Flo and I were approached about writing a Christmas show together back in the summer, when we met for coffee in the Town Hall and Christmas seemed an impossibly long time away. Then, having seen Flo’s amazing one woman show Destiny at Bristol’s Tobacco Factory, I was convinced we could not only make something good, but that we could make something really special (at least, Flo could!). She’s an incredible writer and performer and manages to sprinkle even the darkest subjects with a lightness of touch and humour. Her writing is tough and uncompromising but wrapped in a real warmth and sense of place, for both her characters and their community. I’m a singer-songwriter who hasn’t acted for years and has never written a play, so I’m WAY out of my comfort zone but still really excited!
We’ve met lots of people in Trowbridge, and heard plenty of stories about what the festive season is like for people here. We went to Trowbridge Future in Seymour and met the staff working there, as well as local people in their community cafes and parks. We chatted to staff in Shaws haberdashery and heard how the town has changed over the years, sometimes for better, sometimes not. We got – as I did when writing the Song For Trowbridge – a real sense of the area and what voice we wanted to give our own characters in the play. We love working together so far and despite the terror of not having written the show yet (gulp!) we know we can amplify the voices of the town and create something unique. It’s a story about nostalgia, about clinging to memories of Christmases past and trying to recapture them.
Someone told us during our research that “there was one year where there was an ice-rink, a snow machine and even some reindeer in Trowbridge” but “they never came back.” Everyone has a memory of when things were perfect, I think. Maybe they never were. Maybe we’ve all seen too many festive movies. But Christmas – to me at least – is still magical, even now. I hope we can bring a little bit of that magic into the Town Hall, with a show that will make you laugh, make you cry and make you proud to be part of this Trowbridge community. Buy a ticket and join us for a play with songs, written (much like Kylie and Jason’s Christmas #2*) especially for you.
*Cliff Richard’s Mistletoe & Wine kept this Neighbours duo of the top spot in 1988, for reasons passing understanding.
Recommended 14+.
Dates
(Preview) Friday 17th December – 7pm
(Preview) Saturday 18th December – 7pm
Monday 20th December – 7pm
Tuesday 21st December – 7pm
Wednesday 22nd December – 7pm
Thursday 23rd December – 7pm
Friday 24th December – 2pm
Sunday 26th December – 2pm
Monday 27th December – 7pm
Tuesday 28th December – 7pm
Wednesday 29th December – 7pm
Thursday 30th December – 7pm