Laura Duncalf Archives - North West End UK

12Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Idlib – Chester Lane Library, St Helens

Written, directed and presented by Kevin Dyer, and produced by Laura Duncalf, Idlib is based on the story of a Syrian baker who wanted to return home and real interviews with Syrian refugees and escapees across Europe. It tells the story of a woman (Anoush Kendrick) who has hope, but it is both the prelude to this tale and what follows afterwards that makes this such a powerfully prescient piece as it mixes conversation, an uplifting story of kindness, making bread on stage, drawing, and sharing personal memories of food and family, eating together and socialising. As Dyer mixed the essential ingredients, with a glug of oil and yoghurt reminiscent of the Levant, the usual reticence of an audience quickly fell away with three coming forward to assist him. As he spoke, we were drawn i...

11Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Idlib – Theatre Porto

Written and directed by Kevin Dyer, and produced by Laura Duncalf, Idlib started as a piece of prose as a prelude for a play that morphed into a short story before becoming the script for a monologue first performed online in 2021. Based on the story of a Syrian baker who wanted to return home and real interviews with Syrian refugees and escapees across Europe, it tells the story of a woman (Anoush Kendrick) who has hope, but it is both the prelude to this tale and what follows afterwards as well that make this such a special evening. I have seen this production twice before – online and in-person at an intimate space several months ago – but I couldn’t resist the attraction of participating again at a new venue (for me) and with a new performer. It transpires that this is the start ...

Idlib – The Uniting Church in Garden Lane, Chester

28Feb

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Idlib – The Uniting Church in Garden Lane, Chester

Written and directed by Kevin Dyer, and produced by Laura Duncalf, Idlib started as a piece of prose as a prelude for a play that morphed into a short story before becoming the script for a monologue performed online in 2021. Based on the story of a Syrian baker who wanted to go home and real interviews with Syrian refugees and escapees across Europe, it tells the story of a woman (Paislie Reid) who has hope. Drawing upon this background, the evening began with the making of bread, an act so simple and pure that it is a mainstay in many communities around the world with its rich metaphors resonating throughout religious communities from Christianity to Islam to Judaism. As Dyer mixed the essential four ingredients, adding a glug of oil and yoghurt to replicate the Levant, the guar...

5Jul

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

Idlib by Storm in the North

Idlib, from new production company Storm in the North, is a transient piece in so many ways. Written and directed by Kevin Dyer, it started as a piece of prose as a prelude for a play that morphed into a short story before becoming the script for this monologue. As a halfway step on its journey to becoming a full-length stage play, the parallel to its content couldn’t be more complete. Commissioned by Chester Bandstand, performed by Paislie Reid, and based on the story of a Syrian baker who wanted to go home and real interviews with Syrian refugees and escapees across Europe, it tells the story of a woman who has hope. There’s a normality to Reid’s delivery that is comforting and almost invites you to step into the picture she paints, but it isn’t a scene that most of us would recogn...