Read-through for Teignmouth Players' next production after "Talking Heads". Called "The Bed Plays" it features two productions, Afterglow and FREAK.  

 Afterglow is all about two people who, for some reason, seem to keep ending up in bed together. Written as a comedy the ages of the two protagonists can be any age. The running time is under an hour, initially it will be directed by myself but if any member wants to direct / co-direct / shadow they are more than welcome.  

FREAK is written by Anna Jordan and was performed successfully at The Ice Factory 5 years ago. It is about coming of age and coming to terms with age, about womanly power and weakness, about sexuality and self-image. Two women separated by fifteen years expose their feelings crudely and bluntly, in a sexually-charged atmosphere. The set shows their shared bedroom, split between Leah’s side and Georgie’s, mirroring their respective stories. It is, at times, an intense play which approaches difficult topics and emotions, but both Leah and Georgie are strong, concentrated and powerful parts and roles that don’t come around that often.

Leah is fifteen years old (playing age): she fantasises about losing her virginity, and her walls are covered with pictures of supermodels and actresses. She is utterly repulsed by body hair, talks about her more sexually experienced friends with jealousy, and is heavily influenced by social constructs of femininity and tries to perform what is expected of her – by her boyfriend, by her friends, by everyone.

Georgie on the other hand is a 30-year-old suffering from depression, and she is just as influenced by society as Leah is. She works in a lap-dancing club, where she lies about her age, and feels all at once like a goddess, a thing, and a void. She believes she is in control of her body and desires, and “doesn’t want respect”; but in a heartbreaking climax, she recounts being assaulted by a group of men, which precipitates her break-down.

This is an intense and powerful piece of writing by one of the country's best new female playwrights; when it was performed 5 years ago (by Ratchet Theatre) we had a Q & A afterwards to talk over some of the issues raised. It is absorbing and addictive, with an ending which is not what you would expect. It is well worth a read-through.

If you need any more information, or would like to be considered but can't make the read-through, please e-mail me (Jeremy) on admin@teignmouthplayers.com.