The Blackshaw Arts Hour: Recent Episodes
Blackshaw Theatre
Exciting radio drama, produced by Blackshaw Theatre Company (London, UK). A cracking catalogue of our fortnightly 'magazine' style show on Wandsworth Radio, plus standalone audio drama.
A short audio drama by Jeremy Fletcher
Performed by Josephine Arden and Alexander PankhurstDirected by Ellie Pitkin Sound Design by Andrew Crane
Produced by Blackshaw Theatre Company
Sarah and Jay make preparations, as a tsunami heads for Doncaster.
Originally broadcast on BBC Radio Sheffield on 27th May 2022.
The Scare Slam - Live from the Pleasance Theatre, London - 24th October 2021
Part of the London Horror Festival
Warning: explicit content - suitable for ages 14+
Compere: Ellie Pitkin
The Woman on the Ceiling by Julie Barnett
666 PROBLEMS by Sarah Tejal Hamilton
Feed the World, written by Rhiannon Owens, performed by Natalie Winter
Gone by Sasha Ravencroft
An Unusual Undertaking by Andrew James Brown
Mr Tumnus by Sam Greenwood
Readings from 'Strewwelpeter' by Heinrich Hoffmann, performed by Ellie Pitkin
Photos by Richard Stratton: https://blackshawtheatre.wordpress.com/2021/10/26/scare-slam-2021/
Following our award-winning production of The Final Adventure of Frankie Fightwell by Chris Buxey (Stage Door New Writing Award 2018), we return to the Wandsworth Arts Fringe with a radio play recorded in front of a live audience (hilarious sound effects included).
Miss McSkimming takes to the high seas in her second adventure, presented by Blackshaw Theatre. Expecting a pleasant transatlantic cruise, Miss McSkimming must instead deal with a missing companion and a series of mysterious thefts, all whilst trying to avoid panic amongst her fellow passengers.
A rollicking comedy with mysteries abounding, this piece promises to delight audiences, young and old!
‘Trouble at Sea: A Miss McSkimming Mystery’ was written by Richard Stratton. Performed by Natalie Winter, Chris Starkey, Alexander Pankhurst, Josh Yard, Richard Stratton, and Ellie Pitkin; with live foley from Betty Smith, Rhys Cannon, Safa Siddiqi and Thanatchanan Marktavee. With sound design by Andrew Crane. The music used was ‘The Show Must Be Go’ by Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com, licensed under the Creative Commons. Directed by Ellie Pitkin, this was a Blackshaw Theatre Company Production.
Related links:
Some Treachery: A Miss McSkimming Mystery
The Final Adventure of Frankie Fightwell
Try your hand at foley! Radio plays need sound effects, and we like ours to be home made (just like Mama used to make). Do you want to try your hand at foley (creation of sound effects), and even have the chance for them to be featured in our upcoming live radio play? It's a perfect social distancing-friendly activity - just use household objects and your imagination. You can get some hints and tips from this interview we did with our head foley artist, Andy. We're looking for: - ship engine - seagulls - man falls overboard - train chugging along - serving breakfast - water splashes against the side of a boat - someone shoo-ing at displeased chickens - someone is hit on the head and slumps on a table - a puck being hit, ricocheting around the ship, smashing a drinking glass, striking a seagull, and splashing into the sea (advanced level!) Send us your sound files, tell us how you made them, and send photos/videos (if you like), to blackshawtheatre@gmail.com or on twitter/instagram (@blackshawupdate, @blackshawtheatre).
The Scare Slam - Live from the Pleasance Theatre, London - 11th October 2019
Part of the London Horror Festival
Warning: explicit content - suitable for ages 14+
Compere: Ellie Pitkin
The Sad Kid in the Corridor by Duncan Gates
Bed for Sale, Excellent Condition written by Nikky O'Hare, performed by Natalie Winter
The Bistro by Andrew James Brown
Her by George Morris
The Dog Who Saw Ghosts by Eleanor Verner
Twinkle Twinkle by Reece Connolly
The Summer of 66 by Mike Levanzin
Readings from 'Strewwelpeter' by Heinrich Hoffmann, performed by Ellie Pitkin
Photos by Richard Stratton: http://bit.ly/ScareSlamPics
Music from https://filmmusic.io "Come Play with Me" by Kevin MacLeod (https://incompetech.com) License: CC BY (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
A night of chilling storytelling Produced by Blackshaw Theatre Company
Lovers of scary stories, unite. Adding the fear factor to increasingly popular spoken word nights, storytellers from across the Horrorfest and beyond will share their worst (or should that be best?) nightmares at Blackshaw’s fifth annual Scare Slam.
Prepare yourself for a night of chilling tales from both sides of the line of veracity.
Tickets £12/10 - http://bit.ly/ScareSlam2019
Come on down for a scare, or, if you’d like to contribute a story, apply here: https://forms.gle/rWxXGhrejPkC61vW9
Listen to 2018’s Scare Slam here: https://blackshawtheatre.wordpress.com/2018/10/24/blackshaw-arts-hour-episode-93/
“ranging from peculiar to haunting, with some humour thrown in for good measure” – The Spy in the Stalls
“enjoyable, scary and memorable” – London Pub Theatres
“I was totally engrossed by it. A winning horror story that I wanted to end… for all the right reasons!” – Scare Tour UK
In the 100th episode of the Blackshaw Arts Hour, Ellie and Matt are joined by Blackshaw regulars: Strat, Alex, Vikki, Andy and Violaine.
