ThickSkin Reveals New Partners & Wigan Dates For Peak Stuff 2024 UK Tour

Award-winning theatre company ThickSkin (How Not to Drown, Blood Harmony, Walk This Play series) has revealed further tour dates for Peak Stuff which will now open with two preview performances at Wigan's The Edge Arena, in the company's hometown. It has also been announced that the tour will visit Scotland's Traverse Theatre in March 2024. The Wigan dates are in partnership with Wigan Council and the UK tour is supported by Shakespeare North Playhouse.

Peak Stuff sees ThickSkin team up with the writing talents of Billie Collins (BBC's Malory Towers, RSC's 37 Plays, Too Much World at Once) to produce this visually thrilling and inventive new show, the first national touring production created from the award-winning theatre company's new base in Wigan since becoming an ACE national portfolio organisation

Performed by Meg Lewis (PITCH, Edinburgh Fringe 2023), Peak Stuff presents three fast-paced, funny stories, taking a deep-dive into consumer culture. In an age of retail therapy, climate crisis and click and collect - how does our 'stuff' define us? And have we reached peak stuff? This is a timely show for anyone who has ever made an ill-fated impulsive purchase. 

Peak Stuff is directed by ThickSkin's Artistic Director, Neil Bettles (How Not To Drown, The Unreturning), the show is underscored by live drumming (Matthew Churcher), spectacular lighting (Charly Dunford) and features a striking video design (TripleDotMakers); Three characters try to save the world or themselves. Alice is done with fast fashion. Ben can't stop buying trainers. And Charlie just wants to sell out... one organ at a time.

ThickSkin are continually trying to push boundaries in how they make theatre and engage new audiences. To promote the tour, ThickSkin has launched a spin-off microsite peakstuff.uk as a tongue-in-cheek imitation of a fast-fashion site. This reflects the themes of the show and takes the audience on a journey before they even buy a ticket. You can visit the site to buy tickets from select venues with a simple click, using Apple or Google Pay. ThickSkin sees this as an easy way to make booking a theatre ticket more accessible and relevant to modern audiences. You can also browse gimmicky fake products and leave pretend reviews, inviting audiences to get creative!

For Wigan audiences, ThickSkin launches its Access to Local Theatre Scheme with £1 tickets for under 30 year-olds from the local area, plus a limited number of transport bursaries and free workshops for local schools. Although there have been very few live theatre productions in Wigan in recent years, local audiences often travel across Greater Manchester to see work. ThickSkin is looking to bring that opportunity closer to home and help build a new generation of audiences in the local area.

Writer Billie Collins said: "I'm buzzing to be working with ThickSkin on Peak Stuff. As an emerging writer, it's no small thing to be given the space to experiment and take creative risks - and I can't wait to co-create something totally new with a company whose work is consistently ambitious, bold and innovative."

Director Neil Bettles said: “Peak Stuff continues ThickSkin's commitment to developing and supporting emergent artists and creatives. For me it is crucial that we make space for new talent and provide a nurturing environment that allows people to thrive. We will always push for the highest production values, and I firmly believe that developing new talent means setting a high bar whilst also maintaining a supportive and collaborative working environment where people can learn and grow.”

Executive Producer Laura Mallows said: “We're continually thinking about the future of theatre and its relevance in a fast-changing world. We're interested in developing a new generation of theatre audiences without excluding loyal theatre goers. Peak Stuff has given us a great opportunity to do things differently, including how we use our digital platforms to take audiences on a journey before and during the live event, including modernising the process of booking a ticket.”

A ThickSkin production. Commissioned by ThickSkin and Lawrence Batley Theatre. Supported by Shakespeare North Playhouse, Wigan Council and Arts Council England.Winner of the New Play Commission Scheme (Writers' Guild of Great Britain)

Show information
Running time: 75 minutes approx. | Age restriction: 14+

Details: 

Cast and creative Team

Performed by Meg Lewis (playing Alice, Ben and Charlie) and Matthew Churcher (musician)

Creative team
Playwright: Billie Collins
Director: Neil Bettles
Composers: Neil Bettles & Matthew Churcher
Video Designer: Jim Dawson & Izzy Pye for TripleDotMakers Lighting Designer: Charly Dunford
Designer: Neil Bettles
Associate Director: Hetty Hodgson
Sound Associate: Hannah Bracegirdle
Executive Producer: Laura Mallows
Production Manager: Tom Robbins

Company biographies

About Billie Collins (playwright)

Billie Collins is a writer from the Wirral, based in Manchester. Their debut play Too Much World at Once was produced by Box of Tricks Theatre in Spring 2023. The play opened at HOME Manchester before touring nationally and was published by Nick Hern Books.

