Talking Props Theatre Presents New One-Hour Play MY ARMS

Told in reverse order, MY ARMS is a compelling new one-hour play written by James Leach. A drama about the limits of love and our willingness to forgive, inspired by stories of the wives of men who go to prison: how sudden it is and how can it leave an indelible mark on a family.

MY ARMS tells the story of Colin and Helen. Colin finally returns home to face up to his past, but wife Helen is struggling to rebuild what is left of their broken home.

“I started writing a play about a husband being released from prison, and his attempts to re-adjust to life,” recalls writer James Leach. “At first, there were lots of characters, the whole family and their friends. However, as I continued to re-write it, I realised all the best stuff came out when it was just a two-hander between Colin and Helen, who are now the two characters in the play.”

This is James’ first time with the 24:7 Theatre Festival: “I knew it to be a great local festival, which puts the writer at the centre of the production process, so they can learn everything they can about getting a play on its feet.” James got into writing whilst studying English Literature at The University of Manchester. His previous plays include For Him which debuted at the Manchester University In-Fringe Festival in 2010, and Somebody’s Son, which featured in the same festival in 2009 and won the Judges Award for Innovation that year. James was also on the Young Writer's Programme at The Everyman Theatre in Liverpool and works in the literary department at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton and assists in facilitating one of its newest youth theatre schemes, Generate, a writing programme in partnership with Bruntwood.

Joining James on the creative team for MY ARMS is director Adam Quayle, co-artistic director of new writing theatre company Box of Tricks. He is a local that relocated his company from London to Manchester this February. After six years in the capital, he says, “I am delighted to be back in my homeland and involved in such a great celebration of new writing as the 24:7 Theatre Festival. My Arms is a fantastic new play and one I look forward to taking from page to stage.”

Roberta Kerr, who is playing Helen, returns to 24:7 this year having performed in the winner of last year’s Audience Best Play Award, True. She has appeared in plays at Library Theatre, the Lowry, Oldham Coliseum and Bolton Octagon, as well as countless regular TV roles including Eastenders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale. Josh Moran plays Colin, with credits in various Manchester productions including at the Royal Exchange Theatre, The Library Theatre and The Opera House with Shilpa Shetty on her Bollywood Tour.

Producer Gayle Hare is one of the founders of Organised Chaos Productions, a company dedicated to working with some of the best new and emerging talent in the North West – founded by a team who met through working at the 24:7 Theatre Festival. Gayle also runs the award winning Elysion Productions. “I am thrilled to be working on this fantastic new play and look forward to being a part of bringing it to an audience.”

MY ARMS will be playing at the 3MT, Northern Quarter, Manchester from 20-27 July as follows:
20/7 7:30PM | 21/7 12:30PM | 22/7 7:30PM | 23/7 9PM | 24/7 12:30PM | 25/7 7:30PM | 27/7 12:30PM
Tickets costing £8 (concessions £6) are available from www.247theatrefestival.co.uk

For further details visit: http://talkingpropstheatre.wordpress.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/talkingpropstheatre
Twitter: @TPTheatre #247MyArms.

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