About
Sniffing flowers
A headphone verbatim project sharing true stories of LGBTQIA+ experiences in Gloucester.
Produced by KLS & Associates in association with Strike A Light.
Generously funded by Arts Council England this project followed on from the first in our series of shows with specific communities using the headphone verbatim tool to elevate the representation of marginalised voices in the arts. Our first project in 2022 was with a schools community in East London and we created a show called Wild Wild Things. With this project, we worked with two different organisations and two different communities. in collaboration with Nottingham Playhouse and their ensemble players who meet once a week we produced a work called Nothing But a Number. With Strike a Light in Gloucester we worked with the queer community to produce Sniffing Flowers. Find out more here.
The Project.
Headphone Verbatim theatre is an intimate storytelling method that allows the audience to enter other people’s worlds. It is embodied activism. The technique allows every breath, every utterance, every idiosyncratic detail of the speaker to be brought into the room by the performer. Performers listen simultaneously to the original recordings through headphones as they perform.
We work with participants on the subject they choose to talk about. Participants are then taught the three parts of headphone technique: Interview, Edit and Performance. From over 30 recorded interviews gathered by participants in each group and from meticulous editing that participants deliver, a performance is created to platform often unheard stories and experiences.
Thank you to the project’s funding body, Arts Council England, and our partners and most importantly, to everyone who let us interview you for this project, and allowed us to share your stories!
Photos by Camilla Adams.
DREAM SCHOOL
A new play by Francis Grin
Co-Produced by Mrs C’s Collective and Space Productions
When is a story ready to tell? Who wins and who loses when we ‘cash in’ on our trauma?
Inspired by a true story, DREAM SCHOOL is a thriller about a group of students who accidentally find themselves in a cult.
When a student's father, Bobby, moves into the student halls, his charisma, care and knowledge are enticing. But as he drives the students towards self-improvement, boundaries become blurred and their safety is uncertain. A decade later, ex-student Betty assumes it’s safe to tell their story. But are they just one memory away from reliving it all?
DREAM SCHOOL is an exploration of the relationship between storytelling and trauma, asking the question, ‘when is a story ready to tell and how do we tell it?’. This project forms part of A Call for Safe Practice, a long-term ambition to provide accredited guidance and training on how to make trauma-informed art safely, made possible thanks to the University of Greenwich, Arts Council England and all those who have donated and supported us.
“Both of these scenes, and much of what happens in Dream School, offer beautiful examples of safe, effective ways to depict trauma onstage. The piece presents a myriad of possibilities that I’m sure other artists will steal in the hopes that we have more moments in theatre in which we can explore and (more importantly) learn from tragedy.”
Cast
Celeste – Iona Champain (she/her)
Tom – Felix Kai (he/they)
Betty – Jennie Eggleton (she/her)
Naomi – Jahmila Heath (she/they)
Bobby/Mike – Justin Butcher (he/him)
Alex/Client – Charlie Cassen (he/him)
Producers – Mrs C’s Collective and Space Productions
Writer – Francis Grin (she/her)
Director – Charlotte Everest (she/her)
Composer and Sound Designer – Jose Guillermo Puello (he/him)
Lighting Designer – Ben Garcia (he/they)
Set and Costume Designer – Caitlin Mawhinney (she/her)
Access Advisor – Shona Louise (she/her)
Creative Psychotherapist – Caroline Brindle (she/her)
Intimacy Director – Abi Battersby (she/her)
Stage Manager – Fiona Munro (she/her)
Assistant Stage Manager – Daisy Parker (she/her)
Graphic Designer – Meg Amirghiasvand (she/they)
Photographer and Videographer – Rosalind Alcazar
Shadow Creatives
Aisa Nerva-Culley (he/they); Rosie Rose (she/her); Em Franks (they/them)
Welcome to mine
By Francis Grin, MK Gallery, 2022
Photo by Jane Russell
“Anything feels better than facing the unknown.”
