Our current project is “Being Norwegian”, a one act play by David Greig.  We performed the play as part of the inaugural Cardiff Fringe Theatre Festival on 24th & 25th June 2016.  The production is transferring to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 3rd-10th August 2016 at the Gilded Balloon.

Tickets available: http://www.gildedballoon.co.uk/tickets

About the Project:

 

Having just met at a nearby pub, Lisa and Sean stand awkwardly in his cluttered apartment. They don’t know a thing about each other, but a curious attraction has pulled them together. As they begin to reveal pieces of their history, Sean becomes increasingly unsettled. Can he trust this beautiful stranger with his innermost secrets? “Being Norwegian”, she says, “We know how to live with the dark”. A tender and funny one act play, from acclaimed Scottish playwright David Greig.

 

CAST & CREW:

TOM HURLEY, playing Sean

Born in Cardiff, Tom went on to train as an actor at Drama Centre London.  Theatre credits include: Norman in The Star-Spangled Girl (Volcano Theatre), Roland in Blavatsky’s Tower (Chapter & National Tour), Narrator in Bunnies Inside Her (RADA Festival), Jack in Deep Pit (Brass Works Theatre), Robin in A History of Falling Things (New Vic), Simon in The Stolen Inches (New Diorama/Ophelia Theatre), Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Courtyard Theatre/Baron’s Court Theatre), Nicholas in Waiting For Space (Trafalgar Studios), Satchel in Brokenville (National Theatre Studio/Calder Bookshop Theatre), Matt in Still Young (BAC), Frederick in The Lady of Pleasure (White Bear Theatre), Jim Gallien in Alexander Supertramp (Roundhouse Studio Theatre), Tweedledum/The Gnat in Alice Through The Looking Glass (Pleasance, Edinburgh).  He appeared in multi-award winning short film Hermit and plays a main role in forthcoming feature film Brief Intermission.

SARAH BENNINGTON, playing Lisa

Sarah trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as a musician. It was there that she first started to work with actors and where her love of acting was born. Since graduating she has pursued her career as a classical musician, but in recent years has also attended as many acting courses as possible alongside her professional orchestral life.  Whilst she was working in London, for instance, she attended the GSMD Drama Summer School. Then when she moved to Glasgow she did a Voice Over Training Scotland course, and a year’s worth of nightschool classes at the Citizens Theatre. Her acting roles there included Dillie from Sub Rosa, Holly from Yellow Moon, and Mabel Chiltern from An Ideal Husband.  Since moving to Cardiff recently, to start her job in the Orchestra of Welsh National Opera, she has attended courses at LARCA Workshops in Cardiff Bay, and the Actors Workshop based at Chapter Arts Centre/Llanover Arts Centre – with roles including Julia from Parallel Lines, Teresa from The Memory of Water, and Medea from Medea by Mike Bartlett.  Sarah is looking forward to her debut performance at the Cardiff Fringe Theatre Festival this summer with Axon Theatre, in Being Norwegian.

Director: PETER SCOTT

Peter is very excited to direct for Axon Theatre’s upcoming production of ‘Being Norwegian’.  His previous directing credits include:  Blavatsky’s Tower Tour (3 Crate), My Mouth Brought Me Here (Black Entertainment Wales and 3 Crate), Killer Cells (Avant and 3 Crate), Jack and the Beanstalk (Monmouth Savoy), Blavatsky’s Tower (3 Crate), Robin Hood and Babes in the Wood (Monmouth Savoy), Henna Night (3 Crate Productions), The Witch of Edmonton (Swansea Grand, Gower College), Jordan (3 Crate Productions), Shadow Boxing (Assistant director, Dir. James Ashton, Broken Souls), Click (Co-director with Sarah Jones, Mess Up The Mess), Clytemnestra (Assistant director, Dir. Amy Hodge, Sherman Cymru) and various short plays for Dirty Protest.

Stage Manager: NADIA HAMILTON-JONES

An Events and Business Management graduate, Nadia has worked within the events and stage management industries over a number of years, from stage managing theatrical productions and live gaming events, to opening ceremonies, corporate and fundraising events.  As an ASM, her credits include: Everyman Open Air Festival, 2015 productions of “Sweet Charity” and Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” (directed by the RSC’s Rebecca Gould).  She was Assistant Director and Stage Manager of 3Crate’s acclaimed production of “Blavatsky’s Tower” at Chapter, stage manager and co-ordinator for The Cowbridge Food and Drink Festival, overseeing 80 exhibition stands and over 15,000 visitors  and Stage Manager for the Opening Ceremony of the ICC Champions Trophy 2013 flag formation (Swalec Stadium, Cardiff).  As Zone Manager for Slingshot’s popular touring street game “2.8 Hours Later”, she worked in London at the end of their 2012 tour and on 2013’s “2.8 Hours Later: Asylum” tour in Birmingham and Cardiff. She spent three months as a full-time stage manager and co-ordinator at London 2012 (Olympic Park).  Nadia has extensive experience in stage management, technical theatre, set design and arts marketing on youth/community theatre projects, with Creative Industries (A company which created opportunities for people to receive training and support from professionals working in the industry), mainly based within the Sherman Theatre.

Producer: TOM HURLEY

Aside from his acting career, Tom produced the Edinburgh Fringe sell-out play Brick Walls (Underbelly, 2006) and a showcase performance of Waiting For Space (supported by the Jerwood Foundation) at the Trafalgar Studios in 2012.  He was publicist for Edinburgh Fringe sketch shows starring The Inbetweeners’ Joe Thomas: The Future (2006, 5* The List) and The Jonny & Joe Show (2008, 4* Scotsman), and for: The Gently Progressive Behemoth (2007, Critics’ Choice Sunday Times) and The Wisecrackin Mindsqueezin Behemoth (2008, 4* The List/Metro/Chortle).  In 2015, Tom was invited back to the Drama Centre to train for 6 weeks as an acting coach in the Movement Psychology technique.  For Axon, he produced the Arts Council Wales funded run of Neil Simon’s The Star-Spangled Girl at Volcano Theatre in Swansea (April 2016) and the Cardiff performances of Being Norwegian in June 2016.