Elephant

The power of theatre has brought together an acclaimed novelist and his Paston College teacher after nearly forty years. Jeremy Page is returning to his Norfolk roots with a brand-new play, touring Norfolk and Suffolk this June. While the writer has garnered plaudits for both fiction and non-fiction, winning East Anglian Book awards for ‘The Wake’ and ‘New York to California’, this will be a rare venture into theatre-writing.

‘Elephant’ is the story of recluse Manny, living alone in a house on a crumbling cliff in North Norfolk, who gets an unexpected visit from his sister, Jessie, who has brought with her a local villain, Lee Farrier, trussed up in a sack. When they are joined by Cally, a figure from Jessie’s past, things start to fall apart, both figuratively and literally.

Jeremy Page grew up on the North Norfolk coast and his connection to fEAST brought him back in touch with a formative figure from his past. ‘Rob John was also my drama teacher at Paston. He was the best teacher that anyone could have encountered, as well as a very talented playwright. He opened my eyes to theatre, to drama, to politics and the role of what a writer should be, so to work with fEAST now has felt like a completion of a circle.’ In 2018 fEAST adapted Page’s debut novel ‘Salt’ for the stage. ‘They did a great job in both adaptation and staging so I was delighted when they commissioned me to write ‘Elephant.’’ The new play will be directed by Dawn Finnerty, who also took the helm on ‘Salt’.

Although he has lived in London for many years, Page’s writing continually brings him back to the Norfolk landscapes of his youth: ‘Norfolk formed me, and still inspires me. Certainly the coastal aspect of Norfolk has always fascinated me.’ ‘Elephant’ is set on a cliff top based on the coastline around West Runton where Page grew up and in the play, the effects of coastal erosion have a huge impact on the lives of the characters.

‘Being near the cliff edges was always a huge part of my childhood, with a sense that the sea was always nibbling away at the place I called home. And once you start following the thread of things being nibbled away from beneath, the next step is wondering what might be revealed.’

The play will be performed by fEAST theatre, one of the region’s leading touring companies, which was founded by former Paston College vice-principal Rob John.

fEAST theatre and Jeremy Page will be offering a series of workshops around the play, its themes and the challenges and opportunities of writing for the stage. ‘Writing this play was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve had. I was aware that this was a process of collaboration, and that my writing was only part of the process for others – actors, directors and set production – to add to. Writing novels is often solitary. Being part of a team felt wonderful’ says Page.

fEAST theatre’s production of Elephant by Jeremy Page is funded by an Arts Council England Project Grant and supported by The Seagull Theatre.  It will be touring venues in Norfolk and Suffolk throughout June.

Elephant Tour Dates 2024

Saturday 22nd June: Wells Maltings
Box Office – 01328 710885
Wells Maltings online tickets

Sunday 23rd June: Norwich Arts Centre
Box Office – 01603 660352
Norwich Arts Centre online tickets

Tuesday 25th June: St Georges Great Yarmouth
Box Office – 01493 331484
St Georges Theatre online tickets

Thurs 27th June: Westacre Theatre
Box Office – 01760 755 800
Westacre online tickets

Fri 28th June: Sedgeford Village Hall
Box Office – 01485 570097 / 07968 596949

Sat 29th June: The Seagull Theatre
Box Office – 01502 589726
The Seagull Online Tickets

Cast

Henri Merriam

Robin McLoughlin

Ben Elder

Rachael Cummins

Writer: Jeremy Page
Director: Dawn Finnerty
Produced by: Dawn Finnerty & Des Reynolds
Set Design: Fern Blevins
Lighting Consultant: Josh Harley
Music: Mark Fawcett
Stage Manager: Lucy Farrant
Photography: Paul Stefan
Poster and marketing design: Sally Blouet

Supported using public funding by Arts Council England in association with The Seagull Theatre and through support in kind from Sheringham Little Theatre and Wells Maltings.

Writing workshops

Jeremy Page has published four novels: SALT, shortlisted for the  His short story, DO IT NOW, JUMP THE TABLE, broadcast on Radio 4, was a finalist for the BBC National Short Story Competition, and his film SCAPEGOAT was broadcast by Channel 4 as part of their New Writing Talent scheme. As a scriptwriter and script editor he has worked for the BBC, Film Four, Channel 4 and Working Title, as well as writing journalism and being a photographer for various print, magazine and online outlets. He has taught Creative Writing at the UEA as well as tutoring and mentoring for various universities and lecturing at the London Film School.

Workshop dates and times:

Sheringham Little Theatre:
Friday 14th June
10.00 – 12.00
Box Office – 01263 822347

Old Buckingham Village Hall:
Saturday 15th June
Time tbc
Box Office – 07880 660444
bookings.obvh@gmail.com

Corn Hall Diss:
Friday 21st June
13.00 – 15.00
Box Office – 01379 652241

Wells Maltings:
Sunday 23rd June
11.00 – 13.00
Box Office – 01328 710885

To book your place contact the venues directly.
Workshops are free (Included in the ticket price for Old Buckenham Hall).

Elephant  –  Jeremy Page

In a house balanced on an eroding cliff in North Norfolk, local recluse Manny gets a surprise visit from his estranged sister, Jessie, whom he’s not seen for a year. She’s wildly unpredictable, searching for a long lost family secret, and has inexplicably brought along with her a petty criminal, Lee Farrier, trussed up in a sack. Jessie describes an unlucky series of events that have conspired to her making such a poor and rash decision, but Manny’s believing none of it. She’s done this kind of thing before.

As a rising tide eats away at the foundations, it’s the sudden appearance of a local girl, Cally, arriving with a damaged reputation and an uncanny ability to read minds, that forces all four of them to try and salvage something from the day before it’s too late. But as time runs out, and the uneasy truce turns towards possible violence, a hastily reckless plan begins to fall apart, exposing the bitter truths that have brought them together, the lies they’ve told each other, and against all expectation, the discovery of a strangely redemptive power that might just be buried beneath their feet.

Cast

Henri Merriam

Mark Finbow

Ben Elder

Anna Buttery