The Unspoken by Jody Medland

 

JODY IS AN AWARD-WINNING WRITER, author and playwright whose work is renowned for its strong characters and original concepts. In 2013, Jody wrote his debut feature film The Adored, which went on to enjoy worldwide distribution, winning Best Film at the Durban Film Festival in South Africa as well as earning three official selections in Poland, Germany and the USA. In 2015, he released his debut paperback novel The Moors, which was the first print book launched by his own publishing company, Pen Works Media. Jody’s interactive novel The Somerton Man is due for release in 2018, and he was recently commissioned to write a TV Pilot for an original political drama / thriller, titled Shadow Empire. He was recently hired to write a British/Indian crossover film by Universal Entertainment, too.2018 will also see the release of a hat-trick of original plays, titled The Unspoken, The Architect, and The Intruder, set to establish him as an exciting new playwright in the mould of Arthur Miller, Martin McDonagh and Harold Pinter. When not juggling on his numerous projects, Jody can be found spending time with his daughter in Devon or people-watching in Crouch End, North London.

The Play……..

Northern England, 1972. When the miner’s strike threatens a state of emergency, a
seemingly abusive coal miner fools his blind daughter into thinking they live a life of luxury. However, his unorthodox methods serve as a device to protect her when he succumbs to a fatal disease.

How have you found being part of the Actor Awareness festival has been beneficial to you? 

Having never put a play on before, this has been a really good learning curve in an aspect of writing that I’d previously not explored. Actor Awareness has a good reputation, so I feel proud to be a part of it, and when I mention that I’m in the summer festival, it’s allowing me to get a good number of industry contacts interested in my work.

What have you done to prep for the festival?

I’ve rewritten my play a number of times to get it as tight as possible, and I started rehearsals early to ensure my actors can get a good handle on the script. I’ve also thrust myself into a little set-building, which I feel is integral to creating the right feel for my play. Now it’s time to work on that guest list!

Your biggest challenge?

The tech rehearsal is completely new to me, so even though it seems pretty straightforward in theory, I feel like it will take a fair bit of time to get all the music and sound effects just right.

Your hope for the play in the future?

I’d like it to tour, at least at some solid fringe venues in London. But for me, the confidence of finishing this piece and getting it in front of a live audience will give me a platform to create bigger and better shows for the stage. So I feel it’s an important step in my writing career.

As there has been a surge in new writing nights how do you think Actor Awareness is different to other new writing nights?

I like the fact that it pays talent for the scratch nights, and that it sources both venues and Casting Directors for the summer festival. That and the fact they’re looking out for working class talent are all pretty unique, in my opinion.

The Cast

MAGGIE

Played by Suzy Gill

 

SUZY GILL trained at Drama Studio London (1 Year Acting) and the University of East Anglia (Drama & English Literature). She’s a prolific stage actress, with recent roles including Carmen (The Balcony), Bella (The Twilight Zone), Clara (Sublime) Alice (Walk of Shame), Anna (White Feathers) and Hortensia (The Taming of the Shrew). Suzy is also a playwright and a spoken word poet, which explains why the power of her delivery is so strong and engaging.

 

 

JIMMY Played by Eric Whiting

ERIC WHITING has performed countless roles on stage over the last thirty years, using his craft to morph into prominent figures such as Scrooge, Captain Wentworth, Bill Sykes, Professor Higgins, Captain Von Trap and Sir Thomas More.

After contacting Tom Lehrer, Eric also wrote and directed An Evening Without Tom Lehrer, before becoming the first actor to play Jimmy in original play The Unspoken.

Eric is an engaging performer and voiceover artist.

FATHER ALDERTON and DR. ROSE Played by Elliot Blagden

ELLIOT BLAGDEN is a strong actor with a distinctive style and a memorable presence. A RADA graduate with a passion for improvisation and comedy, Elliot regularly performs with the group Very Serious People, who are performing in the Edinburgh Fringe at The Vault this Summer. Elliot is also a singer, songwriter and guitarist.

TICKET LINK: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/actor-awareness-new-writing-festival-tickets-46395174215