Jessica Swale Archives - North West End UK

9May

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

Nell Gwynn – Neston Civic Hall

A strong cast and brilliant costumes make this a funny, colourful and very watchable show. The historical character of Nell Gwynn is famous for being an orange-seller, an actress and of course mistress of Charles II and in Jessica Swale’s comedy-drama we certainly see her as a witty, outspoken and independent woman. Swale brings together a mix of bawdy, carry-on comedy, some good storytelling and the injection of songs, to make an entertaining piece of theatre, which beyond the titillation and double-entendre, is actually saying something about theatre generally and women’s place in the theatre and society. Neston players, probably more used to presenting drama than comedy, have taken on the play under the leadership of new director Shannon McMullan. As a vibrant group th...

Blue Stockings – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Every year, during the first week of October, thousands of fresh-faced young people flock to our major cities marking the start of the university year. That this annual migration forms a rite of passage for both men AND women, is largely due to the efforts of 'Blue Stockings', pioneers in the rights for women's education and equality of opportunity during the nineteenth century. In this 2013 play, writer Jessica Swale focuses on the 1896 fight by women at Girton College, Cambridge to gain the right to graduate alongside their male peers in the face of hostile opposition from faculty, fellow students and society at large. We see the prejudice and misogyny that women in education faced through the eyes of four new 'Girton Girls', Tess (Pippa Lane), Celia (Bronte James), Carolyn (Madeleine...

The Jungle Book – Oldham Coliseum

If you are looking for a family-friendly show that everyone can enjoy this Easter, then look no further than this musical adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book! Written by Jessica Swale with music by Joe Stilgoe, this production, which was first performed in 2017, is a very creative retelling of the story we all know: Mowgli, a man cub, is raised in the jungle as part of a wolf pack after his father is killed by the tiger, Shere Khan. We follow Mowgli as he grows up and learns to recognise all the wonderful things that make him unique, and then as he finds his courage to follow his true path. Performed by a cast of just seven, this musical has everything you could want, from drama and tension, to comedy and friendship. Stilgoe’s music reminds the audience of the songs from the...