Preview: Blitzen On The Tyne at Newcastle Live Theatre

Magical tale Blitzen on the Tyne to be brought to theatrical life at Live Theatre, with talented cast and creative team

Blitzen On The Tyne

Newcastle Live Theatre

Saturday 7 - Sunday 22 December 2024

Live Theatre, Newcastle is delighted to announce the delightful duo who will be performing in Danielle Slade’s fun and frantic festive tale Blitzen On The Tyne, showing at the Newcastle Quayside venue from Saturday 7 to Sunday 22 December. Bringing this wintry tale to life will be accomplished actors Karen Traynor and Micky Cochrane.

This glorious treat for children is a laugh-out-loud new play about a reindeer who takes on the Toon. Acclaimed North East based children’s playwright Danielle Slade has penned this brand new wintry tale with the input of local schoolchildren from Northern Counties School-Percy Hedley Foundation, St Johns Primary School and High Spen Primary School. Directed by Becky Morris, with set and costume design by Molly Barrett, the show is the perfect alternative to a traditional panto.

Karen Traynor

Karen Traynor has, for almost three decades, worked across theatre, radio and television with companies including The RSC, Northern Stage, Curious Monkey, The Young Vic, BAC, Lyceum Edinburgh, Open Clasp, Theatre By The Lake, Hull Truck and at Live Theatre where she starred in Rendezvous and Networking (Your Voice North East). An associate at Alphabetti Theatre, she recently direct Tiny Fragments of Beautiful Light. Karen is: “delighted to be living her best reindeer life at Live Theatre, this Christmas - let it snow!”

Micky Cochrane

Micky Cochrane is an actor, singer and occasionally a stand-up comedian. Recently he performed in the award-winning stage version of I, Daniel Blake and Curve Theatre’s revival of Billy Elliot. Other credits include Reiver: Tales from the Border, Pitmen Painters and one man show Carrying David and his Live Theatre appearances have included A Nightingale Sang and Christmas Crackers. TV credits include George Gently and Man Down, he produced stand up show What the Fudge and released the album You are not the end of The World with band This Ground Moves.

Micky said: “It’s great to be back on this iconic stage with a show that is going to delight kids and grown-ups alike.”

Blitzen on the Tyne is a story about finding your inner magic, friendship and celebrating your true self. Blitzen is bottom of the pile, the back row, last in line, and it had been this way for as long as Blitzen could remember. The smallest voice, the shabbiest hooves, the weakest antlers. Blitzen was the littlest reindeer with, quite frankly, the littlest story. Blitzen was lumpy and bumpy, a little bit wonky and big bit funky. Blitzen was different.

Writer Danielle Slade

Writer Danielle Slade is a passionate storyteller who uses her work to address the complexities of mental health and wellness for little minds, helping them understand, relate and come away with coping mechanisms to make their journeys through life that little bit more manageable. Writing credits include the award winning Melva, Peggy Pearpot, Orville and Raven.

Danielle commented: "Live Theatre is one of the first theatres I ever worked in. I've seen so many beautiful and meaningful plays here. Live Theatre strive to put children's ideas and experiences of creativity before anything else and I have seen this first hand in the work I do for them through Live Tales. So, to have been asked to write the Christmas show this year is a massive honour and something I am so excited about. So far, I have been so impressed by the ideas from the schools we have been working with to help bring 'Blitzen' to life. Children truly have the purest and most wonderful imaginations and being able to write this show not only for children but with them, is simply magical!"

Show director and Live Tales Creative Lead Becky Morris is passionate about new writing. This will be her third year directing Live Theatre’s family Christmas show. She said:

“This is a really special project working all year round with Northern Counties, High Spen and St Johns school. The Live Tales facilitators, writing mentors and creatives have built a safe and nurturing environment for the children to feel empowered to thrive creatively! The team have developed a magical once in a lifetime experience for these young people and that’s the work we never really see out in the public when actually it’s the process that’s the most impactful. The show is going to shine because not only do we have a wonderful cast and writer but the children and team have been working like little elves in their workshops to create an enchanting world for all to see.”

Joining the creative team is freelance set and costume designer Molly Barrett. Molly has worked with a number of companies in and around the North East, including Alphabetti Theatre (where she is an associate artist), Northern Stage, the Centre For Life, Seven Stories, Unfolding Theatre and Curious Monkey, as well as nationally with Wild Works, The World Famous, Nutmeg Puppets, SAW Trust and NORCA.

Tickets:

Tickets for Blitzen On The Tyne are priced at only £15 for adults and £10 for children and concessions. Generously supported by The Gillian Dickinson Trust, it’s proper new writing for kids. Families can make the festive experience even more special with a super Santa experience Live Theatre style. Save 20% when you book for both! To find out more and to book, go to live.org.uk or call Box Office on 0191 232 1232.