Time To Talk Day 2020

Posted on by SassCass

I’m delighted that my new short play BLACK DOG will be going for walkies as part of ‘Time to Talk Day’ on Thursday 6th February 2020.

My good friend Scott, a fellow northerner, fab writer, supportive, encouraging and overall nice person is putting on an evening of short plays to raise money for the charity ‘Time to Change’.

Time to Change http://www.time-to-change.org.uk charity focus their work on reducing stigma and getting people to talk about mental health.

The evening will showcase six new short plays that look at the theme of mental health in an entertaining and engaging way.

Whilst my play ‘Black Dog’ looks at the impact of depression/suicidal thoughts on those closest to us, I could easily have written about my own issues with mental health over the years.

I suffered with crippling anxiety and panic attacks in my late teens and twenties. It was one of the worst times of my life. Whilst I should have been enjoying life, I was agoraphobic as a result of these attacks.

In fact, due to my anxiety and panic disorder I was housebound for six months aged twenty. I got off two aeroplanes as I was terrified of panicking. I avoided supermarkets and queues for over ten years. I quit university six months into a course as I was too scared to do the presentations (and there was no support for mental health issues back in the 1990s). It affected my whole life. For decades. What helps me is meditation, exercise and breathing techniques. It’ll always be there but I’m aware of when I’m prone to these episodes now.

Anyway the show must go on. And it will be. Thursday night. 7.30pm at The King’s Arms, Salford. Only ten tickets left and they are available to purchase at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/charity-short-play-evening-for-time-to-talk-day-tickets-88160966825?aff=ebdssbdestsearch

Countdown to the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival

Posted on by SassCass

Hello world.

The first blog post carries with it so much pressure.

Be witty, say something outstanding, be different, make a bold statement.

Here’s the ‘bold statement’ then.

I have exciting news.

My fantastic, funereal farce Bleeding with Mother is part of this years Greater Manchester Fringe Festival.

BWM revised May 2017 poster

We open on the 4th July at 7pm at Theatre 53Two. The hottest new theatre space in the city of Manchester, and the perfect location to resurrect ‘Mother’

Following on from the success of the previous production last year, I am delighted to have obtained the original cast.

Excitingly, director Emma Bird is a welcome recruit to the Bleeding team fresh from directing our very own Randall (Pete Gibson) in his monologue performed in North West Wonders.

Rehearsals began this weekend so please come back to my website as I’ll ensure that I keep you up to date. This year I have the added pressure of producer so if it all goes wrong……well that’ll be the plot for the next play that I write.

It would be wonderful to see as many people as possible for our Bleeding fantastic show.

Performances are on Tuesday 4th July, Wednesday 5th July and Thursday 6th July at 7pm. To buy them click here.

There will also be limited copies of the playtext available to purchase on the night.

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