13.39°C Led by Richard Bland (MA in Drama Directing from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, BA in Acting from Guildford School of Acting), Stage Craft @ is bringing three unique and exciting productions to this year’s Colchester Fringe Festival. The range of performances spans improv comedy, children’s theatre, and poignant reflections on war, showcasing the versatility of their talented performers. Here’s what you can expect:
Screw Loose Improv
What happens when six convicts and a hapless drama therapist take the stage for one last shot at freedom? Chaos, hilarity, and spontaneous comedy, of course! Screw Loose Improv is an immersive improv comedy show where a group of convicted improvisers battle it out to win the audience’s favour and secure their freedom. With sharp wit, audience interaction, and plenty of off-the-cuff moments, this show will have you laughing.
All the performers in Screw Loose Improv have been honing their craft through Stage Craft @ Acting Classes over the past year, so expect high-energy performances with a polished edge. While you’re guaranteed some laughs, be ready for strong language and scenes of a risqué nature.
Date: Sat 26 October – Sun 27 October
Time: Sat 7pm, Sun 9pm
Venue: Headgate Theatre (Rehearsal Room)
Age Suitability: 16+
Price: £8
The Amazing Adventures of Princess Millie
For a family-friendly outing, look no further than The Amazing Adventures of Princess Millie. Based on the imaginative children’s stories of local author Tim Strugnell, this interactive, magical show follows Princess Millie as she embarks on a series of adventures right here in Colchester. From lonely ghosts to trips to the jungle, this play is sure to captivate children and adults alike with its whimsical charm.
The show is a delightful adaptation by the Stage Craft @ team, who brought these stories to life after falling in love with Strugnell’s tales. With original illustrations by Emma Gibson, this is a perfect way to introduce children to the magic of live theatre.
Date: Mon 28 October – Fri 1 November
Time: Mon 4pm, Tues 1pm, Wed pm, Thur 4pm, Fri pm
Venue: Headgate Theatre (Rehearsal Room)
Age Suitability: All Ages
Price: £8
We Will Remember Them
As we approach Remembrance Sunday, Stage Craft @ offers a thoughtful tribute with We Will Remember Them, a powerful piece of theatre dedicated to the soldiers of World War One. This original work, created and performed by the adult acting company, blends new writing, poetry, and song and devised theatre to provide a unique reflection on the Great War.
The performance promises to be both inspiring and poignant as the ensemble explores themes of sacrifice, loss, and remembrance in a respectful yet creatively engaging way. Due to its emotional intensity and potentially distressing themes, the show is recommended for those aged 12 and up.
Date: Sun 27 October – Wed 30 October
Time: Sun 6pm, Tue 7pm, Wed 7pm
Venue: Headgate Theatre (Rehearsal Room)
Age Suitability: 12+
Price: £8
These three performances highlight the diversity and talent of Stage Craft @, making them a standout part of the Colchester Fringe Festival this year. Whether you’re in the mood for a laugh, family fun, or a thought-provoking night of theatre, Stage Craft @ has something for everyone.
To learn more about these exciting productions and the importance of the Colchester Fringe Festival, I asked Richard Bland some questions to get his thoughts on these shows and his passion for the local arts scene.
Richard, you’re bringing three very different shows to the Colchester Fringe Festival this year. What inspired you to create this diverse lineup, and what do you think each show offers to its audience?
“Stage Craft has community and accessibility at its heart. Theatre is for everyone, and we wanted our programme of shows to reflect that for audience members and Stage Craft @ participants alike. With a children’s show, a piece of new writing (combined with collaborative devised theatre), and an improv night, we were able to facilitate the skills and inclinations of our diverse members and offer something for everyone at the Fringe festival.”
Screw Loose Improv is a pretty bold and unique concept! How did the idea of blending convicts, drama therapy, and improv comedy come about, and how have the performers developed their skills through Stage Craft @ Acting Classes?
“The group and I were deliberating on how we wanted to frame this concept! It is no longer exciting to put on an improv night in and of itself, especially with the likes of Whose Line Is It Anyway and The Noise Next Door being at the top of the ‘improv food chain’. We once joked about how some of our improv classes were ‘a crime against theatre’, so we thought, why not be convicted for it? The members will have to improv for their freedom and their crimes against theatre. Stage Craft operates in blocks of classes. The group gets to choose what they study next from a vast menu, including Shakespeare, Physical Theatre, Scene Study, Improv, etc. In each block, we explore the myriad ways of starting and honing our skills in that particular medium. Most of our members have now done three blocks devoted to improv and are waiting for an audience!”
