Rats' Tales (Show Programme)

RATS’ TALES

THE EGG THEATRE, 10 – 11 JUNE 2022 BATH SPA

PRODUCTIONS

RATS’ TALES Adapted by Carol Ann Duffy and dramatised by Melly Still.

Director - Chris Garner Composer - Elizabeth Purnell

Producer - Kerry Irvine Voice Coach - Eamon Haughian Set Designer - Paul Sage Costume Designer - Niamh Moxon Lighting Designer - William Holmes Sound Designer - Charlie Wilsher

Copyright © Carol Ann Duffy and Melly Still 2012.

Reproduced by permission of the author c/o Rogers, Coleridge & White Ltd., 20 Powis Mews, London W11 1JN.

DIRECTOR’S BIOGRAPHY Chris Garner is an actor and director. As a director Chris has worked for: Salisbury Playhouse; New Vic Theatre, Stoke; Northern Broadsides; Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester; OTTC; Prime Theatre Company, Swindon; Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol as well as productions and workshops for many drama schools and other educational venues nationally. Chris directed As You Like It for Bath Spa Uni in 2021, which was also performed at the Egg Theatre. Chris also runs his own micro new writing theatre company: www.stroudtheatrecompany.co.uk

DIRECTOR’S NOTES This compilation of tales is part of a storytelling tradition which is as old as humanity.

What is wonderful about these tales is that they connect to us whatever our age.

Fairy Tales or Wonder Tales as they are known have no boundaries. They are personal and universal and can allow us to understand our daily challenges, needs, desires and dangers through a dreamlike narrative. All these tales are disjointed, brightly coloured, overlook rationale and have no rhyme or reason. They are a way for us to find a truth and to give us glimpses of greater things.

We hope you enjoy watching these tales come to life and being taken on a mixed up, upside down, curious journey of the imagination.

AVAILABLE IN THE FOYER FOR A DONATION This collection of stories are written by the Rats’ Tales Cast as a response to the production All proceeds raised from this book go to Bath Area Play Project.

THE TALES The Pied Piper of Hamelin A Stolen Childhood A Little Girl Invisible

INTERVAL Wooden Maria The Squire’s Bride The Lost Happy Endings

THE ENSEMBLE Louie Pearson Megan Peck Mel Daw Michaela Price Toby Allen-Smith Gigi Platt Emma Kemp-Wilcox Callum Hatchett Charles Marsh Ashley Kelberman

ACTING COMPANY Mel Daw Mel has participated and performed in a number of projects during her time at Bath Spa University, such as co-writing and appearing in, Smells like Bean Spirit, performing in Board to Tears, and most recently, A Falling Star, a 2022 SparkFest production. She looks forward to continuing her journey as an actor and bringing life to the stories in Rats’ Tales.

Cal Hatchett Based in the Home Counties, Cal has worked on many productions in the past including musicals such as The Little Shop of Horrors (Elgiva) and Les Misérables (Bedford Corn Exchange). Cal looks forward to getting his ‘rat’ on in these exciting tales!

Ashley Kelberman Ashley is an acting student, born in South London, who has played many characters as part of his training at Bath Spa University, such as Cassius in Julius Caesar. Ashley has begun to specialise as a voiceover artist for his career. He has written, directed and acted in the audio drama The Tigress, as part of SparkFest 2022, available to listen to on the SparkFest YouTube channel.

Charles Marsh Charles previous experience was as a part of the York musical Theatre company. He then went on to study at Bath Spa University where he has taken part in several student projects such as a Sitcom ‘The Dirty Single Cafe’. He has also written and performed a comedy for SparkFest.

Louie Pearson Louie is a Brighton based actor and writer. His highlights have included acting and writing for Dr Crepuscular Bitter and The Atomic Egg Timer, Writing for Mother Tongue and acting in Uni: How To Make Money.

Megan Peck Megan has performed in a variety of roles during her training at Bath Spa, exploring both classical and contemporary texts.

Her most recent credit was in It’s Not The End Of The World at The Mission Theatre for SparkFest Festival. She looks forward to continuing her studies at Bath Spa, training to be a Secondary Drama Teacher from September.

Michaela Price Michaela is a Birmingham based actor and is studying and currently living in Bath. Previous experience includes roles in sitcom, Shakespeare and contemporary performances. Training at Bath Spa University and is looking forward to continuing at university for another year to complete a MA in directing. She is looking forward to playing these vast number of unique roles Gigi Platt Gigi is a London based actor who has performed previously in ‘What makes you a woman’ at the Edinburgh fringe festival.

During her time at Bath Spa University, she has played many roles such as Brutus in ‘Julius Caesar’ and Lizzie in the co-written sitcom ‘Smells like Bean Spirit’. She has also recently voiced the characters Mia and Maya and has drawn the concept art for a cartoon called ‘Adventures in Derali’ which is part of SparkFest 2022.

Emma Wilcox Emma has thoroughly enjoyed her time at Bath Spa University, appearing in various short films. Including, Dinner Date at Eight.

Most recently appearing in the SparkFest production ‘A Falling Star’. She looks forward to concluding her university training with Rats’ Tales!

Toby Allen-Smith Toby’s previous theatre roles include Mo in a National Youth Theatre’s Takeaway, Trofimov in A Doll’s House, Jamie in Country Music, Camillo in A Winter’s Tale, The Emperor in The Little Dragon, also playing the role of Dan in Shoot/Get Treasure/ Repeat and most recently Ben in A Falling Star. He also has worked in the voiceover, playing Justin in Beach Views and is continuing to work on generating script material for RichCraft.

