Tale Valley Community Theatre
TVCT creates unique theatre which grows from the stories, history, venues and uniqueness of Payhembury and surrounding areas. All of the productions are original and written by local people, supported by skilled theatre practitioners. Care is taken to ensure authenticity, with most productions taking around two years to develop. Lacking any form of theatre space, the performances take place in a variety of locations which are relevant to the storyline: for example, a marquee in a field close to where a dead German airman was discovered following the shooting down of a Junkers 88 1944 and a farm building for an Interactive Theatre performance about the struggle of small family farms. The ‘Verbatim Theatre’ project in June 2011, also performed on a farm, was based on over thirty interviews with people involved in agriculture. The April 2012 production was a site-specific production in a 14th century house in Payhembury, with scenes in different spaces echoing the events in the house over seven centuries. In the 2013 production ‘The Music of Time’, thirteen writes created themed scenes from the childhood of the older participants – the 1940s – which were paired wih scenes from the projected old age of the younger participants – the 2080s. See details of our next production below.
Contact Name: John Somers
TVCT – Theatre event to commemorate the beginning of WW1
The official start of WWI was June 28, 1914 when the Archduke and heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sofia, were assassinated. The war ended on November 11, 1918 with the treaty of Versailles. It is estimated that, on all sides, 65 million men were mobilised. Of these, 8.5 million were killed, 21 million wounded and 7.7 million became Prisoners of War. Therefore over half of all soldiers who were involved were killed, wounded or captured. I am exploring the commemoration of the outbreak of WW1 through scene at the war memorial. Music and song would […]
[Read More...]Latest Project – Launch in Parish Hall
TVCT launch their new theatre project in Payhembury Hall 10.00am on Sunday April 14th John Somers will explain the project’s aims and how its development will involve a wide range of skills and people of all ages. Theatre director and writer, Nick Stimson (the community play he wrote and directed recently packed them in at the Drum Theatre, Plymouth) will then lead an exploratory workshop until 4.00pm. No experience necessary and no obligation to stay with the project ….. but we hope you will find TVCT’s unique ways of working of interest. If you liked Hollyhayes, Foresight and Leyhill, please […]
[Read More...]AGM and Meeting – 13th September
Following TVCT’s AGM on Thursday 13th September in Payhembury Parish Hall, there will be a presentation of video and photos from the site-specific production ‘Leyhill’ which took place in April this year. John Somers will also present the next project, an inter-generational production which will be developed through co-operative work between young people and older people in the community. The aim is to spend time exploring life in the period 1930 -1950 when the older people were young. The group will then devise key scenes which capture the essence of that period and these scenes will mainly be played by […]
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