Bash Street Theatre Newsletter
February 2008

New show for 2008 - THE STATION

There's a whirlwind of activity at our Penzance workshop right now as rehearsals are just about to begin for our new street theatre show - THE STATION. We paid a visit to the Bodmin and Wenford Railway recently, and they gave us lots of help and ideas, as you can see from the photographs! Many thanks to them.

Set in a dilapidated railway station in the age of steam locomotives, THE STATION is an hour-long, silent show with an east European flavour. Be prepared for a dramatic train crash, a daredevil rescue and some great comedy action from this award-winning street theatre company.

The story involves a gang of art thieves who are on the search for some stolen masterpieces, which have been delivered accidentally to a remote railway station. The situation becomes further complicated by the arrival of a band of musicians for a Grand Concert to be given that night. The station staff, of course, set out to make sure that all ‘lost property’ is returned to its rightful owner. The show combines physical theatre and silent movie stunts with live music, performed on accordion, piano and concertina. THE STATION has received a grant from Arts Council England and further financial assistance from 10 commissioning festivals where the show will be performed in 2008. We will also be presenting the show at several major European showcase festivals this summer.

THE STATION is being directed by Mikey Martins, from the Brighton-based Three Monkeys Productions, who has worked with us before on our CLIFFHANGER! and FRANKENSTEIN shows. We are working for the first time with costume designer Sean Donohey from Penryn, who has worked extensively with Kneehigh Theatre, Miracle Theatre and the Cornwall Theatre Collective. The artistic designer is Redruth-based artist and ceramicist, Helen Tiley whose association with Bash Street goes back for more than 10 years, and we are also pleased to welcome back Jim McCormack from North Devon as our musical director. Jim is composing an original soundtrack for the show, and will be touring with us playing keyboards, accordion and concertina.

We are planning a series of 'preview' performances in schools and other venues in Cornwall. The first of which will be at Trevarno Gardens, near Helston, on 12th and 13th April.

The preliminary tour list for THE STATION in 2008, dates to be confirmed.

The National Theatre, London
North Devon Festival
Bath Festival Fringe
Xtrax as part of ‘Feast – A Picnic by the Lake’ Manchester
Winchester Hat Fair
Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, Wales
Waterford Spraoi's Festival, Ireland
Penwith District Council,
Gloucester City Council
Swindon Borough Council

‘CLIFFHANGER! a real-life silent movie’

Winner of the “best street show” award at the Fira de Teatre in Tàrrega, in Spain in 2006

Back by popular demand...and still touring Europe and the UK, CLIFFHANGER! has already been booked by festivals in France, Germany, Belgium, Spain and Italy, so please contact us soon if you have not yet booked this award-winning show.

With falling buildings, dare-devil escapology, slap-stick humour and live piano accompaniment “CLIFFHANGER!” is a silent-movie style production that returns to the golden age of the silver screen. Inspired by Buster Keaton’s short film ‘Convict 13’, this action-packed silent comedy show has been enjoyed throughout Europe by young and old alike.

CLIFFHANGER! has been our most enduring and successful show, and has been performed throughout the UK and nine European countries. We are still constantly revising and improving the production, and we will be touring it as long as there is demand! We are hoping to take it to the Adelaide Fringe Festival in 2009.