Photo Flash: TWO by Jim Cartwright at Above the Arts - Production Photos

Emmerdale's Jamie Shelton (Robbie Lawson) and Chelsea Halfpenny (Amy Wyatt) are reunited this April, treading the boards in the 25th Anniversary production of Jim Cartwright's TWO.

Two actors take on the roles of twelve patrons of a pub in the north of England, hosted by its landlord and landlady. This timely revival of Jim Cartwright's third play is a playful, confessional and moving account of human relationships in the heart of their community - the pub.

Taking the stage at London's newest studio theatre, Above the Arts, TWO is directed by Darren R L Gordon, who is well known in the Manchester circuit for the DNA Performance Resource, which has offered tuition, support and advice to actors over the last ten years. He has directed over 60 pieces of theatre, and worked with over 1500 performers in the last fifteen years. TWO will mark the first full production in Above the Arts since its opening with Rachel's Garden - an installation pop-up bar - in March this year.

Cartwright wrote TWO, which first premiered at the Bolton Octagon in 1989 before transferring to London in 1990, for Sue Johnston and John McArdle after they left Channel 4's soap-opera Brookside. The original production went on to win the Manchester Evening News theatre award for Best New Play in 1990. Cartwright's writing was described by the Sunday Times as "brilliantly, surrealistically and comically poetic," and it has gone on to be performed regularly around the country.

TWO is the first production from Shrapnel Theatre, a London-based company formed in 2015 by executive director Paul Virides and artistic director Isla van Tricht. Virides is also assistant producer for Manchester-born Hartshorn - Hook Productions, who are co-producing.

For tickets and more information, click here.

Photography by Piers Foley Photography / www.piersfoleyphotography.com

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