Writer Francis Grin
Director Charlotte Everest
Producer Rosemary Hill
Cast
Raphael von Blumenthal
Lucia Young
Ali Perotto
“Excellent as ever”
as she likes it
A two-week R&D
By Chloe Wade, The Dukes Lancaster, 2021
As She Likes It is a peek behind the sepia cigarette smoke and passionate embraces of Old Hollywood, as seen through the eyes of its archetypes. A darkly comedic explosion of multimedia, verbatim, cabaret and drag; a contemporary Brechtian-style play that poses the question: How much has changed between the Hollywood of yesteryear and now?
Captured video stills
Captured video stills
THAT WAS ALL BY FRANCIS GRIN
BROUGHT TO YOU BY MRS C’S COLLECTIVE
THE SPACE THEATRE, LONDON, OCTOBER 8TH-10TH 2020.
That Was All is a one-woman show about families, memory and how to make sense out of the unspoken. It was championed and published by Stagescripts as part of their 10th anniversary in 2019.
This was That Was All’s third run in London, previously seen at OSO Arts Centre and Theatre 503.
Director Charlotte Everest
Writer Francis Grin
Her performed by Jennie Eggleton
Sound Design JP Guerrier
“You might explore a selection of belief systems, dip your toes in some new age sciences. You might take up yoga, meditation and a plant based diet. You might even spend a day with a world renowned Mexican healer wondering why you keep walking around with the strangest feeling, and a distant memory of a pub-crawl with your dad.
The endless pints, the samba dancing, the drunken philosophy and the look in dad’s eye when he got a free round on the house. “Jesus Christ” dad said, “Finally get a free pint now that I’m – ”
“What a treat to see art on stage”
“Compelling”
That Was All Trailer
Labyrinth Diet by Laura Horton
As part of Foreword Festival, June 2021, the Space theatre
Winner ONCOMM Award for Best Production.
Director Charlotte Everest
Writer Laura Horton
Laura Anjelica Serra
Designer Constance Villemot
Produced by the Space theatre
“Superb at evoking the hoops through which women make themselves jump to conform.”
“Laugh out loud funny
4 stars”
“The body is under examination in this play, so expect it to be taking centre stage as the complex story of the relationship with oneself unravels. We follow the narrative of Louise, a 36-year-old woman at a clothes swap party, as she clutches onto a yellow summer dress that may just be holding her and her life together.
In this production, the validity of our own journey and narrative is put under the spotlight, questioned and held accountable. The power we have to affect that narrative is what our protagonist is looking to understand.”
Roar/Restored (a double bill)
Mountview Theatre
THE ROARING GIRL BY THOMAS DEKKER & THOMAS MIDDLETON
THE BEAU DEFEATED BY MARY PIX
Director Stephen Hudson
Associate Director Charlotte Everest
Set and Costume Rhyannon Richardson
Lighting Design Mark Dymock
Sound Design Matthew Giles
Photography Robin Savage
WINDED BY AMY LE ROSSIGNOL
part of CATALYST FESTIVAL
MOUNTVIEW ACADEMY OF THE ARTS, 2019
Writer Amy Le Rossignol
Director Charlotte Everest
Her Wallis Hamilton-Felton
Producer Rebecca Lyle
Winded, The Film
Director Charlotte Everest
Her Wallis Hamilton-Felton
DOP Maxim Levy
Editor Maxim Levy
The below film was created in response to Winded by Amy Le Rossignol, following its run at Catalyst Festival 2019.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
by alan frayn
Braeburn Theatre, NAIROBI, KENYA
21ST NOVEMBER - 2ND DECEMBER 2018
CREATIVE TEAM
Writer Alan Frayn
Director Charlotte Everest
Production Manager Ben James
Stage Manager Leigh Hill
Choreography and Movement Direction Charlotte Everest
Music Director Simon Mwaniki
Set Design Taryn Childs
Associate Set Designers Jenny Childs, Felix Yakhama, Duncan Wambua, Patrick Lukalu
Costume Designer Puis Mudavi
Associate Costume Deisgners John Mutusi and Jenny Childs
Light Designer Wilfred Onyango
Associate Light Designers Felix Yakhama, George Kiarie
Back Stage Team Joanna Garner, Duncan Wambua, James Chege, James Nzioka, Justice Liyai, Patrick Lukalu, Ritchie Mistri
CAST
“She is a hands-on professional
Enchanting and spicy
Departure from tradition, director Charlotte Everest dared in this wildly inventive pantomime
Revolutionising the old model without ruffling too many traditionalists’ feathers.”
