VIGNETTES is returning to Hope Mill Theatre for its fourth showcase, and Ancoats Plus has all the details. This yearly festival honours female writers by bringing together experienced and aspiring artists to produce outstanding theatre in a welcoming setting. This year, six female authors have been commissioned by HER Productions to write six unique short plays, with the iconic, BAFTA-award winning Noreen Kershaw joining the team of directors. Kershaw’s résumé includes appearances on Our Girl (BBC), Coronation Street (ITV), and Shameless (Channel 4).
VIGNETTES brings authors together on a regular basis to work on their projects in a common location, providing a collaborative setting, support, mentorship, and aesthetic growth. Hope Mill Theatre has been a venue partner for VIGNETTES since its debut in early 2020. Carmel Morgan (Brookside, Coronation Street, Shameless), Nikki Mailer, Steph Lacey, Houmi Miura (BBC Writersroom Drama Room 2022, In The Beginning Woman Was The Sun), Alex Keelan (Vignettes co-founder), and Lekhani Chirwa are among the VIGNETTES authors (45 North, Burn Bright).
HER Productions, founded by performer and producer Hannah Ellis Ryan, aims to address the regional and national underrepresentation of female authors in theatre. “We are very happy to be presenting another year of Vignettes at Hope Mill Theatre,” Ryan says. Every year, we bring a new group of women together to write stories on topics that are important to them, and we are consistently blown away by the quality and uniqueness of their work. We have six very wonderful new plays this year and are working with such a broad, eclectic, and energetic crew of women. I can’t wait for people to see what we’re working on and to see how Vignettes grows.”
The six original short plays that will be showcased at Hope Mill Theatre include “Untitled” by Carmel Morgan, directed by Noreen Kershaw; “Blink And The Moon Has Gone” by Nikki Mailer, directed by Nadia Emam; “Love Leftover” by Steph Lacey, directed by Heather Carroll; “Bones” by Houmi MIura, directed by Jen Tan; “Hope Is A Thing With Feathers” by Alex Keelan, directed by Amy Gavin; and “Bad Tash” by Lekhani Chirwa, directed by Misha Duncan-Barry. The showcase will take place from Wednesday, April 26 to Saturday, May 10, so mark your calendars and don’t miss out on this fantastic celebration of female playwrights. Ticket Link
