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Brand new theatre company Sticky Theatre create Queer work from fresh perspectives with their new show, My Mate Ren
Image by Davey Poremba
Concerned with creating Queer work from fresh perspectives, brand new theatre company Sticky Theatre was begun by Live Theatre associate artist Tamsin Rees and ARC Stockton associate artist Holly Gallagher in 2018. Aiming to create unpretentious, engaging theatre, their debut production hits the boards of venues across the region this month.
My Mate Ren is a coming of age story about growing up in the North East, from first kisses to sex, tinnies, cherry sourz and the power of friendship. Tamsin explains their thinking behind the play and the characters of Alex, portrayed by sole actor Jackie Edwards, and her best mate Ren. “I wanted to write a Queer coming of age story set in County Durham, specifically from a Queer non-male perspective and showing Queer joy, as well as the difficulties and hardships of navigating it in a small North East town. Because you just don’t see it on stage.” Although not an autobiographical tale, Tamsin explains they’ve borrowed from their own experiences growing up a Queer person in rural County Durham. “For my own craft it’s important for me to have a healthy distance between myself as the writer and the story I am telling in order to create the best work possible with space, perspective and not being scared to kill off a couple of characters on the way.”
My Mate Ren is performed at Alphabetti, Newcastle from Tuesday 3rd-Thursday 5th, Hartlepool Town Hall on Monday 9th, and Queens Hall Hexham on Thursday 19th May.