Principles
John Irungu
Joanna Hechle
Razan Gubara
Jazz Mistri
Jenny Childs
Joanna Garner
Shelina Allport
Elijah Brown
Rafe Garner
Terry Childs
Samantha Mihajlovic
Neil Roberts
Corinne Childs
Kit Garner
Kosta Burgess
Kate Snow
“Her work is magical, such an exciting young talent. She connected with us all!”
Ensemble
Izyan Kiggundu
Josephine Lohay
Marlon Onyango
Milka Gweka
Roman Chen
Rio Konishi
Hansil Tank
Gabriella Mwangi
Matilda Tricks
Luis Baptista
Isabella Bruckner
Shannon Bell
Chessie Needham
Jonathan Pang
Chloe Steelman
Shlock Saini
Kanishka Kislaya
Amanda Heinasmaki
Filippo Fassio
Dancers
Niharika Barsnet
Sanghamitra Phillips
Chemtai Koech
Nomvula Naphanro
Milka Gweka
Chessie Needham
BLACKOUT
BY DAVEY ANDERSON
A unique collaboration with rapper Huw Bradbury (aka Legoman/ The Book Thieves).
BRAEBURN LITTLE THEATRE, NAIROBI, KENYA.
Anderson’s gripping script is interpreted through Bradbury’s own music as Legoman and The Book Thieves, orchestrated into a visceral performance by director Charlotte Everest as she completes her residency in Nairobi, Kenya.
Director Charlotte Everest
Peter Huw Bradbury
Producer Braeburn Theatre
Production Manager Harriet Reed
Music Huw Bradbury (aka Legoman/The Book Thieves)
NUNS BY ROBERT LUXFORD
BROUGHT TO YOU BY DUTCH DAME PRODUCTION & SHE’S DIVERSE
THE TRISTAN BATES THEATRE, 15TH JANUARY-26TH JANUARY 2019
Nuns is a satirical comedy about three rebellious Nuns and how they plot to overthrow the mother superior in order to establish smoking rights for themselves. The youngest, Sister Bernadette is being seduced into the cause by Sister Catherine and Sister Rozza during one of their secret smoking sessions. They have a secret that they believe will bring the Mother superior to her knees.
Dutch Dame’s gritty and witty take on Luxford’s Nuns draws you into a world of questioning patriarchal traditions and whether there is room for change in a systematically oppressive world. How far is too far? These sisters are willing to find out.
CAST
Sister Catherine Natalya Wolter-Ferguson
Sister Bernadette Cecile Sinclair
Sister Rozza Rebecca Wilson
Mother Superior Gillian Broderick
CREATIVE
Director Charlotte Everest
Executive Producers Cecile Sinclair & Natalya Wolter-Ferguson
Producer Valerie Isaiah Sadoh
Set Designer Tara Usher
Ella Marke Graphic Designer
“BONGS, CHAIN SMOKING, LIQUOR, SEX TAPES, BLACKMAIL AND A DESIRE TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM. NO, IT’S NOT A COLLEGE, IT’S A CONVENT!”
Sister Rozza (Rebecca Wilson) and Sister Catherine (Natalya Wolfer-Ferguson)
“Second to nun”
“5 Stars
*****”
“An utter delight...Superb
Like Life of Brian in high heels”
“5 Stars
*****”
Sister Bernadette (Cecile Sinclair) and Sister Catherine (Natalya Wolfer-Ferguson)
LIVING LATINO
A devised piece, IN ASSOCIATION WITH METRO AND QUEER MONTH AT THE KING'S HEAD, AUGUST 2018
Over eight weeks, a group of queer Latinos living with or affected by HIV, received basic acting training and access drama therapy sessions. During the first few sessions they shared their own life stories of how it is to be living as queer Latino migrants in the UK. Four professional actors joined and they worked together to devise stories and develop a show that took place at the King’s Head Theatre during their Queer Month in August 2018.
