It’s been a good year for local theatre so far, and it looks like the autumn will be no exception. In fact, over the next couple of months, there’s going to be a big party in town…
About the Show
The Party is billed as a thrilling hour-long theatre show for adults and teenagers. Portsmouth-based creative company People and Stories is behind the show, and Director Scott Ramsay says part of their job is to listen to the themes that come up in community conversations, and to respond with performances that bring them alive with accessible and fun storylines.
“The Party is a response to all those in our communities who have expressed a desire to see work which talks about mental health and resilience, but in a creative way,” he adds. “It deals with quite challenging subject matter, but presents it in a way that no one would expect, and revels in the human enjoyment of good storytelling.”
Behind The Party lies the idea that, all around the world, parties punctuate our journeys through life. Birthdays, blessings, proms – the list goes on.
The show takes the shape of a sprawling movie set in a Farlington warehouse and by the Solent waterfront, where the crew come together for a party of a different kind.
Full of creativity and surprises, the show shines a light on what it means to be human, what it means to live well, and the resilience we find within ourselves during life’s big events.
Who’s Involved
The Party comes with an impressive stamp of approval from the Arts Council, which is helping to fund the show.
The project has been a local partnership from the start. “We’ve been careful to involve a lot of voices in the making of it” says Scott. In the spring, for example, the team worked with 30 young people from across south-east Hampshire in partnership with The Young Creatives Portsmouth, to explore and develop the themes together.
The cast includes a great mix of established and up-and-coming local talent. For example, there is Kia Wilson, a well-known local actor and writer who recently took part in the showcase of plays Moments at the Aspex Gallery. The excellent young Charlie Wingrove, who featured in Roger Goldsmith’s Speechless in Chichester and Portsmouth, is also taking part.
“We have a big emphasis on creating professional opportunities for practitioners in this part of the country – and all of them are paid for their work”, says Scott. “Not everyone is able to drop sticks and head off on national or west-end tours. It’s also vital for the long-term development of our creative economy that they feel it’s possible to practise here.”
At the time of writing, the show is halfway through rehearsals and Scott says the show’s looking “really special!”
How to get your tickets
Alongside ten shows for local secondary school students, there are ten public performances which are open to all.
These are taking place across a range of different venues within Southsea, Portsmouth and south-east Hampshire – helping to make the show accessible for as many people as possible. Tickets are bookable on Eventbrite, and are free of charge. For those who feel able and wish to do so, there will also be an opportunity to make a donation after the performance to help cover costs.
The full lineup of public performances is:
· Monday 11 September – HAVANT – Park Community Theatre
· Thursday 14 September – GOSPORT – St Faith’s Church
· Friday 15 September – SOUTHSEA – The Dockyard Club
· Tuesday 3 October – SOUTHWICK – D-Day Memorial Hall
· Thursday 5 October – COSHAM – St Philip’s Church
· Friday 6 October – GOSPORT – Thorngate Halls
· Tuesday 10 October – SOUTHSEA – The Dockyard Club
· Thursday 12 October – PORTCHESTER – Portchester Community Centre
· Friday 20 October – CENTRAL PORTSMOUTH – St Luke’s Church
· Saturday 21 October – CENTRAL PORTSMOUTH – St Luke’s Church
