Today, Paines Plough and Live Theatre have announced full casting for the world premiere of Tom Wells’ new coming-of-age comedy Broken Biscuits. Faye Christall will play Megan, Grace Hogg-Robinson will play Holly and Andrew Reed will play Ben. Paines Plough held nationwide open auditions and cast Faye and Andrew from their search and Grace will be making her professional stage debut.
Directed by Co-Artistic Director of Paines Plough James Grieve, Broken Biscuits will play at Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne from 5 until 22 October with an official press night on 11 October. Broken Biscuits will then tour the UK visiting The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Hull Truck Theatre, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, Crucible Studio, Sheffield, The Tobacco Factory, Bristol and The Door, Birmingham Rep.
“The point is: we’re losers. Nobodies. Carry on like this, we’re losers forever. And we don’t have to be. Fresh start, two months to completely one hundred per cent reinvent ourselves. And I know exactly how we can do that.”
Megan, Holly and Ben are definitely not the cool kids. But Megan has a plan. One long summer holiday to change their lives. One sure path to coolness. One amazing transformation, through the power of song.
Holed up in Megan’s garden shed, three friends try to change their fortunes in a beautiful, heart-warming, laugh-out-loud, coming-of-age story for our times. Rock on.
Playwright Tom Wells said: “Broken Biscuits is a play about three teenagers starting a band – I wanted to write about the summer you finish your GCSEs, being sixteen, full of big hopes and big worries, figuring things out a bit and trying new stuff. And I wanted to have a go at writing some lyrics, in the DIY spirit of a teenage band, fill the play with music and see what happened. I’m thrilled that Broken Biscuits is being brought to the stage by Live Theatre and Paines Plough and we’ve been really lucky to cast three soulful young actors with funny bones as Megan, Holly and Ben.”
Co-Artistic Directors of Paines Plough, James Grieve and George Perrin, said: “Tom first joined Paines Plough as part of our Future Perfect group for emerging playwrights in 2009. We have always adored his writing and following the huge success of Jumpers for Goalposts we are honoured to be co-producing Broken Biscuits with Live Theatre Newcastle. It’s a gorgeous, hilarious, heart-squeezing play that shows why Tom is one of our best loved modern writers. Featuring original songs from Matthew Robins and a supremely talented cast of future stars, we can’t wait to share it with audiences in Newcastle and on tour across the UK.”
Literary Manager at Live Theatre, Gez Casey, said: “We are delighted to be working once again with partners Paines Plough on the world premiere of a new Tom Wells play. Broken Biscuits is a joyous celebration of teenage friendship, a journey of individual and collective discovery through music. The play is shot through with whip-smart dialogue, vibrant and engaging characters and an infectious generosity of spirit.”
More info available on www.painesplough.com
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