will tour to venues across the UK in autumn 2016. Please contact Kaya Stanley-Money or Paul Warwick to discuss booking details or for more information: [email protected] / +44 (0)77 4307 2199 [email protected] / +44 (0)79 3269 6879


BROCHURE COPY Contender Charlie, China Plate and Warwick Arts Centre present MACBETH – BLOOD WILL HAVE BLOOD Re-invented for 9-13 years-olds Macbeth – Blood Will Have Blood is an accessible and unforgettable introduction to Shakespeare’s shocking story of ambition, greed and the abuse of power. Summoned by the arrival of the audience, a macabre Porter leads us into the dark heart of Shakespeare's play, offering young audiences (and their families) a glimpse of life under Scotland’s tyrant King. Using razor sharp storytelling, a dramatic on-screen world and a heart-stopping soundtrack this one-man adaptation takes us on a break-neck journey through the blood-soaked world of Macbeth. Supported by Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton and funded by Arts Council England. ‘I cannot but imagine that Shakespeare himself would have loved this interpretation and that the visceral, earthy and mischievous re-telling of his story would have delighted him.’ Steve Hawthorne, InSuffolk Review ‘My advice for those considering bringing their children to see this groundbreaking production is: kill to get a ticket.’ Roy Leighton, author of Success in the Creative Classroom www.chinaplatetheatre.com @youroldchina Running time 55 minutes (performance) 30 minutes (workshop Q&A) Age guidance Most suited for ages 9-13


TARGET AUDIENCES AND KEY MESSAGES / BENEFITS

Macbeth – Blood Will Have Blood has an extraordinary track record for engaging audiences of all backgrounds, reaching over 5,000 young paople (and their families) to date across 2 national tours.

• 2016 is the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death – this is the perfect opportunity for venues and schools to engage with the anniversary celebrations.

• Young people aged 9-13. High quality re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic from established touring companies - specifically adapted as an excellent introduction to Shakespeare. An unforgettable, accessible, live action and on-screen production.

• Students (years 5, 6, 7 & 8) – High quality re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic from

established touring companies. An unforgettable, accessible, live action and on-screen production. A perfect introduction to Shakespeare’s work, for young people to learn from and about, potentially at reduced cost for groups. Workshops and post show talks also available. China Plate can provide venues with the following tried and tested resources for use with schools:

Ø Schools email template Ø Bespoke schools marketing Ø Publicity materials Ø Direct schools letter template Ø Full education package (as detailed on page 6)

• Previous China Plate, Contender Charlie and Warwick Arts Centre audiences –

revival of acclaimed, sell out production building on success of 2014 and 2015 production and tour. High quality re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic from established touring companies in a co-production with Warwick Arts Centre. An unforgettable, accessible, live action and on-screen production. Perfect introduction to Shakespeare’s work.

• Existing drama audiences – Quality re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic play

produced by award-winning established companies. An unforgettable, accessible, live action and on-screen production.

• Arts professionals – Opportunity to see innovatively re-imagined production of

Macbeth staged on tour. High quality re-imagining of Shakespeare’s classic play produced by award-winning established companies. An unforgettable, accessible, live action and on-screen production.

• Existing and potential drama/creative writing/script writing groups – high quality re-

imagining of Shakespeare’s classic. Opportunity to learn about quality adaptations of Shakespeare’s work and making it accessible for younger audiences from award-winning established companies.


ENGAGEMENT FOR SCHOOLS -Performance -Workshop / Q&A -Education package including online resources As part of the experience, each participating school will have access to a unique learning package. Following the performance, the Porter will lead a workshop / Q&A, which bridges the gap between the performance and the classroom / online work. a unique form of experimental learning developed by Ben Walden in collaboration with Mark Rylance and Richard Olivier. This technique harnesses the power of storytelling and is designed to enhance and inspire the creative learning of young people. ‘The workshop really helped the children start exploring the personalities and motivations of the different characters and it really helped pave the way for work in the classroom.’ Participating schools will also have access to an online educational resource specifically designed to accompany this project. Students are invited into the site via a filmed sequence where they meet the Porter again. They then revisit key moments and characters from the play and participate in activities, which explore their key motivations. The range of activities are designed to be cross-curricular in nature, enabling teachers to use them in English, Drama, History, PSHE and SEAL units of work. To access these resources visit www.bloodwillhaveblood.net. An online tutorial is also available by clicking below.

Teacher reactions ‘I spent over a week using the online resources. Pupils loved meeting the Porter again. I used the character videos to recap plot and support understanding of character motivations. We then used the website tasks to support writing. I was so pleased to get descriptive and quality writing from the Macbeth website.’ ‘The performance, workshop and resources have had a very positive impact on our children and it has helped them develop a sound understanding of Macbeth and its themes, the motivations and personalities of the characters. It clearly motivated them to write about Macbeth in very creative ways, take part in drama sessions and produce excellent work about Shakespeare.’