You’ve adapted a local children’s story for The Amazing Adventures of Princess Millie. What drew you to this project, and how important was it for you to incorporate Colchester into the narrative?
“In the introductory block of Stage Craft @, part of the course is presenting your ‘artist’s map’. This encourages members to delve deeper into their artistic journey and why the art they make is uniquely theirs while sharing this with the rest of the group. When Tim shared his with us, his children’s book grabbed my attention. After telling me only a few of the short stories, I told him that we needed to dramatise this and make it a piece of children’s theatre. I’d always wanted to take a crack at the medium myself, and we agreed it would be a fantastic audition and process opportunity for the members of Stage Craft, not to mention reaching for the sky for Tim as well. It was of utmost importance to us that Princess Millie live in Colchester, and we wanted to incorporate that into the narrative. From my work with children and young people during COVID, it has become apparent to me that many young people have lost their creative spark and excitement for imagination. Setting this show in Colchester, with a protagonist and story arc that celebrates imagination, will allow our young audience to relate to a world where dreaming is not only allowed but makes life magical.”
You tackle some heavy themes surrounding World War One with We Will Remember Them. How does Stage Craft @ approach creating a respectful yet engaging tribute through devised theatre and new writing?
“When working on any piece of theatre in Stage Craft, we begin the process with a ‘rehearsal room charter’. On this big piece of paper on the wall, members can write whatever they need to get their best work out of them—i.e., celebrating mistakes, not rushing the process, asking questions, etc. For this piece, we went one step further by having a separate charter on the dos and don’ts of keeping our piece respectful and engaging. We also agreed that anyone who brought a piece of writing or an idea to the table was, in effect, giving a piece of themselves and their history. Not only were we to be respectful of that, but we also ensured they took the lead—any offers made were just that: offers and gifts. We have several playwrights in the group who relished the opportunity to produce short plays for the stimulus, and these are intersected with poems, songs, and letters written by the cast. There is so much of the cast in this show, and we feel it wholeheartedly speaks to an ethos of substance before style.”
As a Colchester-based theatre professional, what does the Colchester Fringe Festival mean to you, and how do you feel it supports and showcases local talent like that within Stage Craft @?
“The Colchester Fringe, and fringe theatre in general, is among the most necessary forums and showcases for theatre that exists in our society. Costs are astronomical to produce your own work without their support, and this industry, for right or wrong, is rife with gatekeepers and financial barriers for training, expressing, and producing. It’s sad to think of the great works we miss out on because of financial barriers and because a piece of art is not considered ‘commercially viable’.
“The Fringe goes a long way to letting anyone put on anything, to soar to great heights or to fail spectacularly (but we celebrate and learn from failure!). Not only does it make dreams possible for theatre makers and actors, but it also produces the masterpieces of tomorrow. As an audience member, you get to watch that for the price of a London pint.
“Similarly, our classes are kept at the lowest price possible, and for anyone who can’t afford that, we have an anonymous ‘Play It Forward’ fund, in which members can pay more than their subs for the block to help someone in financial difficulty.
“Given how well Stage Craft and the Colchester Fringe’s values align, it made total sense to have this be our showcase to the county. Creativity is for everyone, and the right to artistic expression is for everyone, and the Colchester Fringe champions that.”
Don’t miss your chance to be part of the Colchester Fringe Festival! Attend as many performances as possible. For details and ticket purchases, visit the Colchester Fringe Festival website.
Cast and Crew
Meet the cast and crew behind these productions.
The Amazing Adventures of Princess Millie:
Alice Molnar, George Deadman, Tim Strugnell, Sofia Ferreira, Stef Wyatt, Fin Dennis.
We Will Remember Them:
Jazz Saffron (Assistant Director), Rebecca Helen, Rosemary Sturgis, Nichi Keshane, Bryony Diss, Jelly Morgan, Meg Joy, Doug Grant, Susan Mitchell, Sarah Ellen Young, Chris Tal, Claire Walkinshaw, Kay Deadman, Emma Theedom.
Screw Loose Improv:
Alfie Hester, Fin Dennis, Elliot McMillan, Nix Nugent, Gemma Nunn, Adrienne Thornley, Brad Wendes, Ed Ismail, Victoria Shortley, Dan Sehreunik, Paul Reed, Rebecca Weiland.
