Deck The Stalls at Riverside Studios

Laura Rae

Laura is an actor, teacher, and theatre-maker originally from Gateshead in the North East of England, and trained at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She is a founding member of Cheap Art and is passionate about collaboration and removing hierarchical structures in the rehearsal room. Laura enjoys telling stories which explore the complexities of relationships with a focus on making the northern voice heard. Her credits include Mosquito (White Bear Theatre), The Emoji Project (The Hen & Chickens Theatre), Jacqueline Wilson is Gay (CAKE theatre), Living Well Is The Best Revenge (Distracted Rat), The Censor (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama), Love & Information (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama), DATE (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama), The Tin Soldier (NE Theatre Space), Provocations and Revelations (November Club), The House of Lost and Found (NE Theatre Space), and Reflections of Newcastle (November Club).

Lydia Kavanagh

Lydia Kavanagh is a writer and performer from Gateshead in the North East of England. She likes to tell stories about big complex issues in a fun, lively and accessible way. She is particularly interested in how queer women and non-binary folk take up space on stage and screen. Her writing has been performed at Live Theatre, Newcastle, The Lowry, Manchester, Camden People's Theatre, to name but a few. She’s been a member of the Royal Court Writers Group, BFI Script Lab and is currently on a screenwriting development programme with Channel 4 and New Writing North. She is one of the founding members of North-East based comedy collective Your Aunt Fanny. Who creates work that vividly captures a night out on the town with your oldest, wildest, filthiest friend. She’s written and performed with them on numerous productions and tours including; Minge Unhinged (2019 – 2020), Bonnie and Fanny’s Christmas Spectacular (2019 & 2021) and The Cumback (2021). Their newest sketch show ‘Muff Said’ enjoyed a run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2022. Your Aunt Fanny has taken work to; Soho Theatre, Vault Festival, Live Theatre, Northern Stage, Alphabetti Theatre, Tron Theatre and many more. She is currently writing there new Christmas Show ‘You’re not me mam’ a mock christmas soap opera special, to be performed at The Stand Comedy Club, Newcastle.

Chloe Cattin

Chloe is a Director, Theatre Maker and facilitator from Zimbabwe and was selected to take part in Katie Mitchell’s directing intensive at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Chloe has a BA (Hons) Degree in Theatre and Performance (Theatre Making) from the University of Cape Town where she was a member of the Golden Key Society and was on the Deans' List. Chloe was the youngest member invited to join the Lincoln Centre Theatre Directors Lab in New York and she is an alumnus of the Directors Lab Mediterranean in Barcelona. She has worked with the Young Vic on numerous projects, Work Light Productions, Mark Rubinstein Limited as well as directed work at the Drayton Arms Theatre and Hope Theatre. Other Credits Include: Horne’s Descent by Nina Atesh (Director) Twigs by Hannah Kennedy, commissioned by the University of Chichester (Director), The Art of Ageing Well commissioned by Buckinghamshire Council (Documentary Director) The Three Spirits by Hannah Kennedy, Lydia Kavanagh and Jonny Brace (Director) The Drought (Associate Director), Fire (Playreading), The Prophet of Monto (Playreading), Nest (Writer and Director), Oedipus Electronica and Medea Electronica (Assistant Director) and The New Voices Festival (Curator and Producer). [Chloe’s direction of The Drought is] pacey, electric, thoughtful, with atmosphere to spare’ Lost in Theatreland

Nathan Friend