Casting announced for the world premiere of

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The Big Things

by Mike Heath

Direction Sharon Willems

Starring May Cunningham and Matthew John Wright

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Monday 16 April - Saturday 5 May 2018

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Press Days: Wednesday 18 April & Thursday 19 April 2018, 7:30pm

 

Barons Court Theatre, 28a Comeragh Road, London, W14 9HR

 

Tickets available here.

 

PRESS RELEASE Tuesday 27 March 2018

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Today we announce the casting for The Big Things, a world premiere from Mike Heath:

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The Big Things brings us into the world of Grace, a woman living to a different rhythm. She meets Malcolm and falls in love, but even that she can’t do without people staring. When she and Malcolm decide to have a baby, the ensuing challenges leave her questioning everything she knows about life. How can your family love you when they can’t understand you? How can you be a good mother when you’re not like everyone else?

 

Shortlisted for the BBC Alfred Bradley Bursary Award 2016, The Big Things is a tragi-comic play about love and parenthood.

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For further press information please contact:

Leonard Bacica, Producer

leo@kiboproductions.com | 07833 913760

 

"Enjoy the little things in life, for one day you'll look back and realize that they were the big things" - Kurt Vonnegut

 

-ENDS-

 

Notes to Editors:

 

About Kibo Productions

 

We believe theatre is a powerful tool for transformation and our work is made with the hope that we can activate change in the world, however small, by producing plays that reveal and challenge our perception of the world. Our work is intentionally diverse with content that is socially relevant, artistically engaging and inclusive at its core. We are passionate about working with new writers to nurture and develop their work and are keen to produce first productions and UK and London premieres of new plays.

 

The Big Things by Mike Heath was selected following an open submissions window in February 2018. In the span of five days, we received almost 200 scripts from across the world. We selected The Big Things by Mike Heath because we were won over by the beautifully complex central female character. This is a story rarely seen on the stage, and we are proud to be producing the world premiere of Grace’s story.

 

About the creative team

 

Mike Heath (writer) is an experienced theatre director and a published playwright based in Manchester, UK. He has worked in fringe theatre since 2003, with work appearing at Studio Salford at The Kings Arms Theatre, 24:7 Theatre Festival, The Buxton Fringe, Re:Play @ The Library Theatre, Oldham Coliseum, The Lowry, Liverpool Everyman, Martin Harris Centre, Robert Powell Theatre (Salford), The Drill Hall (London) as well as many fringe venues in Manchester. He is half of Manchester Evening News award winning, Mediamedea, along with Cathy Crabb. Mike has a Distinction MA in Playwriting from Salford University. He is currently running the Studio Salford WriteForTheStage courses. These courses have been running since 2012 and have helped over 100 writers bring their work to the stage.

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Sharon Willems (director) is the artistic director of Kibo Productions and directed their five-star production of Tea Set by Gina Moxley (The White Bear/Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh) starring Amy Molloy. Recent work includes direction for Indignitas by Jonathan Skinner (Criterion Theatre, New Writing Showcase) and To The Free by Olga Nikora (Off-West End Adopt A Playwright Award reading). Sharon directed the UK Première of Birthday by Brooklyn-based playwright Crystal Skillman (Waterloo East Theatre/Camden Fringe) and wrote the foreword for the subsequent Samuel French publication. She has curated several new writing events for Kibo Productions and is currently working with award-winning playwright, Jaki McCarrick (Leopoldville, PapaTango Prize) to develop Tussy, a new work on the life of feminist revolutionary Eleanor Marx. Sharon is also a freelance director, script reader and dramaturg and has worked across London on new writing for Little Pieces of Gold, The Off Cut Festival, Papa Tango Theatre Company, and Salt Theatre Company.

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May Cunningham (Grace) has a BA in Film & Theatre, and furthered her Acting training at The Oxford School of Drama. Prior to training she studied acting with the Sylvia Young Stage School and LAMDA. 
 

Theatre credits: Kay in THE LAST DAY OF THE REST OF YOUR LIFE, Lauren in EL PASO, C in HOW MANY? (Hidden Vice New Writing Theatre Festival); Kyun in THE 38TH PARALLEL (Park Theatre); Louise in A FAMILY BEYOND THE ARMY (Edinburgh Festival). Screen credits: Ms Watts in PIECES (Short Film); Laura in I LOVE PPI (Short Film).

 

She has also worked as a voice-over for E4 and in digital advertising campaigns for The Royal Shakespeare Company and Energizer.
May is thrilled to be working on this play; she has a parent with autism and hopes the show encourages people to learn more about it.

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Matthew John Wright (Malcolm) trained at the David Johnson School of Acting in Manchester. Recent Theatre roles include The Things She Left Behind (The Stockwell Playhouse), Above (Park Theatre), Great Expectations (West Yorkshire Playhouse), In search of England (Theatre N16) A Million Things (Contact Theatre, Manchester).

 

To view the webpage of the production please click here.

 

Praise for Kibo's previous work:

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'Both actors were marvellous'

(Michael Davis, Female Arts on Tussy by Jaki McCarrick)

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'A simple story beautifully told.'

(Lyn Gardner, The Guardian on Tea Set by Gina Moxley)

 

'Inspiring, engaging, intelligent, thoughtful and thought-provoking.'

(Raksha Patel, Vada Magazine on Love, Hate, and Human Rights)

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For information on Kibo's previous work please visit www.kiboproductions.com

or find the company on Facebook or on Twitter.