Tales From The Motherland; the reviews are coming in …..

‘Many reasons to catch this intriguing and theatrically varied evening.’

Tales from the Motherland is a second portmanteau programme of monologues and a duologue from Rob John and fEast Theatre, following the huge success 2024’s The Hollyhock Trilogy.

Where The Hollyhock Trilogy centred on romantic relationships and the search for love, this new trio of plays explores motherhood and the vexed nature of the parental bond. The first, Pudding, deals with tobacconist-confectioner Malcolm (lovably stolid Robin McLoughlin) whose humdrum life at home with his mum is structured around the TV schedule and the need for a proper dessert. The second, Lipstick, details the maternal disappointments of Victoria (Dawn Finnerty is wonderfully brittle and awkward) who has sensed the disapproval of her uppity daughter from the child’s sixth hour on earth. 

Both monologues focus on changes in the family dynamic – ‘Everything’s on the move,’ as Malcolm says – and both offer cautious hope. However difficult, however unhappy family life can be, things don’t have to stay the same and surprising reconciliations and accommodations are possible. And how can you not love a play in which are portly shopkeeper bests a Donald Trump look-a-like in romance or Barbie’s granny has the last laugh?

Such optimism disappears in Pillowcase.  Popping in one morning to check on his mum, Jen, local vicar Richie makes an extremely disturbing discovery which obliges him to reevaluate his attitude not only to his redoubtable but apparently unremarkable mother but to his faith and his sense of self.

Pillowcase takes an idiosyncratic view of a current hot button issue which I won’t spoil by identifying. It’s formally innovative, seamlessly blending direct audience address with conventional dialogue, and, riskily, also extremely funny, dealing with its subject through some jet-black humour.

Jen is played superbly by Barbara Horne, a nuanced study of a good woman pushed to the edge by depressingly unexceptional circumstances. Her wonderfully accomplished performance is just one of many reasons to catch this intriguing and theatrically varied evening.

Tales from the Motherland tours venues in Norfolk and Suffolk until 4 April.

Review by George Norton

‘The quality of writing throughout was outstanding, investing two monologues and a duologue with a rare authenticity.’

Read the full review from David Vass at
The Corn Hall Diss here.

We’re on the road again!

We’re excited to announce that fEAST Theatre will be touring again this Spring as our brand new show Tales from the Motherland comes to venues in Norfolk and Suffolk. Following the success of last year’s The Hollyhock Trilogy we have commissioned three more darkly comic tales from writer Rob John. Starring Barbara Horne, Dawn Finnerty and Robin McLoughlin, the new show brings you the funny but poignant stories of three mothers whose secrets, lies and misdemeanours create havoc in the lives of their adult children. 

Tales from the Motherland will surprise you, make you laugh and maybe shed a tear…possibly all at the same time!

Reviews of last year’s The Hollyhock Trilogy included:
‘a rare treat to see such bold sure-footed writing so expertly delivered’ George Norton.
‘Rob John extends the possibility of what can be done with a monologue….one of the finest productions I have seen at the Corn Hall for a very long time.’ David Vass

Tour dates and booking information

Please note the Aylsham date has changed from Wednesday 12th March 2025 to Tuesday 11th March 2025.

As Autumn falls upon us, here at fEAST, we’re reflecting on our recent work whilst planning new adventures ahead.  What a ride we’ve had these past 8 months. From our family Christmas show Red Riding Hood by Nick Lane at Wells Maltings at the end of last year, closely followed by a tour of Rob John’s ‘compelling and thought provoking’ ‘The Hollyhock Trilogy’ culminating with Jeremy Page’s debut play ‘Elephant’, which toured Norfolk and Suffolk this Summer to critical acclaim.

We’re so grateful to have had the invaluable support from The Seagull Theatre, Sheringham Little Theatre, Wells Maltings and Norwich Arts Centre. All four venues generously gave support in kind and for that, we are incredibly grateful.

Funding is becoming increasingly harder to gain, but we have some exciting work in the pipeline for 2025. Rob John, our co-founder, is working on a new piece for Spring 2025, we also have ‘The Peggottys’ by Robin McLoughlin waiting in the wings and an exciting collaboration with a playwright new to fEAST . The company is also currently holding talks to develop exciting partnerships with other arts organisations…so much to look forward to.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported us this year. We’ll be back!  Watch this space…

Dawn Finnerty
September 2024

Successful and strong relationships Feast have built

In fourteen years of touring we are proud to have built strong relationships with many of the regions theatres and communities. In these challenging times we are grateful for the support and encouragement which these venues continue to offer us. Here are some things they’ve had to say about fEAST Theatre.

