Broken Water, by Michèle Winstanley PREMIERES at Arcola Theatre Feb 2024
PRESS RELEASE
“A moving, powerful play that stayed with me.” – Kathy Burke
Broken Water
by Michéle Winstanley
The acclaimed play that explores the experience of motherhood, - and not motherhood.
Broken Water is a story about the effect motherhood has on three women at three different stages of life. It is a play less about holding babies than about the love we hold for our babies when they are not there to receive it.
Three women on the same street. Three ages. Three lives.
Their experiences co-existing anonymously in parallel.
Ultimately, Broken Water is a play about love.
Directed by Cursed Child resident director Nicola Samer
Premieres at The Arcola Theatre 30th January to 24th February 2024
Press Night 1st Feb
https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/broken-water-2/
Directed by Nicola Samer
(Resident Director for The Cursed Child)
A Lightbox Theatre production
Awards Shortlists:
Verity Bargate Award
Nick Darke Award
“Broken Water is really fantastic. I hope no one noticed that my eyes were watering.” – Martin Clunes OBE
CAST
Sarah Hadland - Miranda (BBC) Horrible Histories (BBC), Murder They Hope (Gold)
Rosemary Ashe - Adrian Mole, The Witches of Eastwick, Mary Poppins
Naomi Petersen - Constant Companions (Sir Alan Ayckbourn), Drifters (C4)
“A seriously beautiful piece. Funny, sad and hauntingly profound” - Marion Bailey
A play focusing on story and character, whilst being a technically exciting play to watch under the exciting direction of Nicola Samer. Lighting, movement, and sound working together to create spaces. Huge challenge for the cast who are on stage the whole time, all working from a witty and moving script from new playwright, Michèle Winstanley.
“A very powerful and emotional piece which simultaneously moves and delights” - Phil Davis
Broken Water - part of the national conversation - women are contextualised through the lens of motherhood and notmotherhood.
Topics cast and crew would love to explore
Rosemary Ashe - Olive
Changing attitudes to ageing, understanding who you arePast career – fantastic stories from theatre and operaFuture career and roles for women in their 70sHow her comedy career – and wonderful timing - has brought her so many opportunitiesNaomi Petersen - Linda
The constant questioning, making the decision, fertility MOTs, planning your careerModern reality of actress’ career is that of a portfolio artist – skilled in improv and a co-Artistic Director – so many strings to her bowHow improv and comedy have helped her career as an actressFirst time, aged 36, that Naomi has worked with a female directorCrew
Michele Winstanley - Writer
Motherhood, loss, infertility, career change, career loss, societal expectations of mothers/motherhood, changing attitudesHer life as a comedy actress in the 80s and as a BSL interpreter when she became a motherNicola Samer - Director
the all encompassing nature of motherhood, the suffocation as well as being able to be immersed in the joy of it allHer career to date – her role as Resident Director for The Cursed Child – the surprising overlaps between these two projectsThemes explored in the play via characters and play themes
Philippa (Sarah Harland)
The disappointment of motherhood, the loss of self, the encompassing love of motherhood.
Olive (Rosemary Ashe)
Loss of a child, forced adoption, how times have changed.
Linda (Naomi Petersen)
Prolonged infertility, ‘the look’ of pity, ‘it’ll happen if you relax’, the internalised and externalised pressure of societal expectations to be a mother.
Distributed by https://pressat.co.uk/