FRESHERS ISSUE 2023 SCAN Lancaster University

12 A R T S & C U L T U R E
SCANLU SCANLancaster scan.lancastersu.co.uk
Three’s a Crowd,
LUTG: Four’s an Open Door!
Amy Brook
SCREEN EDITOR
Lancaster University Theatre Group
(LUTG) is always brimming with new
content, and this term is no exception.
With four plays ready for freshers to get
involved in, there’s never been a better
time to embrace your theatrical side and
take to the stage.
Blue Thumbs
First on the list is Blue Thumbs, written and
directed by Freddie DG. Having first made
its debut at the spring term Original Writing
Showcase in 2023, this script tells the story of
a woman who claims to have been abducted
by aliens but struggles to get the local police
to believe her account.
In a non-explicit way, it is used as an allegory
for sexual assault and draws upon the
problems with custodial empathy faced by
victims of crime. Freddie will, no doubt, be
looking to work with like-minded individuals
who can appreciate the delicacy involved in
delivering this performance.
The Sound of Heavy Rain
The second show to be performed by the
group is The Sound of Heavy Rain, directed by
LUTG’s very own External Events Officer, Ellie
Leatherby, and her friend, Adam Dixon. After
her debut performance in LUTG’s After Life in
2022, followed by her
roles in Hamlet and
Machinal during the
following terms in
2023, this will mark
Ellie’s first major
directorial role.
Similarly, as a
committed member
of the society, Adam
Dixon worked on
After Life as a cast
member, dabbled in
assistant directing during Hamlet, and then
resumed his acting career through his minor
role in Machinal.
The duo work phenomenally together on
stage, and will undoubtedly create a wonderful
dynamic between both themselves and their
chosen cast within the rehearsal room.
“The Sound of Heavy
Rain by Penelope Skinner
is a twist on your typical
murder mystery noir play,”
they say.
“Taking the typical
archetypes of “detective”
and “victim” and flipping
them on their head!
There’s jazz, drinks, bright
red wigs and – of course
– the classic mystery at
the core of the plot.”
“We are hoping to have
a lot of fun with this show
and can’t wait to get
started.”
The pair are working alongside Arianna Dell,
an emerging assistant stage manager who
lent her talents to Cheeze, Kianna White,
whose commitment to the costume
work on Hamlet and Machinal has been
celebrated by the society, and Alexander
Oswald, the musical supervisor on prior
master student Ian Quint Leisner’s The
Lost Songbird, who is eager to get involved
in his second show.
K-Hole
The third show is an original script written by
Will Oliver. Titled K-Hole, this play has been in
the making for over a year and targets anyone
with a love for the darker side of comedy.
“K-Hole is a musical that
goes against what most
musicals stand for,” Will
explains.
“It’s discordant, chaotic,
and dark, with a story
revolving around a
ketamine-addicted
solicitor. It’s an immersive
glimpse into a world
somehow more horrifying
than our own.”
After directing and writing a short, The Camel’s
Back, in May 2023, Will and co-director Eli
Andre are raring to discover both new and
old talents and cast people who are as keen as
they are about bringing this hair-raising script
to life.
“We’re looking for a cast
and crew ready to go with
some of the crazy ideas
we have and don’t mind
dealing with a fair bit of
fake blood,” he says.
The
directors
will be working
alongside Adam Cunningham, their musical
director, and two first-time stage managers
– Alice Dearden and Carys English. Ni-Elle
Ashton will be overseeing the production and
welfare concerns throughout the process,
which will ensure that this gritty script
remains enjoyable for everyone involved!
Botticell in the
Fire
The fourth and final play
which has been passed by
LUTG is Botticelli in the
Fire. With Immy Cowburn
overseeing the set design,
and Daisy Bashworth
lending her artistic flair to
the producing crew, this
performance is bound to
be visually stunning and
rich in acting quality.
“The play by Jordan
Tannahill follows
renaissance painter
Sandro Botticelli whilst
at work on his most
prominent painting, The
Birth of Venus,” says codirector,
Roisin McMullan.
“In this modern retelling
of Renaissance Florence,
Botticelli’s devotion to
pleasure and beauty is
put to the ultimate test. As
plague sweeps through
the city, the charismatic
friar Girolamo Savonarola
begins to stoke the fires
of dissent against the
liberal elite and Sandro
finds the life he knows
breaking apart, forcing
him to choose between
love and survival.”
Following her debut in
LUTG’s Machinal last
academic year, Roisin
is thrilled to finally
be directing her
own play with
her friend, Alice
Kat, who has
prior experience
with the role from
her involvement with
LUTG’s Equus.
She follows on by speaking for the
rest of the production team, declaring:
“With our production
featuring movement
sequences, original
music and handmade set
pieces, we are extremely
passionate and excited
about bringing this play to
life.”
She finishes by saying that Botticelli in the
Fire will be performed on the 9th and 10th of
December in the Minor Hall. The team are still
waiting on confirmation for the venue, so this
is subject to change.
To take part in any of the
shows, be on the lookout
for further details on how
to attend the auditions,
which will be held on the
7th and 8th of October.
More information can be
found at
@theatregroup on
Instagram.
In the meantime, prepare your pitches, and
brace yourself for a term filled with joy,
creativity and fun!
Photo: Ellie Leatherby and
Adam Dixon, LUTG and
https://www.hampsteadtheatre.
com/whats-on/2019/botticelliin-the-fire/