Sheringham Little Theatre & St Georges Theatre Yarmouth

The Little Theatre is honoured to have been involved from the beginning of the incredible fEAST Theatre journey in 2010. I knew it was something special, because of the people and their artistic ethos. Every show has been of the highest standard and they have built up such an eclectic mix of work. We always need to book extra shows in, as they sell out in Sheringham and are so popular.  I programme them into St. George’s Theatre in Great Yarmouth and they are building audiences there too. People look forward to what their next venture will be and so do I!

Debbie Thompson
Director

Wells Maltings

The relationship between Wells Maltings and fEAST goes back many years; since we reopened in 2018 their work has been a central pillar of our live theatre programming. fEAST’s creative process is second to none, they are a joy to work with, and their ethos matches our own exactly. Their touring work has been supplemented by commissions for Christmas shows every year since 2019, too. We value our relationship with fEAST hugely – the company is part of the Maltings’ family.

Simon Daykin
Director

The Seagull

The Seagull has been proud to work with fEAST Theatre for a number of years and have always been impressed with both the quality and breadth of the productions produced. As a community focused venue we are always keen to bring high quality drama into our town, and as such fEAST have been an important partner in being able to delivery a very high standard of artistic quality alongside a reasonable and affordable ticket price. This combination of quality and value for money has been a touchstone of fEAST theatre and has helped them to grow their reach within our deprived community.

Des Reynolds
Director

Westacre Theatre

Westacre Theatre is always proud and eager to present whatever fEAST have on offer. Their productions are always of the highest standard, and our audience loves them to the extent that we can almost guarantee to sell out. Our relationship with this excellent touring theatre company began in 2015 and we very much hope it continues long into the future, fEAST are always welcome here at Westacre!

Sadie Grist
Director

Southwold Arts Centre

We have had several excellent productions by fEAST at Southwold Arts Centre in the last few years, including Dulcie and Walter, Rosa Mendoza and Canada Boys.  All have been characterised by very original scripts with a local connection, excellent production and outstanding acting. They are one of the best touring theatre groups in East Anglia. We look forward to welcoming their next production to Southwold.

Michael Rowan-Robinson
Chair of Trustees, Southwold Arts Centre

Sedgeford Village Hall

Sedgeford Village Hall is the only venue in west Norfolk that hosts professional theatre and we’ve been at it now for around a decade. We first met fEast in 2016 and have seen six of their plays since then, all of which have been to the same high standard. The Company always prompts a great reaction from our audience and selling tickets is easy when people appreciate what they’re in for.

On a personal note I aim to book a slot with fEAST without knowing what their play is about or having to consider whether it will go down well…it will, and always does! The Company is approachable (nice people), and I’m delighted to say they love playing Sedgeford… we can’t wait for their next one.

Dave Carter
Entertainment Manager

Corn Hall Diss

We have only had the opportunity to programme two fEAST productions so far – Dulcie & Walter in July 2021 and The Canada Boys in February 2022 – but were blown away by the quality of the work presented on both occasions. The company is a dream to work with too which is no small thing when times are tough. They’re efficient, have good marketing and are lovely to boot. As a venue programmer I would gladly include any fEAST production in my programme, indeed I have been in touch to make sure I am part of their next tour.

It’s not only the quality of the writing, acting and general production values that make fEAST Theatre’s work so important, it is the fact that their work has real local resonance and generates a genuine and heartfelt response from the audience. Nothing demonstrates the vital importance of live performance better than that.

Angela Sykes
Programme Manager

Corn Hall Contd.

This review of Canada Boys by one of our regular, and often hard to please customers expresses this much more eloquently:

Rescheduled over the last couple of years due to Covid, we had to wait a long time to see fEAST Theatre’s production of The Canada Boys. Fortunately, it proved to be well worth the wait. Rob John’s fictionalised account of the J &J Colman’s sponsored emigration to Canada was one the finest productions seen at the Corn Hall for a very long time.

At the beginning of the last century, eighteen men were offered the chance to start a new life in Canada, rather than face the impending unemployment that was sweeping across Norfolk.

From the bare bones of these facts, fEAST Theatre have created a moving and absorbing tale of two brothers, torn between responsibilities at home and opportunity abroad. The play was certainly an education – it was fascinating to learn of the Colman family’s philanthropy – but this was no hagiography. On the contrary, the dramatic tension between the brothers, arguing over the motives of their employers, provided the backbone to what was essentially a domestic drama about familial conflict.