{"id":1684,"date":"2023-06-22T16:41:06","date_gmt":"2023-06-22T16:41:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/?page_id=1684"},"modified":"2024-09-27T12:53:35","modified_gmt":"2024-09-27T12:53:35","slug":"elephant","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/elephant\/","title":{"rendered":"Elephant"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1727441630399{margin-right: 200px !important;margin-left: 200px !important;}&#8221;]<div style=\"width: 660px;\" class=\"wp-video\"><!--[if lt IE 9]><script>document.createElement('video');<\/script><![endif]-->\n<video class=\"wp-video-shortcode\" id=\"video-1684-1\" width=\"660\" height=\"825\" preload=\"metadata\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"video\/mp4\" src=\"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/FNS_Elephant_Trailer_003-3.mp4?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/FNS_Elephant_Trailer_003-3.mp4\">https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/FNS_Elephant_Trailer_003-3.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1727437408058{padding-right: 40px !important;}&#8221;]\n<h3>&#8216;Elephant play Brings Norfolk Novelist Back To His Roots&#8217;<\/h3>\n<p>Press Release 25\/04\/2024<br \/>\nElephant by <span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Jeremy Page<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1886&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]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 \u2018The Wake\u2019 and \u2018New York to California\u2019, this will be a rare venture into theatre-writing.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]\u2018Elephant\u2019 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\u2019s past, things start to fall apart, both figuratively and literally.<\/p>\n<p>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. \u2018Rob 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.\u2019 In 2018 fEAST adapted Page\u2019s debut novel\u00a0<em>\u2018Salt<\/em>\u2019 for the stage. \u2018They did a great job in both adaptation and staging so I was delighted when they commissioned me to write \u2018<em>Elephant.\u2019\u2019\u00a0<\/em>The new play will be directed by Dawn Finnerty, who also took the helm on \u2018<em>Salt\u2019.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Although he has lived in London for many years, Page&#8217;s writing continually brings him back to the Norfolk landscapes of his youth: \u2018Norfolk formed me, and still inspires me. Certainly the coastal aspect of Norfolk has always fascinated me.\u2019 \u2018<em>Elephant<\/em>\u2019 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.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]\u2018Being 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.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>The play will be performed by fEAST theatre, one of the region\u2019s leading touring companies, which was founded by former Paston College vice-principal Rob John.<\/p>\n<p>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. \u2018Writing this play was one of the most enjoyable writing experiences I\u2019ve had. I was aware that this was a process of collaboration, and that my writing was only part of the process for others \u2013 actors, directors and set production \u2013 to add to. Writing novels is often solitary. Being part of a team felt wonderful\u2019 says Page.<\/p>\n<p>fEAST theatre\u2019s production of Elephant by Jeremy Page is funded by an Arts Council England Project Grant and supported by The Seagull Theatre. \u00a0It will be touring venues in Norfolk and Suffolk throughout June.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Elephant Tour Dates 2024<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1715288462753{padding-right: 40px !important;}&#8221;]Thurs 13th June : Sheringham Little Theatre<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Box Office \u2013 01263 822347<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/sheringhamlittletheatre.ticketsolve.com\/ticketbooth\/shows\/1173652356\">Sheringham Little Theatre online tickets<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Fri 14th June: Old Buckenham Village Hall,<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 07880 660 444<br \/>\nbookings.obvh@gmail.com<\/p>\n<p>Saturday 15th June: The Cut Halesworth<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 0300 303 3211<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ticketsource.co.uk\/booking\/venueplan\/RdiEJKhzXNnT\">The Cut online tickets<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>19th June: Aylsham Town Hall, 7:30pm<br \/>\nTickets at Postle\u2019s Aylsham in person<\/p>\n<p>20th June: Corn Hall Diss, 7:30pm<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 01379 652241<br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecornhall.co.uk\/shows\/elephant\/#book-ticket\"><span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">The Corn Hall online tickets<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Friday 21<sup>st<\/sup>\u00a0June:\u00a0Southwold Arts Centre<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 01502 722572<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/southwoldartscentre.co.uk\/whats-on\/elephant-by-jeremy-page-feast-theatre\">Southwold Arts Centre online tickets<\/a><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Saturday 22nd June: Wells Maltings<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 01328 710885<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.wellsmaltings.org.uk\/events\/elephant\/\">Wells Maltings online tickets<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Sunday 23rd June:\u00a0Norwich Arts Centre<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 01603 660352<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/norwichartscentre.co.uk\/event\/elephant\/\">Norwich Arts Centre online tickets<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Tuesday 25th June:\u00a0St Georges Great Yarmouth<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 01493 331484<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/stgeorgestheatre.ticketsolve.com\/ticketbooth\/shows\/873657953\">St Georges Theatre online tickets<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Thurs 27th June: Westacre Theatre<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 01760 755 800<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/westacretheatre.littleboxoffice.com\/events\/70041\">Westacre online tickets<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p>Fri 28th June: Sedgeford Village Hall<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Box Office &#8211; 01485 570097 \/\u00a007968 596949<\/p>\n<p>Sat 29th June: The Seagull Theatre<br \/>\nBox Office &#8211; 01502 589726<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\"><a style=\"color: #cc2000;\" href=\"https:\/\/theseagull.co.uk\/seagull_shows\/elephant-feast-theatre-company\/\">The Seagull Online Tickets<\/a><\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1877&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1860&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1709770928178{background-color: #ffffff !