'All Of Them, Dead' in research and development
I am delighted to be Dramaturg for an amazing new play for young people by Thom Munden called ‘All of Them, Dead’.
Harry and Corey meet in an abandoned burger shop during the apocalypse. As they fall in love, the country falls apart.
All Of Them, Dead is a play about being young and gay in the middle of nowhere. It’s about the things that go unsaid, it’s about two boys holding hands, it’s about clinging together as the world changes around you. And it’s about meat falling from the sky (no, really).
Perfect for fans of Heartstopper and The Day Of The Triffids, All Of Them, Dead is a sharp, funny and touching queer love story for the end of the world.
The project is currently in research and development with Pegaus Theatre, Everyman Theatre Cheltenham and Prime Theatre, funded by Arts Council England.
‘Lily's Special Recipe’ @ Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar
Storyteller Amantha Edmead
I am Directing a new storytelling performance for young people aged 5-12 years old with the wonderful Human Story Theatre as part of Oxford Brookes Science Bazaar on 1 March 2025.
There will be three opportunities throughout the day to see ‘Lily’s Special Recipe’ performed by Amantha Edmead, and written by Dr Shelly Coe (Oxford Brookes), based on her research in sustainable, healthy nutrition. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with Shelly, Amantha and the Human Story Theatre team to dramaturgically support the development of this new play.
The whole event is FREE to attend
Sponsored by Morgan Sindall Construction
'Remember Me' by Lekha Desai Morrison
I will soon direct 'Remember Me' by Lekha Desai Morrison, a family drama about living well with dementia.
When Sally finds that her artist husband Jack is losing interest in painting, she gradually learns that the problem is much deeper than it seems at first. With the support of her daughter Keira, they go on a journey of learning to understand and manage his condition with compassion, warmth, humour and love.
The show plays the Key Theatre, Peterborough on 6-7 March and the Old Fire Station Theatre, Oxford on 14-15 March.
Remember Me is a Fir Tree Theatre production in collaboration with Landmark Theatres UK, and funded by Arts Council England.
‘Cinderella Ice Cream Seller’ runs until 31 December at The Story Museum, Oxford
Cinderella Ice Cream Seller has opened at The Woodshed Theatre within the Story Museum Oxford and runs until 31 December 2024. It then tours the UK from February - May 2025.
Starring David Gibb and Lauren Harthorpe
Written and composed by David Gibb
Produced by Little Seeds and The Story Museum
Directed by Tristan Jackson-Pate
Dramaturgy by Renata Allen
Design by Victoria Spearing
Props by Jana Lakatos
Lighting by Nomi Everall
Sound by James Ball
Stage Management by Tamsin Youngson and Annie Tebay
Photography by Andrew Walmsley
Directing 'Cinderella Ice Cream Seller' at the Story Museum this Christmas
I’m thrilled to direct Cinderella Ice Cream Seller a new storytelling musical by the wonderful David Gibb, who I most recently worked with on ‘Jack!’ in 2023.
The show will open at The Story Museum, Oxford on 21 December 2024 and tour the UK from February 2025.
Written and composed by David Gibb
Design by Victoria Spearing
Lighting by Nomi Everall
Joining the National Theatre Connections team as a Mentor Director
I’m thrilled to begin the role of Mentor Director with the National Theatre next month.
I will travel the UK throughout 2025 supporting young companies and partner venues to stage plays for the NT Connections Festival in its 30th Anniversary Year.
Directing 'A Home for Harmony' for People's Theatre Collective
I’ve recently completed an R&D project for a new early years show ‘A Home for Harmony’ with People’s Theatre Collective.
The production goes into rehearsal in late June and tours schools, libraries and community settings in Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire in July and August.
'Story Seekers' on tour in Oxfordshire
My musical storytelling play ‘Story Seekers’ is now on tour of Oxfordshire, as part of the ‘Playhouse Plays Out Tent Tour’ produced by Oxford Playhouse.
The play is directed by Amelia Thornber by design by Immy Howard and Musical Direction by Robin Collyer.
'The School of Planet Powers for Extraordinary Children'
I’m directing an R&D project for a new immersive theatre piece 'The School of Planet Powers for Extraordinary Children' with EA Productions in North Wales.
'Story Seekers' with Oxford Playhouse
I am currently writing a new musical storytelling play for families for Oxford Playhouse. ‘Story Seekers’ will be directed by Amelia Thornber, with musical direction and sound design by Robin Collyer. The play will tour Oxfordshire in June and July 2024.
Jack! On Tour until May 2024
I’ve recently directed Jack! A new musical by David Gibb, produced by Little Seeds Music, which tours the UK until May 2024.
Additional Autumn and Winter dates are to be announced soon!
Directing 'Jack!' By David Gibb this Spring
I will soon direct a new musical for families ‘Jack!’ at The Met, Bury.
About the show:
Have you heard about Jack?
Come on, tell us a tale,
When you need a good story,
Jack never fails!