FEEDBACK

Teacher Feedback ‘I have never seen staff and pupils so enthusiastic and appreciative. A brilliant experience... Shakespeare will never be the same again!’

“The use of such varied production elements really captivated the young audience immediately and set up the story telling effectively.

When I tackle Shakespeare ( and ‘Macbeth’) with my Year 8 Drama classes after Christmas – the production we saw will be a great learning tool and stepping on point for my pupils. It has made them realise the versatility of both Shakespeare and also a wide range of production elements so thank you!”

‘Terrifying. Brilliant. They loved the blood and guts. They now love the story of Macbeth and know it far better than a lot of adults! Amazing.’

‘I thought the performance was excellent, exciting, interactive and made the story of Macbeth come to life perfectly. It was perfectly pitched for our Year 6 class, which includes a majority of EAL children.’

“The students came to the show with no prior teaching of the story and left with a good grasp of character, plot and main themes. Staff found the performance to be original and engaging.”

“We found our students talked with energy and enthusiasm about both how the production was staged and in relation to the Macbeth story. They really appreciated the Q & A at the end of the performance too.” ’

‘Definitely a positive impact, especially with the boys and reluctant learners. Motivation to write increased. Quality of all aspects of the curriculum was enhanced. Each class went on to read other Shakespeare stories after this.’

‘It has really improved literacy skills and the children’s confidence in drama. I have a lot of mini Macbeths in my class now! They have the confidence to use a much wider range of vocabulary.’

The use of the Porter as storyteller, narrator and audience guide was ingenious – mixing contemporary language with traditional Shakespearian to make the production very accessible for young people.”

“The whole show was gripping and the students were enthralled by the world created on stage. The text was succinct but gave a strong introduction to Macbeth.”


Pupil Feedback “I really liked the Porters visual effects…I would like to go and watch it again because it was intelligent and funny.” Alfie “The special effects that made it look like the Porter was covered in blood were incredible” Harvey “I liked the way the actors on the screen timed it perfectly with the Porter on the screen.” Jordan “The play was fantastic…I thoroughly enjoyed the play, thank you so much” Josh “The Porter was funny and good at acting and you guys did a good job with the special effects and make-up.” Rizgan “We loved the show. Thank you for letting us come to your fantastic show!” Kian “Now, the sound effects were amazing, like flying dogs amazing!” Hya “It was unbelievably fantastic when the narrator was in the screen one minute then bang, he was on the stage!” Zach


TECHINCAL INFO Venue: Macbeth – Blood Will Have Blood is best presented in a theatre studio space with raked seating. Maximum capacity: 130 (on raked seating) Get in / out: A minimum 3 hour get-in is required to fit up show, followed by a 2 hour get-out following final performance. Company on the road: One performer (requiring access to 1 dressing room) and one technical manager. The show tours in a transit van. Playing space: Minimum playing area of 6.5m (w) x 4m (d). Set: The show tours with a fast fold projection screen measuring 8’ (w) x 6’ (h). This is set on its legs, and reaches an overall height of approximately 2.75m. Audio Visual: The show tours with a projector, and mac mini running Q-lab to operate the video and sound. Sound: All sound is run via Q-lab on a Mac. The show tours with a PA, complimented by the venue’s existing rig to supplement this where necessary. Further equipment provided by the company includes 5 EM121X speakers, 1 EM118 sub bass speaker, 2 JBL Control 1s, a sound desk, and all required amps and cables. Lighting: Use of the venue’s dimmers, lanterns and lighting board is required. The show requires the use of 2 sidelight booms, 1 set DSL and the other set DSR with the ability to rig 3 profiles on each. The lighting rig should consist of no more than 15 units. Special FX: The show tours with a Le Maitre Pyroflash (cartridge based) pyrotechnic system. A full tech spec is available up request by emailing [email protected].


