AsOne Theatre Company
Listed as: Education/Training, Theatre Company, Theatre Organisation
01305835541
3, Osmington LodgeWeymouth
DT3 6EX
Weymouth and Portland
South West
- Keywords:
- touring, new writing, projected image, music, workshops
The company draws upon the experience of its founding Artistic Director, Jane McKell and her work with memory projects in theatre, education, the community, and on both commercial and BBC radio.
Jane set up AsOne Theatre Productions in 2004 to employ Dorset based professional theatre practitioners and shake hands with the community.
In 2004 AsOne Theatre collated some 200 letters sent to them as part of a project to make a play about the Second World War through the eyes of women and children to celebrate the 60th anniversary of VE Day. The resulting play with music: String of Pearls toured 25 theatres throughout Wessex and raised £3,000 for the Royal British Legion along the way. It was a wonderful piece of living history - seen by those who helped create it. Now it is an important legacy - as many of the contributors have since sadly died.
In 2007/08 the company along with their Business partner 6 Wessex based Curves Ladies Health and Fitness Franchisees were awarded the South West Arts and Business Heightened Branding Award for its Wessex tour of 'Lets Do It!' beating parners The Bristol Silent Film festival and Aardmann Animations.
In 2009 in partnership with Surestart and the Dorset Teenage Pregnancy Unit AsOne Theatre embarked upon devising both a touring play about five parents journey of pregnancy and birth from teen mum to last chance couple - Hey Baby!, and a teenage pregnancy prevention project for schools - Hey Baby-Baby!
In 2010 the company were invited by The Thomas Hardy Society to premiere She Opened the Door (by the company's commissioned playwright, Peter John Cooper and music by composer Roderick Skeaping) at the International Thomas Hardy Festival; this consequently toured 2010/2011 to 16 theatres throughout Wider Wessex hailed as a: 'theatrical treasure in the future.' by the Dorset Evening Echo.
In September 2011 AsOne plans to take a workshop & mini-performance based on the story of Mary Anning (21 May 1799 – 9 March 1847) to spread the word in schools and museums about this amazing woman who at 6 yrs old collected curios on Lyme Regis beach and grew up to become the world's leading female Hunter of Fossils and paleontologist challenging the concept of creation.
Then in 2012 a play based on this remarkable woman's work and life, The Cabinet Makers Daughter is planned to tour Wider Wessex; starting along the Jurassic Coast as part of the Olympic Cultural Celebrations.
Key Projects
- String of Pearls
-
A look at the 2nd world war through the eyes of women and children celebrating the 60th anniversary of VE Day
- Hey Baby
-
Five very different Portland parents' journey through pregnancy and birth along with Baby's-Eye view
- She Opened the Door (The Wife, The Mother, The Other Woman and The Ruined Maid)
-
Cleverly interweaving some of Hardy's characterful dialogue, this play with music takes a fresh look at Thomas hardy's first wife Emma and her relationship with Dorset's literary genius at the height of his fame. It takes place in the garden of the couple's home, Max Gate in Dorchester. Hardy's possessive mother, Jemima comes to visit for the first and only time and Mrs Florence Henniker arrives on the new fangled ladies safety bicycle, add a feisty (ruined) house-maid, some skeletons and a ghost or two to Emma's already tangled nerves, and you have a powder keg ready to blow!
- The Cabinet Maker's Daughter
-
19th Century Fossil Hunter, Mary Anning, in the last days of her life and increasingly dependent on laudanum to quell the pain of cancer, battles to complete the presentation of one last fossil, that will rock the world. Into this frenzy bursts life-long friend, collector and artist Henry de la Beche. Henry’s arrival awakens emotions that Mary thought long buried. He has extraordinary news that Mary seems unable to grasp; together they embark on a strange journey back through her life, partly dream, partly memory revisiting amalgams of places, events, dinosaurs, and people long gone. Through it all is her enigmatic relationship with Henry; can Mary find resolution and peace? A play about - life and death; frustration and achievement; dreams and memories - long, long ago.
- Jurassic Creatures (Mary Anning's Fossil depot & Fossil Fun for Kids)
-
Theatre in Education
Interested?
Then contact: jane@asone-dorset.co.uk or tel: 01305 835541
Schools Project 2011- 2012 Proud to be a part of the Big Jurassic Classroom and inspired by the Olympic/ and Paralympic values of: Respect, Excellence, Friendship/Courage, Determination, Inspiration and Equality
Jurassic Creatures - by AsOne Theatre and Fossil Fun for Kids
- touring schools and museums from November 2011 to July 2012
Dorset and Devon primary and middle schools are invited into Mary Anning’s Depot; Mary will introduce her fossil curios with exciting stories of 19th century discovery and achievement; then the children will paint fossil moulds, find out more about past giant marine creatures and enjoy a drama workshop. The National Trust West Dorset Jurassic Coast Van (with hands on fossil collection) can be an optional extra in your playground for the day. 30 schools - first come first serve! Call 1305 835541 for information. Please express interest as this will help our application for funding.
Key Personnel
- Jane McKell
- Artistic Director
- Peter John Cooper
- Associate Writer/Director
- Roderick Skeaping
- Associate Composer
- Annette Sumption
- Associate Designer
- John Newton (Lymelight)
- Associate Lighting Designer/Technician
- Kevin Butcher
- Audio/visuals