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Cast<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1744&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Henri Merriam<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1931&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Robin McLoughlin<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1746&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Ben Elder<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1930&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Rachael Cummins<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1727438744253{padding-right: 40px !important;}&#8221;]<strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Cast:<\/span><br \/>\n<\/strong><span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Cally<\/span>: Rachael Cummings:<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Lee Farrier<\/span>: Ben Elder<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Manny<\/span>: Robin McLoughlin<br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Jessie<\/span>: Henri Merriam:[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<strong>Writer:\u00a0<\/strong>Jeremy Page<br \/>\n<strong>Director:\u00a0<\/strong>Dawn Finnerty<br \/>\n<strong>Produced by<\/strong>: Dawn Finnerty &amp; Des Reynolds<br \/>\n<strong>Set Design:<\/strong> Fern Blevins<br \/>\n<strong>Lighting Consultant: <\/strong>Josh Harley<br \/>\n<strong>Music:\u00a0<\/strong>Mark Fawcett<br \/>\n<strong>Stage Manager<\/strong>: Lucy Farrant<br \/>\n<strong>Photography:\u00a0<\/strong>Paul Stefan<br \/>\n<b>Poster and marketing design: <\/b>Sally Blouet[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1860&#8243; img_size=&#8221;medium&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1709770928178{background-color: #ffffff !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text]Supported using public funding by <span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Arts Council England<\/span> in association with <span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">The Seagull Theatre<\/span> and through support in kind from <span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Sheringham Little Theatre<\/span> and <span style=\"color: #cc2000;\">Wells Maltings<\/span>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Writing workshops<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1727439018580{padding-right: 40px !important;}&#8221;]Accompanying the play, Jeremy Page will be running a series of workshops at key venues, to encourage and develop creativity among the community. The focus will be on listening to the experiences of coastal and rural living, and the stories that might arise from it. These workshops will provide an opportunity for people to develop their skills of expression, exploring themes from the play, and how the distinct East Anglian landscape can lend itself to shaping a unique sense of voice and character.<\/p>\n<p>Commonwealth Writers\u2019 Prize for Best First Book and the Jelf First Novel Award, THE WAKE, shortlisted for the New Angle Prize and winner of the East Anglian Fiction Book Award, THE COLLECTOR OF LOST THINGS, nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Walter Scott Prize, and NEW YORK TO CALIFORNIA, a journey across the East of England looking for the not quite visible, winner of the East Anglian Non-Fiction Book Award.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]Jeremy Page has published four novels: SALT, shortlisted for the \u00a0His 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.<\/p>\n<h4>Workshop dates and times:<\/h4>\n<p><b>Sheringham\u00a0Little\u00a0Theatre<\/b>:<br \/>\nFriday 14th June<br \/>\n10.00 &#8211; 12.00<br \/>\nBox Office \u2013 01263 822347[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text]<b>Old\u00a0Buckingham\u00a0Village\u00a0Hall:<br \/>\n<\/b>Saturday 15th June<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"><br \/>\n<\/span>Time tbc<br \/>\nBox Office \u2013 07880 660444<br \/>\nbookings.obvh@gmail.com<\/p>\n<p><b>Corn\u00a0Hall\u00a0Diss:<\/b><br \/>\nFriday 21st June<br \/>\n13.00 &#8211; 15.00<br \/>\nBox Office \u2013 01379 652241<\/p>\n<p><b>Wells\u00a0Maltings:<br \/>\n<\/b> Sunday 23rd June<br \/>\n11.00 &#8211; 13.00<br \/>\nBox Office \u2013 01328 710885<\/p>\n<p><i>To book your place contact the venues directly.<br \/>\nWorkshops are <\/i><b><i>free<\/i><\/b><i> (Included in the ticket price for Old Buckenham Hall).<\/i>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1687973563553{padding-right: 40px !important;}&#8221;]\n<h3>Elephant : Research and Development<\/h3>\n<p>On Friday 2nd June 2023 fEast presented extracts from the play at The Seagull Theatre.<\/p>\n<p>In a project funded by a bursary from The Seagull four actors, (Mark Finbow, Henri Merriam, Ben Elder, Anna Buttery) director Dawn Finnerty, designer Fern Blevins and sound designer Mark Fawcett began to explore the characters, dynamics and the technical challenges of a story set in a house which is falling into the North Sea.[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1689271269103{margin-right: 30px !important;padding-top: 40px !important;padding-right: 40px !important;padding-bottom: 40px !important;padding-left: 40px !important;background-color: #cc2027 !important;}&#8221;]\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">fEAST will be touring a full production of<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">Elephant in Spring 2024<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1691&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1677&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1723&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221; css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1687976022208{margin-right: 30px !important;}&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h4 class=\"x_MsoNormal\">Elephant\u00a0 &#8211;\u00a0 Jeremy Page<b><\/b><\/h4>\n<p>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\u2019s not seen for a year. She\u2019s 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\u2019s believing none of it. She\u2019s done this kind of thing before.<\/p>\n<p>As a rising tide eats away at the foundations, it\u2019s 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\u2019s 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\u2019ve told each other, and against all expectation, the discovery of a strangely redemptive power that might just be buried beneath their feet.[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1701&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Cast<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1744&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Henri Merriam<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1745&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Mark Finbow<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1746&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Ben Elder<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243;][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1747&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]\n<h3>Anna Buttery<\/h3>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[vc_row][vc_column][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1727441630399{margin-right: 200px !important;margin-left: 200px !important;}&#8221;][\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=&#8221;1\/3&#8243;][vc_column_text css=&#8221;.vc_custom_1727437408058{padding-right: 40px !important;}&#8221;] &#8216;Elephant play Brings Norfolk Novelist Back To His Roots&#8217; Press Release 25\/04\/2024 Elephant by Jeremy Page[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=&#8221;1886&#8243; img_size=&#8221;full&#8221;][vc_column_text]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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1684"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1961,"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1684\/revisions\/1961"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/feasttheatre.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1684"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}