PRODUCTION TEAM Production Managers - Enya Angell & Katie Jones Set Designer - Paul Sage Costume Designer - Niamh Moxon Lighting Designer - William Holmes Assistant LX Designer - Amy Palmer Sound Designer - Charlie Wilsher Stage Manager - Paul Sage

Deputy Stage Manager - Finley Hughes Chief Electrician - Ben Adams Costume Supervisor - Rhiannon Woodhams Senior Costume Maker - Susanna Beare Head of Construction - Chris Britton/David Rigden Head Scenic Artist - Helena Walker Chief Prop Maker - Josh Nicoll Prop Maker Assistant - Crystal Yuen Assistant Stage Managers - Matthew Smith/Bryony Harrison-Pettit Assistant LX/Programmer - Rachael O’Connell Assistant Scenic Artist - Jazz Davis Construction Assistant - Jen Stoner Costume Assistant - Emily Conabere Sound Operator - Ana Snook For Bath Spa Productions Mark Langley, Kerry Irvine, Chris Britton & Ellie Nixon For Bath Spa Live Scott Rogers & Suzanne Harris Student intern - Jess Emery (PR and Marketing) THANKS Egg Theatre Bath Bristol Costume Services, Sewing Studio and Country Theads for supplying Rats’ Tales with all of the shows costume needs Enlightened for their continued support

PRODUCTION TEAM BIOGRAPHIES Paul Sage Paul is a Theatre and Digital Production Student at Bath Spa University. Specialising in Scenic Design and Stage Management, with a particular passion for stage management and the many challenges that come with it. Rats’ Tales will be his opportunity to test his years of training and skill development to take on the most interesting challenge yet. He is at last a Stage Manager but also a Designer. He intends to approach this production with all the calm, patience and logic the years have taught him to hold dear.

Niamh Moxon Niamh is about to graduate from BA(Hons) Theatre and Digital Production, and is enjoying her role as Costume Designer. It has pushed her to develop her design skills to form a strong, timeless aesthetic witnessed throughout the show. Previous credits include: Shoot/ Get Treasure/ Repeat (Costume Supervisor), The Play What I Wrote (Placement Dresser), Robin Hood: An Oxford Pantomime (Placement Costume Assistant), Bath Spa Sitcom (Principal Standby), Love & Information (Costume Assistant). Examples of her work can be found @niamhmoxoncostume on Instagram.

William Holmes Will has been helping in local theatres for 8 years, and working in the live events industry for 4. He is excited to be working with Amy on this final show at University.

If Will graduates he would like to continue working in the special effects industry.

Some examples of his work can be found on @willholmes_tech.

Amy Palmer Rats’ Tales will be Amy’s second lighting design role for Bath Spa Productions, having previously designed the lighting for 25 dances across a week for Third Space. She has enjoyed working collaboratively with Will to create the lighting design. With hopes of a long career in theatre, this is a great start for her and she looks forward to the future. Follow @amypalmertheatre on instagram to keep up to date.

Charlie Wilsher Charlie is a second year TFEP student specialising in Sound and Stage Management.

This is their second time as Sound Designer for a Bath Spa Production after their previous role on Beasts and Beauties in December 2021. This show has been a great opportunity to revisit and expand upon the same role, now at the end of the year, especially as the shows are by the same playwright. In addition to Sound Designer on Beasts and Beauties, they have also been an ASM on Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat and Assistant Scenic Artists on The Government Inspector.

Finley Hughes Finley is a third year TFEP Student specialising in Stage Management.This is their first time as a Deputy Stage Manager for a Bath Spa Production. This show has been an amazing opportunity to learn new skills and to work with some amazing people especially our Assistant Stage Managers, Bryony Harrison Pettit and Matt Smith. Some alternate roles they have had in the past have been Stage Manager for The Government Inspector along with ASM at The Egg Theatre for The Wardrobe/It Snows. More of their work can be found on Instagram @fhstagem.

Ben Adams Ben is a second year student in the TFEP course and is looking forward to continuing his LX endeavours.Not only is he proud to progress his technical and managerial skills within lighting, he is driven to continue doing so in a knowledge-hungry and approachable team with Will, Amy and Rachael.He is passionate to learn and won’t back down from a challenge. Past show work include Shoot/Get Treasure/Repeat (LX Designer), Motorcity (Live LX Operation) and The Big Gig (Monitor Engineer.) More of his portfolio can be found at @badams_design , on instagram.

Rhiannon Woodhams Rhiannon is a third year, Theatre Festival and Event Production student who specialises in Sound and Costume. This is Rhiannon’s second Costume Supervisor role and she’s enjoying the opportunity to develop her organisation and teamwork skills. Her previous credits include The Government Inspector (Sound Designer), Bath Spa Sitcom (Costume Supervisor & Principal Standby), Robin Hood (Placement Costume Assistant), As You Like It (Sound Operator), A Middle Class Gentleman (Sound Operator), Club Supreme (Costume Assistant), Love and Information (Sound Designer) and Mother Tongue (Sound Assistant). Examples of her work can be found on Instagram @rhiannon_woodhams Susie Beare Susie is in her final year at Bath Spa. She specialises in Scenography and Costume and is excited to be doing her second costume role as a Costume maker. This show has given her a big making challenge which she has loved to work out! More of her work can be found on @susie.b_art Helena Walker Helena is in her final year of Uni and is excited to round the year up with this scenic art role. Mainly specialising in stage management, painting the large mural has been a refreshing change for her. She is very excited to graduate and hopefully tour as an ASM in the near future.

Josh Nicoll Josh is a third year Theatre, Festival and Event Production student specialising in scenography and props. He is happy to be in the role of chief prop maker for this show and has enjoyed the challenge of this props heavy show. More of his work can be found on instagram @RFE_Design or at www.redfoxentertainment.co.uk