A NEW play by Belfast based Prime Cut Productions comes to Belltable trailing a slew of top awards, pitching up for Friday September 30 only.
Consider ‘Scorch’, a one woman show by playwright Stacey Gregg which took: Irish Times Best New Play 2015, Edinburgh Festival’s Holden Street Award and The Scotsman (newspaper) Fringe First, and Best Actor for Amy McAllister at their Summerhall Venue Awards.
Gregg went on to win the Irish Writers Guild Award for Best Theatre Script.
A year ago it was she who came to Emma Jordan, director for Prime Cut, to collaborate for Belfast’s Outburst festival, an LGTB event, in November last and since, “we are getting calls from all over. Today it was Finland,” confirms Jordan. “It looks as if after this UK and Irish tour, we will be signing an International one”.
What grips is this story of our times about “a troubled teenage girl called Kez” as she struggles with gender identity. She initiates a relationship with another girl while posing as a boy… and consequences are devastating, legally and personally.
“‘Scorch’ is an important story, apart from the work itself. In one way this play is unique as it beautifully inhabits a teenage voice. It’s not often an adult can respond to that so well in writing”.
As director, Emma Jordan underlines how funny this show is and “you get into the head of this character who is having a confusing time – this character Kez is very lovable. This is a tale of first love and no matter what age we are, we all remember that feeling.
“‘Scorch’ is not didactic in any shape or form. It is choreographed, the music is great and manages to be both educational and entertaining for this delicate subject matter”.
The audience will gather around Amy McAllister’s compelling performance in facing down ideological and social norms.
