A new method of theatre opened its doors in Scarborough this August with Screenplay.
Based in a cinema itself, this play consists of four short productions all of which were written by a brand new bunch of writers.
An Empty Seat (by Jimmy Osborne), the first play of the evening, follows the meeting of Henry and Mae in The Stephen Joseph Theatre in 1936 when it was an Odeon Cinema.
These two characters meet during the showing of The Ghost Goes West on the evening with Scarborough-born Charles Laughton, who made a guest appearance.
The next short of the night was The Illicit Dark (by Isabel Wright) where Jeanne, Charles and Susan meet during a screening of Rear Window in 1954.
This short definitely took inspiration from the Master of Horror himself with this story and takes the audience on a shocking and twisting journey.
Double Feature (by Kate Brower) was undoubtedly the more moving of the four plays.
Based in 1979, it follows Diana and Richie as they watch a midnight screening of The Wicker Man and tackles difficult and sensitive topics and will have you laughing and crying at parts.
The last short was based in 1998 and follows Julie and Martine as they went to watch a screening of Little Voice in 1998.
Bit Part (by Claudine Toutoungi) was the most humorous out of all four of the plays and follows these two sisters as they look for themselves in the screening.
Each play, magnificently directed by Henry Bell, will take you on a journey of emotions, being funny, sad and thought-provoking.
With a cast of three, Charlotte Harwood, Paul Ryan, Lara Stubbs, the four plays worked brilliantly and nothing can be faulted in this magnificent new way of theatre production.
Using the combination of live action and a screen reel, this play was truly a work of art and a must see for all.
Theatre Information:
Director: Henry Bell
Writers: Jimmy Osborne, Isabel Wright, Kate Brower, Claudine Toutoungi
Cast: Charlotte Harwood, Paul Ryan, Lara Stubs
Venue: The Stephen Joseph Theatre
Running: 1 August – 30 August