The workshops was facilitated by Sebastian Palka the Artistic Director of Big Boots Theatre Company, Charlotte Everest and Weronika Kucharska Drama Therapist. METRO's project lead is Tony Furlong.
To find out more about METRO's emerging communities work with Latinos and Latin Americans, visit the Latino Seguro section of their website.
Workshop Facilitator Sebastian Paulka
Workshop Facilitator & Dramaturg Charlotte Everest
Drama Therapist Weronika Kucharska
Cast
Charity users of METRO completed the cast alongside actors:
Emma Zadow
Aaron Kehoe
Sammy Attalah
Adam Sabatti
Charlotte Everest and Sebastian Paulka with METRO charity users.
FLASH BY FRANCIS GRIN
KARAMEL CLUB JUNE 6TH-9TH, LONDON
"WHEN FOUR TEENAGERS COME TOGETHER FOR A CLASS PROJECT, ALCOHOL AND BOREDOM LEAD TO A SADISTIC GAME. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NO ONE ACKNOWLEDGES THE VIOLENCE?"
FLASH EXPLORES SEXUAL AGGRESSION IN YOUTH CULTURE AND THE LANGUAGE SURROUNDING IT.
Writer Francis Grin
Director Charlotte Everest
Producer Emma Craggs
Videography & Photography Maxim Levy
CAST
Christian George John
Carrie Jennie Eggleton
Laura Kathryn Crosby
Ollie Aaron Douglas
PASSION PLAY
BY PETER NICHOLS
SELL-OUT IMMERSIVE AND SITE-SPECIFIC PIECE, LEEDS, 2016
Ellen Maslin, Passion Play, 2016
Set in a townhouse in Leeds across ten nights, this production was applauded for its use of performance art and immersive practices to reconstruct both the site and the play.
“Words cannot describe what an incredible experience that was. Every person in the cast and crew should be so proud - what an achievement
I thought it was absolutely amazing, definitely one of the best things I’ve seen
This was one of the best immersive experiences I have witnessed to date. Not only was the character portrayal believable and professional, the space played a fundamental part in the experience.
Still reeling from the matinee - could watch it over and over again
You made us laugh, cry and get very very angry! Haven’t stopped talking about it since we left.
The narrative of the piece was subtly intertwined in each room with hand written notes or lipstick stained words on the living room walls.
The audience were lead to surround the small spaces with little ability to leave, no matter how uncomfortable they felt.”
CREATIVE TEAM
Director Charlotte Everest
Assistant Director Jonny Dowsett
Producers Andrew Brown and George Bissett
Designer Bobby Bates
Artwork Ella Marke
CAST
James Louis Dunbavin
Eleanor Lydia Harrison
Kate Ellen Maslin
Jim Dean Hull
Nell Anna Thrussell
Agnes Sophie Strickland-Clark
PEOPLE USED TO HAVE ANGELS ON THEIR SHOULDERS. BUT THERE IS A GAP MANIFESTING IN THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUBLIC SPEECH AND PRIVATE THOUGHT AND THAT IS PEOPLE'S UNKNOWABILITY. JEER FROM THE FRONTLINE OF MARITAL BETRAYAL, ADULTERY, LUST, LOVE. THIS IS AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE TO GET INTIMATE WITH.
LOVE AND INFORMATION
BY CARYL CHURCHILL, BANHAM THEATRE, LEEDS, 2016
“The highest commendation should go to the director Charlotte Everest.
Her creativity should be applauded.”
TEAM
Director Charlotte Everest
Assistant Director Fallon Mayne
Producers Emily Freidlos and Anya Dye
Artwork Ella Marke
“perfectly executed”
CAST
Louis Dunbavin
Lily Hall
Will Sidi
Mo Hocken
Evie Wilson
Andrew Brown
Mal El-Gonemy
Joseph Callaghan
