Preview: Tales & Scales at North Shields Exchange

Tales & Scales: Stories and Songs Celebrating North Shields

Tales & Scales

North Shields Exchange Theatre

in partnership with CaroleW Productions

Saturday 18^th September 2021

This is the first of three such evenings of theatre and music leading up to a community play in early summer 2023 for which writer Steve Byron will be seeking out stories of those who have lived and worked and passed through the commercial centre of North Shields.  The shows are part of the North Shields Heritage Action Zone project which will culminate in a piece of musical theatre to celebrate its past, present and future.

For this launch event, music will be provided by Celia Bryce and Colin Bradshaw, George Welch and Christine Jeans & Jamie Brown. 

The three short plays on offer will be by Cloud Nine Theatre, Blowin’ a Hooley and The Worriers, details of which are below.

 

The Filleting “App”

Written by Alex Oates

Presented by Blowin’ a Hooley

Performed by Harriet Ghost & Micky McGregor

 

A loving answer to Tom Hadaway’s classic ‘The Filleting Machine’ first written almost 50 years ago. The play finds the same family living and working in North Shields today and asks what, if, anything has changed for ‘Ma’ and ‘Da’ in the intervening years.

 

Fire and Water – The Thomas Brown Story (begins)

Written by Peter Mortimer

Presented by Cloud Nine Theatre

Performed by Anthony Broderick, Anna Marie Davis & Eleanor Beck

Directed by Neil Armstrong

 

The opening scenes of the remarkable true story of a 15-year-old North Shields lad whose heroic action in helping salvage vital Enigma Code documents from a sinking German U-Boat helped shorten World War II. Full production coming in November.

 

Preaching to the Bottom of the Glass

Written by Steve Byron

Presented by The Worriers

Performed by Karen Traynor & Jack Lloyd

 

Onto streets soaked in beer and bounty from the sea comes a saviour, following in the footsteps of Wesley, to save the folk of Shields with no wish to be saved.

If you have your own reminiscences or stories to tell don’t hesitate to contact the team at tales@theexchange.live