Preview: Disco Pigs at Newcastle Alphabetti

 “A furious, funny and violent dash through a friendship that may be too close to survive.”

Disco Pigs

Newcastle Alphabetti

Tuesday 20th February - Saturday 9th March 2024

Alphabetti Theatre will be premiering Enda Walsh’s outstanding theatre debut, Disco Pigs, February 20th until March 9th in the North East this Spring. 

The Irish cult-classic will be led by Award-Winning Artistic Director, Ali Pritchard, who promises a hectic, joyful and furious rendition of the two-hander with, of course, a banging playlist (think Fatboy Slim, the Cranberries and a Brimful of Asha). 

Director Ali Pritchard

Disco Pigs tells the story of two teenagers, Pig and Runt, inseparable since birth, with an appetite for drunkenness, recklessness, adventure and destruction. As the pair reach 17 years old, a sexual awakening threatens to break apart their private little corner of the world. 

Performing as Runt will be Amy McAllister, a formidable actor of both stage and screen. McAllister grew up in Tallaght, a working-class housing project on the outskirts of Dublin. She cites Enda Walsh as being her favourite playwright and her recital of Bedbound (2000) is what gained her a place to study at Guildhall. Since then, McAllister has gone on to land roles in shows like Call the Midwife (2012), A Discovery of Witches (2018) and Breeders (2020). Her theatre career spans from Soho Theatre to the Royal Court, and Newcastle’s very own Live Theatre. 

Amy McAllister

McAllister’s performance in Scorch (2016) gained them particular recognition as an “utterly mesmerising” performer (The Guardian, 2016). Outside of acting, McAllister is a talented poet, winning The Great Northern Slam: Champion of Champions 2022. 

Joining McAllister as Pig will be Sunderland’s Ben Gettins, one of the North East’s most exciting young artists. In 2022, Gettins wowed audiences and critics alike with his “utterly winning performance” (The Stage, 2022) in Sugar Baby by Alan Harris (Directed by Natasha Haws). He then went on to win the Peter Lathan Prize for his debut play, Wearmouth, at Customs House, which was regarded as, “powerful, poignant, funny – and absolutely brutal,” (Sunderland Echo, 2023). 

Ben Gettins

As one of the region’s most accessible theatres, Alphabetti will be offering the first week of Disco Pigs tickets as ‘Pay What You Feel’ price. This is a tradition at Alphabetti, believing great art should be for everyone, not just those that can afford it. After this, tickets are priced at £15 full price, £7 concession and a limited amount of ‘no questions asked’ tickets at £3. 

Tickets:

Box Office: Booking Essential. Tickets are Pay What You Feel until Feb 24th.

After Feb 9th, priced £3 (‘no questions’), £7.50 (con), £15 (GA)

Available via: www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk/discopigs 

Running Time: Approx. 50 mins

Age recommendation: 16+

Access shows:

Captioned: Wednesday 28th February 2024 7.30pm

Audio Described: Wednesday 6th March 2024 7.30pm

Relaxed: Saturday 24th February 1pm

Saturday 2nd March 1pm

Saturday 9th March 1pm