MONTMORENCY

Rich Man? Poor Man? Beggar? Thief?

Penrith Players’ latest original performance features a cunning yet charming ex-thief, Montmorency, as he tries to make his way from rags to riches in the streets and sewers of Victorian London, fearing that at any moment his charade will be uncovered and his tumultuous past will destroy his dreams for a better future.

A brand-new adaptation of the award-winning Young Adult novels by Eleanor Updale, ‘Montmorency’, written by Penrith-based playwright Tash Binder (writing under the name Natasha Mikaela), promises to enchant audiences of all ages.

“I first read the series when I was at school.” Says Tash. “It was dark and thrilling, and something different as the main character wasn’t a teenager, as is the case with most novels in that age bracket.

I rediscovered it when I was on holiday in 2019 –having picked a random book from the shelf to read by the pool, I rediscovered my love for the enigmatic character of Montmorency and thought it would make a great stage play.”

An active member of Penrith Players and North Cumbria Scriptwriters, Tash graduated with a Master of Arts in Writing for Script and Screen in 2021, and her short plays and monologues have been performed at Penrith Players and Theatre by the Lake, Keswick.

This is the second piece of new writing Penrith Players has produced in as many years, and Tash is keen to see this trend continue; “Encouraging new writers is essential to keep theatre fresh and current. The classics are reliable and popular, but like with films and television, people want something new to entertain them and keep them coming back. This is ever more important as costs increase and communities like ours are under threat from the insular nature of home cinema.”

Catch Montmorency from 31st May to 3rd June.

Penrith Theatre, Auction Mart Lane, Penrith, CA11 7JG

Buy tickets from Penrith TIC and www.penrithplayers.org.uk

Dynamis Gym recently opened a class teaching personal safety skills in Penrith, welcoming people of all kinds to a weekly training session.

Originally started in 2006 in Edinburgh, the classes cover step-by-step the range of skills needed in a variety of common scenarios which people may face if they need to protect themselves.

The instructor, Gerard O’Dea, is a qualified fulltime trainer and consultant, teaching personal safety and conflict management all over the world, with clients including for example the College of Policing and the NHS.

Over time, people attending the weekly class have the opportunity to develop a broad repertoire of skills for personal safety, developing from awareness of personal space and using boundarysetting language, through to survival and escape from common types of assault.

Some sessions are specific to really difficult scenarios - like those you might read about in the news - and how to navigate them successfully.

Its a mixed group - over the years men and women who are veterinarians, business professionals, students, world travellers, teachers and of course security and police officers have benefitted from the sessions. Being an informal class, the emphasis is on getting plenty of practice and feedback in a friendly and safe environment. The carefully managed, relaxed vibe encourages questions, discussion and understanding.

It is not a martial arts class, but it does get sweaty from time to time and is a good addition to what might be a fitness regime that is starting to feel stale. The functional movement required to be very competent at personal safety skills can be a great overall workout.

People who join in the sessions gain more awareness of conflict in general, more confidence that they can make good decisions and overall feel safer because they know how to protect themselves in a real situation, or how to avoid it where possible.

“Self-protection training really surprises people” Gerard offers “because the practice asks people how they think about conflict, how they feel about violence and what their body-mind system is capable of actually doing - and all that, usually happens in a hurry! Some mild-mannered people are tigers emotionally, some strongmen have two left feet when it comes to movement. The training offers a challenge for everyone. The reality is that the world isn’t always a dangerous place, until you run into a dangerous person - in that moment, a little preparation can go a long way.”

Dynamis Gym is offering personal safety classes in Penrith

The classes teach skills for a range of common scenarios

• The instructor is Gerard O'Dea, a qualified trainer and consultant

• The classes cover awareness, boundary-setting language, survival, and escape from assault

• The informal class is open to all and encourages questions and discussion

• It is not a martial arts class, but can be a good workout

• The classes help people feel safer and more confident in conflict situations

Classes currently running on Wednesdays 7pm-8pm at PRUFC Squash Courts, Winter’s Park, Penrith.