I'm sat in the auditorium of the beautiful Orange Tree Theatre today, where the company are working Oxygen for the space, which is in the round. Another new space, another new configuration. Amazing to the see the 'bones' as they…
Yearly Archives: 2013
Oxygen Review – The Rondo Theatre, Bath
On 13 July 2013 Review by Sue Gordon Oxygen, a new play, by Natalie McGrath, tells the story of a group of women who walked from Land’s End to Hyde Park in the Summer of 1913 as part of the…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
The Centenary in Hyde Park
To mark the centenary of the pilgrimage reaching Hyde Park, a celebratory picnic will be held by some of the cast and crew in Hyde Park to mark the end of this incredible tour. We will gather at 2pm near Speakers…
Posted in News
Beginnings of Oxygen
It seems quite a long time now since the development of the script of 'Oxygen' for Dreadnought South West began. It is strange, but useful to be reflecting upon its journey now we are into the tech week of rehearsals…
Posted in News
Jane Duffus from THE F WORD
You could say that 2013 has been a good year for emancipation of women. Colliding with the centenary of Emily Wilding Davison's death at the Epsom Derby in 1913, we've enjoyed a raft of new suffrage books this year, Clare…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
Oxygen Review – Trinity Centre
Reviewed by Rosemary Wagg Summer 2013 marks the centenary of Emily Wilding Davison’s death after falling under the King’s horse at Epsom Derby. Unsurprisingly for an historical figure with a secure place on the school curriculum, this anniversary has sparked…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
Oxygen Review – Exeter Insider
For what cause would you give up six weeks of your life, leaving your home and family to walk 300 miles? Would you be willing to go to prison for this cause? To endure force-feeding twice-daily, suffering broken ribs, a…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
Oxygen Review – Remote Goat
Four stars It's a sunny summer evening and the sisters are out in force. At dusk there's a sense of expectation in Exeter's Rougemont Gardens enhanced by rugs and hampers. The women (plus a few of the others – about…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
Oxygen Review – Western Morning News
It could be their costumes, the walking boots, long skirts, straw hats and suffragette-coloured ribbons they are wearing, but as soon as the cast of Oxygen take to the stage there is no doubting the fact that we are about…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
Oxygen Review – The Stage
Natalie McGrath’s beautiful and uplifting play celebrates a group of women who walked from Land’s End to Hyde Park in the Great Suffrage Pilgrimage of June 1913. It was a call answered by women all over the country, who converged…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
Oxygen Review – Rougemont Gardens
A week ago today, just as the sun started shining on Devon I went to see Oxygen at the Rougemont Gardens in Exeter. Not only was the weather perfect, but the location couldn't have been more historically ideal; the Rougemont…
Posted in Reviews of Oxygen
Katie Newstead – blog entry
I’ve known Natalie McGrath for eight years now, since she taught me AS-Level Film Studies, and have always admired the passion and enthusiasm she brings to any project. So last summer, when she first told me about Dreadnought South West,…
Posted in News
Rebecca Hulbert
Rebecca Hulbert trained for three years at The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in acting. She has worked extensively in theatre, film, television and radio in London before returning to Cornwall where she has worked with local theatre…
Posted in Cast
Michelle Ridings
Michelle Ridings is a theatre artist based on the Devon/Somerset Borderlands. A performer and director, Michelle trained in theatre and writing for performance at Dartington College of Arts where she also specialised in Vocal Studies. She has worked on productions…
Posted in Cast
Rachel Rose Reid
As an actress, Rachel has appeared in productions including The Wild Party (Riverside Studios); Pins and Needles (Cock Tavern, Time Out Off-West-End Musical of the Year); The Folk Contraption (Old Vic Vaults / London Wonderground). She has toured internationally in…
Posted in Cast
Stevie Thompson
Stevie trained in Performing Arts at the University Of Northumbria and then in Commedia Dell’Arte with Antonio Fava at the Scuola Internazionale Dell’Attore Comico, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Theatre includes: numerous shows for the Rude Mechanical Theatre Company, including ‘The Odyssey’,…
Posted in Cast
Carolyn Tomkinson