Other recent credits include: Beltane (RSC 37 Plays Project), two episodes of Malory Towers Series 5 (King Bert Productions for CBBC) and an upcoming audio drama for BBC Radio 4. Billie was selected for the 2022 BBC Writersroom Northern Voices scheme, and also works as a script reader and dramaturg for organisations across stage and screen.

About Meg Lewis (Performer)

Meg Lewis (they/she) is an OFFIE nominated actor and writer working across theatre, TV and film. They recently graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, where they were awarded the Raymond Edwards Prize for their contribution to the arts in Wales. Their short play A Disappointing Birthday Party won Theatr Clwyd's Daniel Owens Writing Competition.

Meg is currently working towards their Level 2 Qualification in British Sign Language and is an associate artist of Helikon Theatre Company.

Theatre includes: PITCH, Pleasance/November Theatre, 2023. String, Omnibus Theatre, 2023. The Blue House, Helikon Theatre Company, 2022. VISITS, Clean Break/Papertrail, 2021. The Lion's Den, Camden People's Theatre, 2021. Moon Licks, Paines Plough, 2020. A Doll's House, Sherman Theatre, 2015.

Film and TV includes: Achievement, Tree Tops Films, 2023. What We Doing, London Film School, 2023. GALWAD, Sky/National Theatre Wales, 2022. Grey Mare, Solent, 2022. I Do Harm, Newport Film School, 2015.

About Neil Bettles (Director and Co-Composer)

Neil is a director, choreographer and movement director. As co-founder and Artistic Director of ThickSkin his directing credits include: How Not To Drown, Chalk Farm, The Static, Blackout, Boy Magnet and White Noise, and for ThickSkin's Walk This Play series: Keep Going Then Vanish, Your Time Now and This Is Where We Begin.

Other directing credits: The Unreturning, This Will All Be Gone and No Way Back (Frantic Assembly). As Choreographer: Assassins (Chichester Festival Theatre); Bedknobs and Broomsticks (Disney, UK and Ireland tour).

Tour Dates

PREVIEWS
The Edge Arena
Wigan, Riveredge, Wigan, WN3 5AB
Thursday 1 and Saturday 2 February 2023
7pm (1 February) and 1pm (2 February)
Tickets only available via www.peakstuff.uk/wigan-shows

Chichester Festival Theatre (Minerva Theatre)
Oaklands Way, Chichester, PO19 6AP
Thursday 15 - Saturday 17 February 2024 2:15pm (Sat 17 only) and 7:15pm
£25 (£10)
Box office: 01243 781312 | cft.org.uk

Blackpool Grand Theatre
33 Church Street, Blackpool, FY1 1HT
Monday 19 February 2024
7:30pm | £22.50 (£10)
Box Office 01253 290190 | blackpoolgrand.co.uk

Lawrence Batley Theatre
Queen Street, Huddersfield, HD1 2SP
Tuesday 20 February 2024
7:30pm | £16 (£5)
Box office: 01484 430528 | thelbt.org

The Dukes (The Rake)
Moor Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1QE
Thursday 22 February 2024
7:30pm | £13
Box office: 01524 598500 | dukeslancaster.org

Northcott Theatre
Stocker Road, Exeter, EX4 4QB
Tuesday 27 - Wednesday 28 February 2024
7:30pm (27 February only) and 1pm (28 February only) | £25 (£11)
Box office: 01392 726363 | exeternorthcott.co.uk

Traverse Theatre
10 Cambridge Street, Edinburgh, EH1 2ED Friday 1 and Saturday 2 March 2024
7.30pm | £17 (£15/£13/£5)
Part of the Traverse Theatre's £1 ticket project
Box office: 0131 228 1404 | www.traverse.co.uk

Theatre Royal Bath (The Egg)
36 Monmouth Street, Bath, BA1 2AN
Tuesday 5 - Wednesday 6 March 2024
1pm (5 and 6 March) and 7pm (5 March only) | £10
Box office: 01225 448844 | theatreroyal.org.uk

Lincoln Arts Centre
Brayford Pool, University of Lincoln, LN6 7TS
Thursday 14 - Friday 15 March 2024
7:30pm | £14(£10)
Box office: 01522 837600 | lincolnartscentre.co.uk

The North Wall
South Parade, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7JN
Tuesday 19 – Wednesday 20 March 2024
7pm (19 only) and 11am (20 only) | £TBC
Box office: 01865 319 450 | thenorthwall.com

Belgrade Theatre
Belgrade Square, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1 1GS.
Thursday 21 - Friday 22 March 2024
1pm (22 March only) and 7:45pm | £10
Box office: 024 7655 3055 | belgrade.co.uk

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