For as long as tales have been told, the character of Jack has been a constant presence in stories. Sometimes clever and cunning, sometimes lazy and foolish, but always coming out on top, fairy tales, folklore and nursery rhymes are full of tales of a lad named Jack.
Now, in this new musical for families and children, discover the truth behind the original fairytale hero. Join Jack in his many guises as he seeks his fortune, finds the love of his life, learns the perils of a pail of water and, of course, takes on the fearsome giant.
JACK! features traditional stories, original songs and live music and storytelling. With lots of opportunities to join in, plus brilliant live music, families will be singing along before you can say Fee Fie Fo Fum!
The creative team are as follows:
Book, music and lyrics by: David Gibb
Cast: David Gibb, Oli Matthews, Sean Law
Design: Liz Cooke
Dramaturgy: Renata Allen
A new play for the 'Enact' programme
I’ve written a new play ‘Exploded View’ based on the experiences of young people for People’s Theatre Collective.
Endorsed by the Thames Valley Office for the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC), PTC will deliver a series of arts-based programmes to secondary schools in Oxfordshire, as part of the wider Safer Streets offering, funded by the Home Office.
The 'Enact' intervention explores themes of healthy relationships and schools-based gendered abuse using creative art forms to promote and encourage thought-provoking conversation. Through a series of classroom based workshops, students design and deliver arts-based workshops to younger students in their school alongside plays devised and performed by professional creatives and shared in a professional setting.
I’ve joined three other playwrights on the first phase of project. The plays are directed by Emelia Hutchinson.
The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast
I will musically direct ‘The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast’ at The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford this Christmas.
The play will be directed by Natasha Rickman and is produced by Creation Theatre.
Song of the Summer, full show available to view online
My production of Song of the Summer can now be viewed in full online
Song of the Summer opens at The Picturedrome, Northampton
Song of the Summer has opened at The Picturedrome Northampton and runs until 21 August.
Song of the Summer opens 11 August at The Picturedrome, Northampton
I’m currently in rehearsals for his new gig theatre play ‘Song of the Summer’, a co-production between Cherwell Theatre Company and Royal & Derngate. The show plays at The Picturedrome from 11-21 August.
The cast and creative team are as follows:
Charles Sloboda-Bolton I Alex
Roberta Carraro I Rachel
Matt Leaman I Leo Delainey
Olivia Bennett I Max
Robert Elliott I Owen
Writer & Director I Tristan Jackson-Pate
Movement Director I Hlamalani Georgina Graaff Makhubele
Musical Director I Adrian Banks
Assistant Director I Michael Deacon
Dramaturg I Nasser Memarzia
Stage Manager I Tessa Gaukroger
Production Manager I Claire Hardacre
Set Designer I Victoria Spearing
Lighting Designer I Rachel Luff
Sound Engineer I Geoff Kirk
Sound Engineer I Steve Dee
Poster & Digital Designer I Rebecca Pitt
Sam and Zoe Vs Evermore on tour until April 30
My new play ‘Sam and Zoe Vs Evermore’, co-written with Jess Lloyd-Jones and Krage Brown is now on tour.
The show visits the following venues:
18 March, 7.30pm : The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury
19 March, 7.30pm : The Brewhouse, Taunton
23 and 24 March, 7.30pm : Old Fire Station Theatre, Oxford
25 March, 7.30pm : Worthing Theatres
29 March, 7.30pm: South Hill Park, Bracknell
30 March, 7.30pm : Wells Maltings
01 April, 7.30pm : The Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton - BSL Interpreted and audio described performance
02 April, 7.30pm : Harrogate Theatre
27 April, 7.30pm : The Place, Bedford
30 April, 8.00pm : Royal & Derngate Theatres, Northampton
Photography by Rosy Addison, Set and Costume Design by Rebecca Martin, Lighting by Rachel Luff
Song of the Summer
My next production as a writer/director will be ‘Song of the Summer’, playing at the Picturedrome Music Venue Northampton from August 11-28 2022.
This piece, co-produced by Cherwell Theatre Company and Royal & Derngate has been in development for several years. Arts Council England Funded research and development with Birmingham Old Rep Theatre in 2019 and Royal & Derngate supported further digital work in 2020 as part of their ‘Generate Festival’.
The play will be staged in August following weeks of outreach and community work with young people in Northampton, who will perform alongside professional actor musicians in the show itself.
More information on the cast and creative team will be released in due course.
Sam & Zoe Vs Evermore touring March-April 2022
I will co-write and direct Sam & Zoe Vs Evermore with Cherwell Theatre Company and Butterfingers with co-writers Krage Brown and Jess Lloyd-Jones.
The play will tour from March-April 2022 and visits Cheltenham, Banbury, Taunton, Oxford, Worthing, Wells Maltings, Bedford, Wolverhampton, Harrogate and Northampton.
This production is presented in partnership with Arts Council England, CALM, Oxfordshire Cultural Educational Partnership, Artswork, St Michael's Charities and Response.