Theatre: Irish Blood, English Heart (Trafalgar Studios); 1984, Northern Broadsides; Great Expectations and Tom's Midnight Garden, Library Theatre, Manchester; Under The Blue Sky, (u/s Catherine Tate), Duke of Yorks Theatre; Night Bruises The City, Southwark Playhouse; The Recruiting Officer and…
Posted in Cast
DSW first blog
As the very first full DSW blog I thought I would just say a little bit about how the project itself got started. Partly because I am responsible for us being where we are. Other partly because it just seems…
Posted in News
Josie Sutcliffe – Director
Josie has over thirty years experience as a director, performer and lecturer, working in education, the arts and communication for business in the UK and internationally. In the UK this has included work with Theatre Clwyd, Derby Playhouse, Chichester Festival Theatre,…
Posted in The Team
Natalie McGrath – Playwright
Natalie is currently working on 'Oxygen'; for Dreadnought South West, Summer tour 2013. She is also Joint Project Director for DSW. Most recently she wrote 'Exodus' for Box of Tricks Theatre Company's Word:Play/NWxSW tour 2013 www.boxoftrickstheatre.co.uk . Natalie is a collaborator…
Posted in The Team
Kerrie Avery – Creative Producer
Having a wide experience of project and production management in theatre, production touring, live music, site specific productions, public space works, television and live events; Kerrie has developed a considered and knowledgeable practice for producing creatively admired and functionally balanced…
Posted in The Team
Charlotte Bister – Stage Manager
Charlotte graduated from Royal Welsh College of Music and drama and got her first touring job with Miracle Theatre, Cornwall in 2008. She then went on to form Cornish-based company 'Owdyado Theatre, of which she is co-artisic director, actor and…
Posted in The Team
Catherine Cartwright – Waymarker Artist
Catherine is an artist, facilitator and tutor and a Director for Double Elephant Print Workshop, Exeter, UK. Through her artist practice Catherine explores, document and raises awareness of human rights through creating work and exhibiting, art action and participatory workshops. Women’s…
Posted in The Team
Sophia Clist – Designer
From a background of sculpture Sophia creates installations, sets and objects, puppetry and costume for performers and audiences to inhabit, manipulate and transform. Much of her work is participatory and interactive, collaborating with artists in dance, theatre, music, film, and…
Posted in The Team
Sally Crooks – Production Manager
Sally has over 10 years of experience in managing touring theatre and comedy. She is also an established actor, producer and teacher. She trained as a clown at the school of Philippe Gaulier, Paris, in 2007 and graduated with a…
Posted in The Team
Belinda Dillon – PR and Marketing
Belinda has more than 20 years experience in the publishing industry, as a journalist, feature writer, copyeditor and editor, working on daily, weekly and monthly titles including: The Oil Daily, Financial Times Telecoms & Media, Neon, Cable Guide, Devon Life,…
Posted in The Team
Claire Ingleheart – Musical Director
Musical Director, Multi-Instrumentalist, Choir Director, Workshop Leader, Associate Lecturer. Shows with Wildworks Theatre: Musical Director for Babel, The Passion with Michael Sheen, Beautiful Journey Plymouth and Newcastle. Musician in Souterrain in Colchester and Hastings. Musician and choir leader in Souterrain…
Posted in The Team
Erika Lindahl – project intern and Assistant-Director
Erika Lindahl is our project intern and Assistant-Director for Oxygen. She has travelled from Sweden to be with us on our adventure. Her work and dedication to the project has been amazing, and we have thoroughly enjoyed working and collaborating with…
Posted in The Team
Sarah Scaife
www.sarahscaife.co.uk Sarah is a visual artist and freelance community curator, often exploring memory and sense of place. She uses a range of media and processes, but the intimate acts of drawing and careful listening are her most frequent starting points. Mapping…
Posted in The Team
Diana Theodores – Choreographer
Diana Theodores, PhD. trained with the visionaries of the American Modern Dance, Martha Graham and Merce Cunningham. She has worked with many inspirational artists in theatre and dance over the years and has staged works at the Abbey Theatre, the…
Posted in The Team
Nicci Wonnacott – Waymarker Artist
Nicci works as a political artist, practicing in art action and the manifesto through performance, participation and mapping the body. Working in text, film, theater, textiles, drawing, sculpture, photography and in sonic arts; to create social commentary, documentation and exhibition. Nicci reflects on ritual and…
Posted in The Team