PROGRAMME

TRIXIE  by Heather Hampson

SARAH Joss Wyre

MAX      Jack Spencer

 SHAKEN  by Annie Power

MICHELLE    Brigette Wellbelove

LEON            James Mensah

THE LIBRARIAN by Maroun Rached

LIBRARIAN  Joss Wyre

CLIENT         Jack Spencer

KINGDOM OF HEAVEN  by Peter Popham.

APRIL      Brigette Wellbelove

BRUCE      James Mensah

WALLY     Chris David Storer

 

DIRECTOR                        Barry Edwards

STAGE MANAGER           Samson Robinson

SCRIPT CONSULTANT    Mark Johnson

 

THE SCRIPT ROOM is an Optik Theatre production

in partnership with Richmond Libraries

 

THE WRITERS

Heather Hampson

HJ Hampson is a writer based in London. She is a published fiction writer and has recently begun to write for the stage. She is interested in exploring the absurdities and challenges of living in twenty first century London.

Peter Popham

Previous plays include BLOODY MACGUFFIN (Tristan Bates Theatre 2017). Formerly a foreign correspondent with The Independent, he has published seven books, including the international best-seller THE LADY AND THE PEACOCK (Random House, 2012)

Annie Power

Annie was a member of the Royal Court Young Writers Programmeand herplays have been staged at new writing showcases at TheSoho Theatre, The Old Red Lion, The Pleasance, The Octagon, The Hen & Chickensand The Etcetera. Annie has written five short films, which have been screened at various film festivals including the London Film Festival.She won the Best Screenwriter award in 2014 at the UnderwireFilmFestival. She has just completed her first novel and is developing further theatre projects.

Maroun Rached

Maroun lives and works in Beirut. He is an architect by trade and a writer by passion. In parallel to his career in architecture, he has written numerous political articles, movie reviews, screenplays, and maintained a blog about Lebanese politics and nightlife.

 

THE COMPANY

 Barry Edwards

Artistic Director of Optik Theatre since its formation in 1981, touring internationally and the UK. He is an experienced director of new writing, most recently for Scenepool Productions in London and Bristol. For the WW1 Centenary Commemoration he produced and directed three programmes of plays by the early twentieth century pioneer Gertrude Jennings. He launched THE SCRIPT ROOM in 2016 and to date has showcased the work of sixteen new and established writers.

James Mensah

James studied at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Credits include MONOLOGUE SLAM at Theatre Royal Stratford East, CHIGGER FOOT BOYS at Oval House Theatre and SHOPPED at the London Theatre.

Samson Robinson

Samson studied theatre production at the University of Lincoln. He has worked at The Pleasance Edinburgh as a venue manager, and at York Theatre Royal, Georgian Theatre Royal, Royal Albert Hall and The Pleasance. Other work includes THE RAILWAY CHILDREN at Kings Cross Theatre, Omnibus Theatre’s FESTIVE LIGHT RIDE, Conceptual Arts Theatre’s THE CONCEPT OF LOVE, and 5 tours with Baroque Theatre Company.

Jack Spencer

Graduated from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2017 and appeared as Rob in CONTACTLESS for the March 2018 Script Room. Other recent theatre credits include WILL, WILL + Co  Victoria Baumgartner, SONNET SUNDAY Shakesepeare’s Globe, Malcolm MACBETH Unfolds Theatre, COME DIE WITH ME and HOW FAST THIS THING CAN GO Shaadi Rad. Film work includes the lead in HELP A DANE (2018).

Chris David Storer

Trained at LAMDA, and credits include: Tennesse Williams’ THE FAT MAN’S WIFE(Albany, Deptford), J.B. Priestley’s LABURNUM GROVE(Finborough Theatre), WHAT FLOWS PAST THE BALTICby Liam Shannon (Arcola Theatre), Malvolio in TWELFTH NIGHTand Bottom in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM. TV work includes new Channel 4 comedy HOME, BRITZ (Channel 4) and HUSTLE (BBC).Musical Theatre credits include the title role in Sondheim’s SWEENEY TODD, Audrey II in Menken and Ashman’s LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS and Oliver Webb in Cy Coleman’s ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.

Brigette Wellbelove

Brigette trained at the University of Northampton and 2016 co-founded LoveHart Productions. Credits includeColumbina in THE HAZARDS OF LOVE (Stickyback Theatre) TITS IN SPACE (LoveHart Productions), Emmain GOOD PEOPLE, BAD DAY (Sweet Dukebox), Lisa in SORRY, I KILLED YOUR CAT (Bread and Roses), Juliet in ROMEO AND JULIET (Worcester Repertory Company), Squealer in ANIMAL FARM (Royal and Derngate). TV and film credits include Sandwich Artist in SUBWAY, Voice Artist in KINGSMAN – THE GOLDEN CIRCLE (feature film), Mildred in COLOUR NOIR, Jane in REALITY BITES, Cassidy in PARTNERS IN CRIME, and Mia in SILENT HARMONY

Joss Wyre

Joss performed in all three Optik Theatre productions of Gertrude Jennings’ work from 2014 – 17, and appeared in the 2017 Script Room. Other credits include Luda in VASSA ZHELEZNOVA (Southwark Playhouse) Puck in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Windsor Savill Gardens), Helen, Mary and Adele in JANE EYRE (Rosemary Branch). Film roles include Hallow in THE HALLOW and Holly in WINTER RIDGE. Joss is also a skilled contortionist having trained at The Circus Space.