Waygood @ Northern Stage: Glen Cruddas

Paintings
Glen Cruddas
Waygood @ Northern Stage 23 October – 14 November 09 Reception: 6-8pm Thursday 12 November

Glenn’s figurative paintings explore his fascinations with the human figure and the painting process, where he never looses sight of the fact that he is creating a painting. Exploration of the medium and method of application is as important as exploration of the figure depicted.

“My work is based in the borders of memory and interpretation; we all see what we want to see. My interpretation comes through a physical process where I enjoy the application of the materials. My studio practice is currently on hold while I develop my career in education. I am researching how motor skills (drawing) can help cognitive learning.” – Glenn Cruddas

Glenn Cruddas has a studio at Waygood.

This is part of a series of exhibitions at Northern Stage featuring art from Waygood, an artist-led gallery and studios undergoing a major redevelopment to create a new cultural venue on High Bridge in the centre of Newcastle opening in 2010.

Beyond Words: Poetry from South Africa

Sat 7 November, 7:30pm
Saville Exchange, Howard Street, North Shields
£8 (£6 concessions)
Box Office: 0191 643 7093

Apples & Snakes presents

BEYOND WORDS

Five incredible South African poets tour the UK together for the first time. Brought together by South African Poet Laureate and renowned exile campaigner Keorapetse Kgositsile, the show premieres specially commissioned new work. This is a blistering introduction to the new South Africa and to the power of live poetry in performance.

Featuring some of the most exciting voices of South Africa in the twenty
first century - Keorapetse Kgositsile, Lebo Mashile, Don Mattera, Lesego Rampolokeng, and Phillippa Yaa de Villiers.

Keorapetse Kgositsile (South African Poet Laureate): "I think an exchange of literature among peoples has better chances of building understanding and friendship than any diplomatic missions could ever achieve."

Linton Kwesi Johnson "It is a very impressive line up of some of South
Africa's finest and most powerful poets."

A Tender Thing Pre-show Discussion

Tue 3 Nov 6pm, Stage 3

Why do we age? How do our bodies change when we age? What happens to our health and why does it seem to deteriorate? A special pre-show discussion to that evening's performance of A Tender Thing will look at the ideas that inspired the reimagining of the Romeo and Juliet story as an older couple whose life together is drawing to a close.

From the Royal Shakespeare Company, Assistant Director Michael Fentiman and Movement Director Lucy Cullingford will appear as part of a panel of guests discussing the play and the way in which the 40-something cast are 'playing up' as a Romeo and Juliet in their 60s.

Chaired by special guest Professor Tom Kirkwood, Director of the Institute for Ageing and Health at Newcastle University, the panel also features writer in residence at the Institute, Valerie Laws.

The Institute for Ageing and Health was founded in 1994. It is based on the rapidly developing Campus for Ageing and Vitality at the General Hospital site. The Institute attaches great important to addressing the needs of society and has played a leading role in developing 'Years Ahead', the North-East forum on Older People. It has made major contributions to enhancing the profile of ageing research through leading roles in activities of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee, the Government Office for Science 'Foresight' and the European Union.

This event is part of Newcastle University's Changing Age Programme.

The JMK Trust: Direct Access 2009

Do you want to be a theatre director?
Have you ever thought about directing a 'classic' play?

Direct Access open days are free, professional workshop opportunities to learn about the craft of theatre-making from the country's finest directors.

Since 1998, the JMK Trust has provided talented young directors with awards, guidance and development opportunities. This remarkable impact and influence can now be seen throughout the British theatre industry.

The work and ethos of the JMK Trust will be taken into the regions for the very first time as Direct Access launches at partner theatres in Newcastle, Plymouth, Bristol, Manchester and London, to inspire the next generation of theatre-makers.

Whether you have little or some experience, these full day workshops will give you an expert and practical introduction to developing the skills and techniques needed to fulfil your potential as a director and to succeed.

Newcastle's Workshop will take place at Northern Stage on Saturday 7th November.

To find out more about the work of the JMK Trust and to register your free place on one of these exciting events, please visit the JMK Trust website on www.jmktrust.org

Play Reading: The Castle

Wednesday 21 October, 7pm
Theatre Royal Learning Space

Join the RSC at Newcastle's Theatre Royal for a play reading of one of Howard Barker's most acclaimed plays The Castle. Originally produced by the RSC in 1985, it is a scathing satire of sexuality and war set in the time of The Crusades and a play of astonishing intellectual breadth, verbal dexterity, wit and passion.

Join members of the current RSC ensemble for a play reading as part of the 21 for 21 international celebration of Howard Barker's work.

Tickets £5
Call the Theatre Royal box office to book on 08448 112121

RSC Symposium Day

31st October
RSC Symposium Day
10 - 6pm, Stage 2

Led by Peter Reynolds (Professor in Theatre Studies at Newcastle University), Erica Whyman (Chief Executive at Northern Stage) and RSC Practitioners, this day long workshop looks at how Shakespeare is being performed in the 21st Century.

Open to all.
Tickets: £7.50 (limited availability)
Contact the box office on 0191 230 5151

Wunderbar Festival Workshops: Shakespearean Public Announcements

Sunday 18th October
Saturday 24th October

Creative writers... where art thou?

How would you like to spend a day working with the Royal Shakespeare Company to create a Shakespearean Public Announcement?

A unique collaboration between Fierce Earth, the Royal Shakespeare Company and Wunderbar Festival is bringing Shakespeare's language bang up to date by creating a series of everyday public announcements influenced by Shakespeare's plays, themes, characters and verse.

'Fancy free', 'mum's the word', and 'all that glitters is not gold'... The English language is full of Shakespeare phrases that we use everyday but his famed style has never been turned into public announcements before - the sort of announcements you hear everyday on stations, in shops and shopping centres, at football grounds, in theatres and lots of other places as you go about your daily business. We're offering you the chance to play a part in changing that. You'll learn the tricks and idioms of Shakespeare's language from an RSC practitioner and a skilled performance poet to transform whatever you want to say into a broadcast quality Shakespearean Public Announcement.

Here are two examples we thought of:

Young Barton hath scored! Such a pass sublime,
Let us get in the pies, as it strikes half-time!

Here stops the Gateshead train at platform nine,
Thou will find first class coaches down the line.

Can you do better? You never know - the announcement you create could be recorded by an illustrious RSC actor and heard in Newcastle's shopping centres, theatres, bus stations and maybe even at the Saturday afternoon footie.

Workshops will be held at:

Seven Stories, 30 Lime Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 2PQ
on Sunday 18th October 10:30am - 3:30pm for ages 11 - 15

Theatre Royal, 100 Grey Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 6BR
on Saturday 24th October 10:30 - 3.30pm for adults of all ages (from 16+)

Places on the workshop cost £7.50 each. (The Seven Stories workshop includes child's entrance fee to Seven Stories.) Places are limited, booking is essential. Please book your place via:

The Wunderbar Festival Office at: Dance City, Temple Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 4BR Tel: 0191 261 0505

And if you can't make the workshops, you can send your own ideas via the open call competition - submit online here.

Shakespearean Public Announcements coincides with the RSC's Newcastle Residency (20 Oct - 7 Nov) and Wunderbar Festival (6 - 15 Nov).

Wunderbar is a dynamic new festival of contemporary performances, visual art and extraordinary happenings. Experience intriguing encounters and stop-you-in-your-tracks moments in unusual, everyday and traditional spaces across Newcastle, Gateshead and the North East. Find the full programme and how to get involved at www.wunderbarfestival.co.uk.