CREATIVE TEAM

Paul Warwick – Director Paul Warwick is a theatre director and producer. He is Co-Director of China Plate, a company that producers high quality, exciting and innovative new work that is formally adventurous and narratively engaging. He and his colleague, Ed Collier, are currently Associate Producers at Warwick Arts Centre, Directors of Pulse Festival and Artistic Associates at New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich. The company also work with a number of the UK’s most exciting and innovative artists and are currently creating work with Caroline Horton, Action Hero, Chris Thorpe, Contender Charlie, Dan Jones and Inspector Sands. In 2002 they set up The John Osborne Arvon Centre in Shropshire and prior to that Paul was the founding artistic director of award-winning Unlimited Theatre. He is also an alumni of The Royal National Theatre's Directors Scheme and currently sits on the Board of Dialogue Productions. Directing credits include Stones In His Pockets (The New Vic); Stormchasers (BBC Radio 4); Macbeth (Contender Charlie/China Plate/Warwick Arts Centre); Nick Walker’s We Love You City (Belgrade Theatre); Dwr Caru (Talking Birds); Arabian Nights (The New Vic); Laurel and Hardy (Stephen Joseph Theatre); Home Street (Stella Quines / Traverse Theatre); Laurel and Hardy (The New Vic); The Windmill (The Drill Hall); Nick Walker’s The Last Lot (Talking Birds); Evensong (Landscape); Love Letters (Middle Temple Hall); Promises to Keep (Duke of York’s Theatre) and Static, Clean, Dead In the Water, Shades, No Brave World, The Dumb Waiter and Uncle Vanya (all Unlimited Theatre). Nick Walker – Writer Nick is a writer and producer. He was co-founder of Talking Birds, a Coventry-based theatre company whose work has been presented across the UK, Europe, and the USA. He has worked with some of the country’s leading new work theatre companies including Stan’s Cafe, Insomniac, Debbie Isitt’s Snarling Beasties, NoFit State (on their international hit Barricade), Action Hero, and Kindle Theatre. His plays and short stories are regularly featured on BBC Radio 4, including 3 series of The First King of Mars (starring Peter Capaldi), and 3 series of The Bigger Issues. His new Scandinavian thriller series, Annika Stranded, was broadcast on Radio 4 in Jan 2013. He is director of independent radio company Top Dog whose series The Music Teacher was nominated for a Writers Guild of Great Britain award. He is the author of two critically acclaimed novels Blackbox and Helloland. He is currently working for on a new drama series for BBC1, and on a screenplay with Black Camel pictures. CAST Richard Kidd | The Porter ON SCREEN CAST Jack Bannell | Macbeth Toby W Davies | Macduff Esther McAuley | Lady Macbeth Jack Parry-Jones | Banquo Jonathan Mulquin | Malcolm Nick Walker | Duncan Sarah Belcher, Amanda Lawrence, Giulia Innocenti | Witches voices FOR ICONIC PRODUCTIONS Sam Lockyer | Director of Photography & Editor Diensen Pamben | Lighting & Additional Camera James Watson | Sound Juliet Aiyedogbon | Go Pro Andrew Sones | FX

CREATIVE TEAM Paul Warwick | Director Nick Walker | Writer Elena Pena | Sound Designer Chris Whitwood | Touring Technical Manager Film produced by Iconic Productions www.iconictv.co.uk

DIGITAL CONSULTANTS | C&T www.candt.org


COMPANIES CHINA PLATE China Plate is an independent theatre studio that works with artists, venues, festivals and funders to make original, exciting theatre that plays with form and has narrative at its heart. China Plate achieve this through three strands of work:

• Developing (artist development and commissioning) • Making (origination and touring) • Programming (seasons, festivals and events)

China Plate are currently collaborating with Caroline Horton, Action Hero, Chris Thorpe, Contender Charlie, Dan Jones and Inspector Sands. The company are Associate Producers at Warwick Arts Centre where they develop and commission new work, Artistic Associates at the New Wolsey Theatre where they are Directors of PULSE Festival, Programmers of New Directions (the NRTF showcase) and producers of innovative development programmes including The Darkroom, The Optimists (producer training) and The First Bite and Bite Size Festivals. China Plate are Ed Collier, Paul Warwick, Kirsten Burrows and Kaya Stanley-Money. For more information on China Plate, visit www.chinaplatetheatre.com CONTENDER CHARLIE Contender Charlie use the power of storytelling and mythology to enhance and inspire the creative learning of young people as well as their teachers and school leaders. The company’s mission is to support young people in the exploration of their emotional development and creative potential. To support those who mentor, teach or lead students in the promotion of inspiring, effective and ethical practice. For more information about Contender Charlie visit www.contendercharlie.com WARWICK ARTS CENTRE Warwick Arts Centre is one of the largest multi-artform venues in the UK, presenting, commissioning and co-producing an outstanding programme of contemporary live and visual arts. It aims to be a place of artistic adventure for audiences and artists alike and is one of a small group of significant supporters of contemporary performing and visual arts outside of London. Opened in 1974 at the heart of the University of Warwick campus, Warwick Arts Centre is a distinctive and special place, integral to University life, an important resource for the arts and for audiences in the region and a significant force in national and international arts networks.


CONTACTS Kaya Stanley-Money Paul Warwick [email protected] [email protected] 077 4307 2199 079 3269 6879 www.chinaplatetheatre.com

Twitter @youroldchina

macbeth - blood will have blood - tour pack...target audiences and key messages / benefits macbeth...

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