The Permanent Way
“Members of ‘Birmingham’s critically acclaimed Stage2’ portray the passengers, politicians, executives, experts, decision makers, rail workers, survivors and bereaved in this powerful and perceptive play.”
(Taken from CrescentScene issue 9)
“In July 2009 a new production of this play will be performed by Stage2 Youth Theatre. We aim to take the words and descriptions of each of the crashes and bring them to life in a variety of striking and dynamic ways. The words of this powerful play paint pictures of the devastation caused at each of these crashes and we aim to illuminate the views and feelings of the survivors by showing their memories, through movement pieces that intersperse the text seamlesly, giving an extra dimension to the piece.
”Stage2 members have many different skills to bring to this production so we have interwoven animation, projection, music and a moving set to this show to really keep a contemporary edge on this play. This allows any audience to latch onto specific elements within the production and also offers a fantastic learning opportunity to our members and audience who might be studying theatre or the performing arts, giving them lots to write about and discuss."
(Written by Lucy Bailey, Director, in The Permanent Way programme)
Cast & Crew
Cast
A Senior Rail Executive | Sophie Tommy |
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Assistant General Secretary | Ethan Tarr |
Bereaved Father | Gareth Weaver |
Bereaved Mother | Siobhan Twissell |
Bereaved Widow | Rhianna Frost |
Big Heap | Megan Luesley |
British Transport Policewoman | Alexandra Simonet |
Campaigning Solicitor | Rosie Nisbet |
Catweasel | Toby Hubbard |
Chorus | Hannah Abbott |
Chorus | Thomas Baker |
Chorus | Ruby Betteridge |
Chorus | Kieran Bird |
Chorus | Martha Davis |
Chorus | George Hannigan |
Chorus | Rhema Howell-Smith |
Chorus | Chloe Jones |
Chorus | Tomas Kirby |
Chorus | Peter May |
Chorus | Tom Moreton |
Chorus | Harry O’Brien |
Chorus | Ella Otomewo |
Chorus | Erica Powell |
Chorus | Katie Power |
Chorus | Marc Ruffell |
Chorus | Jessica Salhan |
Chorus | Layla Shirley |
Chorus | Florence Simms |
Chorus | Mia Simpson |
Chorus | Nicole Simpson |
Chorus | Jordon Taylor |
Chorus | Josephine Taylor |
Chorus | Joanna Torlinska |
Chorus | Elliot Upton |
Chorus | Rebekah Wallis |
Chorus | Amber Walters |
Dog Hole | Amy Broad |
Ensemble | Qais Ali Altaf |
Ensemble | Katie Bird Tommy |
Ensemble | Molly Brierley |
Ensemble | Amy Broad |
Ensemble | Tom Butler |
Ensemble | Zoe Carney |
Ensemble | Matt Childs |
Ensemble | Khalid Daley |
Ensemble | Chantelle Green |
Ensemble | Chantelle Green |
Ensemble | Joe Hennessy Priest |
Ensemble | Toby Hubbard |
Ensemble | Amon Johal |
Ensemble | Megan Luesley |
Ensemble | Kloe Owens |
Ensemble | K’Yana Sullivan |
Ensemble | Lydia Young |
Experienced Rail Engineer | Alex Pugh |
High Powered Treasury Thinker | Rhianna Frost |
Investment Banker | Ollie Johnson |
Leading Entrepreneur | Ollie Johnson |
Lord Cullen | John Flynn |
Managing Director of Rail Track | Alex Pugh |
Passenger 1 | Katie Bird Tommy |
Passenger 2 | Amon Johal |
Passenger 3 | K’Yana Sullivan |
Passenger 4 | Tom Butler |
Passenger 5 | Kloe Owens |
Passenger 6 | Chantelle Green |
Passenger 7 | Lucy Richardson |
Passenger 8 | Zoe Carney |
Passenger 9 | Qais Ali Altaf |
Piemuncher | Matt Childs |
Rail Union Leader | Alex Butler |
Rocker | Lydia Young |
Rustin Hoffman | Khalid Daley |
Sally | Siobhan Twissell |
Scottish Literary Editor | Rosie Nisbet |
Second Bereaved Mother | Katie Snape |
Senior Civil Servant | Alex Butler |
Senior Operating Executive | Katie Snape |
Squadron Leader | John Flynn |
Stormin’ Norman | Joe Hennessy Priest |
Survivors Group Founder | Sophie Tommy |
Sven | Molly Brierley |
Vicar of Hatfield | Gareth Weaver |
Wendy | Alexandra Simonet |
Young Man in Denim | Ethan Tarr |
Crew | |
Animation and Artwork | Alex Butler |
Assistant Stage Manager | Catriona McHugh |
Director | Lucy Bailey |
Flyman | Gareth Weaver |
Front of House Assistant | Tom Booth |
Front of House Assistant | Paul Clissold |
Front of House Assistant | Noah Coughlin |
Front of House Assistant | Laura Cummins |
Front of House Assistant | Elin Dowsett |
Front of House Assistant | Jonni Dowsett |
Front of House Assistant | Connor Fox |
Front of House Assistant | Ryan Fox |
Front of House Assistant | Ethan Hudson |
Front of House Assistant | Ellie Jurczak |
Front of House Assistant | Shirin Marashi |
Front of House Assistant | Emily Nabney |
Front of House Assistant | Bernadette O’Toole |
Front of House Assistant | Amy Richardson |
Front of House Assistant | Phoebe Stewart |
Front of House Assistant | Alex Tansell |
Front of House Assistant | Emily Timms |
Front of House Assistant | David Wall |
Front of House Assistant | Maya Willcocks |
Front of House Leader | Ellie Allum Marshall |
Front of House Leader | Miriam Bird |
Front of House Manager | Alex Pugh |
Head of Backstage | Liz Light |
Lighting Designer | Chris Cuthbert |
Lighting Operator | Caitlin Ravenscroft |
Print Design | Eric Jurenovskis |
Production Manager | Chris Cuthbert |
Sound Operator | Jake Hotchin |
Stage Manager | Charlotte Joberns |
Seen by
Photographs
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Play description
“In 1991 before an election they did not expect to win, the Conservative Government made a fateful decision to privatise the railways. In The Permanent Way ‘our greatest living political playwright’ [New Statesman] gathers together the first hand accounts of those most intimately involved, highlighting in particular the elevation of profit above safety that led to a succession of disasters. Funny, tragic and compelling, the play offers an extraordinary parable of British mismanagement that raises questions about the recent history of our country.”
(Taken from CrescentScene issue 9)
Observations
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This was an absolutely stunning production. It was the first Stage2 production I’d seen, and I didn’t know that anything about the play or Stage2 when I arrived. I was absolutely blown away by the quality of the acting, and spent most of the play on the verge of tears. Keep an eye on these actors, they’re going to go on to big things!
I don’t know whether the line from the Managing Director of Rail Track (played by Alex Pugh), saying that after problems at Rail Track he was “parachuted into Woolworths” was an original line or not, but it was absolutely hilarious given the current climate and the context within the play!
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