what we're up to
We've made a new play. As part of the adventure, we've been learning to tango - and now we're hooked!
Our next performance of Last Dance Saloon is on Thursday 12th September as part of the Welcome Week(ender) festival at The Landmark, Ilfracombe followed by performances at George Nympton Village Hall on Friday 27th September and Black Torrington on Saturday 16th November as part of Beaford's touring programme. Further dates for Rural Touring Schemes and studio theatres around the country are being firmed up at the moment.
We're delighted that the The Firebird flew again at the South Petherton Folk Festival in June. She's ready for further action.
We're bringing back Medea at the Bay Theatre in Weymouth in February. Medea is one of those plays that resonates in different ways according to the context. We last played Medea in an International School in Kyiv.
Our established work pattern was upended by Covid. Less work in schools and no trips abroad led to a tighter focus on North Devon.
With support from Arts Council England, we developed the first draft of a play for Barnstaple, celebrating the town's historic resourcefulness in the face of adversity. We're plotting the next stage.
And we've been exploring how best to support early-career theatre-makers in North Devon. Supported by Beaford, we ran a concept development weekend in July 2021 for three local companies under the title Theatre Workhouse. We then developed weekly sessions housed at the Queen's Theatre thanks to Selladoor.
In December '21, Theatre Workhouse were invited by Beaford to be part of a Climate Change Theatre Action event at Barnstaple Bridge Chambers. On the strength of this, Beaford commissioned multi story and Theatre Workhouse to develop a village touring production broaching the subject of climate breakdown. We made a successful funding bid to Arts Council England which included a dramaturgical role for Daniel Bye. Titled Where To Begin, the production played eight venues in North Devon in autumn 2022 - further details.
A second Theatre Workhouse weekend in April 2023 saw the beginnings of three further projects from a new cohort of North Devon theatre-makers.
In autumn 2023, we created a response to Climate Change Theatre Action's collection of global playlets for 2023 from a North Devon perspective. We developed work with Theatre Workhouse and two local colleges - Braunton Academy and Chulmleigh College. The project was a collaboration with Beaford and was supported by a project grant from Arts Council England and a further grant from the Edward & Anne Jefcoate Memorial Charitable Trust. There were performances in Braunton, Chulmleigh and Barnstaple at the beginning of December.
"Stripped right back, the strength comes from the union of intelligent writing and the word-perfect power of the performances."
plays for adult audiences that respond to the world we live in.
plays for young audiences - myths, legends and traditional tales that speak across the ages.
multi story know the day-to-day pressures and plan their work appropriately. We recommend this company unreservedly."
traditional tales
The Firebird, full of adventure, with a large cast of colourful characters played by just two actors and featuring music and song, is a great introduction to multi story's bravura style.
We aim to introduce traditonal stories that are not so well known - like Twelve Wild Ducks or East o'the Sun, West o'the Moon - but we do have our version of Beauty & the Beast which children might like to compare with the familiar Disney treatment.
"Best visiting production we've ever seen - it really captured their imaginations."
greek myths
The inter-active nature of Jason & the Golden Fleece has proved very popular and hugely enjoyable. The Labyrinth combines Theseus & the Minotaur with the story of Icarus - Icarus's father designed both the Labyrinth and Icarus's wings! The Adventures of Perseus thrillingly recreates the showdown with Medusa. And we have recently created a truly delightful verion of Pandora which features some rather special original music.
"I have highly recommended you to other schools."
workshops
a comprehensive workshop programme plus bespoke learning events and longer-term projects.
"The range of theatre skills and styles that Beast! employs makes for essential viewing for students currently working on devising projects."
plays that older students particularly respond to
Beast! goes down well with Years 10 & 11. It is a published text and has been used for exam purposes by a number of schools.
Medea has proved very popular over the years with Years 11 - 13, including with colleges in Chile, Peru, Norway, Portugal and Ukraine!
Pericles - All At Sea and Digging the Dirt also work well for older students. Both have formed the basis of a day long programme of performance and workshops.
"The resulting reviews for the Ed Excel portfolio are an insight into the way young people think, written with considerable fervour and a credit to multi story and their talent to enthrall the teenager. Nothing short of magnificent."
plays for younger students
Some schools regularly use one of our children's shows to introduce Year 7s to a variety of drama techniques that take them away from a reliance on TV naturalism. Particularly popular in this context are The Firebird and The Adventures of Perseus, - though any of our children's plays fit the bill.
"The company offers students a vision of how to make exciting devised theatre with minimal set, costume and props, but masses of invention, energy and creative use of dramatic techniques and conventions."
a comprehensive workshop programme
A range of skills workshops plus bespoke learning events and longer term projects. A recently developed day-long workshop package that schools are finding very useful is a mix of excerpts and practical exercises that examine structuring and devising.
"multi story illuminate their chronicles with intelligence and theatricality. Their approach is spare - there are no wasted movements or empty ideas. And they are marvellous actors."