- The final of 'Strat & Alex do Art' - abstract painting
- A look back at our favourite Arts Hour moments
- A compilation of Ellie's art criticism witticisms
The fourth thrilling episode of 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens. Adapted by Marcus Bazley - our collaboration with Cyphers Theatre Company. Full cast/creatives list and backstage goodies on our blog: http://blackshawonline.com/blog/category/theatre/great-expectations/
The third thrilling episode of 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens. Adapted by Marcus Bazley - our collaboration with Cyphers Theatre Company. Full cast/creatives list and backstage goodies on our blog: http://blackshawonline.com/blog/category/theatre/great-expectations/
The second thrilling episode of 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens. Adapted by Marcus Bazley - our collaboration with Cyphers Theatre Company. Full cast/creatives list and backstage goodies on our blog: http://blackshawonline.com/blog/category/theatre/great-expectations/
The first thrilling episode of 'Great Expectations' by Charles Dickens. Adapted by Marcus Bazley - our collaboration with Cyphers Theatre Company. Full cast/creatives list and backstage goodies on our blog: http://blackshawonline.com/blog/category/theatre/great-expectations/
Ellie and Matt bring you:
- A review of 'Venom' and 'A Star is Born'
- Strat & Alex do Art: Papier Mache
- A taster of the latest offering from our sister podcast, 'Merely Roleplayers' - this time, they're in Space!
- We chat about a new book what we're in! Check out Dan Weatherer's latest publication, 'The Dead Stage: A Journey from Page to Stage' - now available on kindle and paperback
- Announcement: as of Feb 2019, we will be ceasing to broadcast our 'magazine' style show every fortnight. instead, we will be focusing our energies on producing more audio drama - for more info on this and the fabulous programming we have coming up, to take us to our 100th(!) episode, have a read of this.
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Some performances from the live and spooktastic Scare Slam, as recorded at the Old Red Lion Theatre on Friday 12th October 2018, for the London Horror Festival.
Nightsweats, written and performed by Sasha Wilson
Lay Me Down by Morgan Noll, presented by Somna Theatre Company, performed by Robbie Heath
Warm and Chewy by Ollie George Clark, performed by Dene Horgan
Banshee Bungle by Vivian C Lermond, performed by Victoria Howell
Mrs Miller, written and performed by Reece Connolly
This episodes includes...
- The fifth and final episode of 'Black Shuck' by Duncan Hands - Art and Martha were reunited, but that pesky fisherman has turned up and could ruin everything! Can Martha see him off before they’re discovered? In this, the final episode of the series, what will happen to Art and Martha out on the Norfolk Marshes? Will they make it back with their loot? Will they make it back at all…?
- Another couple of clips from 2017's Scare Slam - Big Eyes by Liam Steward-George (performed by Jessica Brindle), and The Watcher by Joseph Willis
- PLUS a couple of clips from 2016's Scare Slam (so retro) -Lucy’s Tea Party by Molly Beth Morossa, and The Dewey Ones by Ben Whitehead
- Matt reviews Ant Man & The Wasp/The Spy Who Dumped Me
- The Scare Slam – it's a-comin'! Apply to take part. Tickets now on sale.
- We play a taste of what you can expect from the Scare Slam - a piece from last year's show, The Fatberg of Whitechapel by Reece Connolly
- We chat about Blackshaw's mates, Non Zero One and their brilliant project, Put Her Forward
- It's that time again - Victoria Sadler's round up of female playwrights at off-west end London theatres this year (Spoiler - representation is still a bit rubbish, boo!)
- The penultimate episode of Black Shuck - Art and Martha heard a seal, and then a pair of glowing, spooky, eyes appeared – but turned out to be the lights of the boat – drop off secured, Martha was left alone…until the dog turned up…so where is Art? And is that dog, just a normal dog?!
Relevant Links
Ant Man & The Wasp - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5095030/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Spy Who Dumped Me - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6663582/?ref_=nv_sr_1
The Scare Slam Tickets - http://bit.ly/ScareSlam2018
The Scare Slam, apply to take part - http://blackshawonline.com/whats-on/
Non Zero One: Put Her Forward - http://putherforward.com/ and http://www.nonzeroone.com/projects/put-her-forward/
Victoria Sadler: 2018 Theatre in Review: Challenges for Female Playwrights Continues - http://www.victoriasadler.com/2018-theatre-in-review-challenges-for-female-playwrights-continues/
Ellie & Matt are on their holidays, so here's a quick fix of the Blackshaw Arts Hour to keep you going -
Black Shuck Episode 3 - we've heard the tale of legendary Black Shuck, and poor old lopsided Rob’s Dad – we basically had the bejesus scared out of us – so, what was that terrifying noise?!
Talking of terrifying, we can now reveal that Blackshaw's Scare Slam will be back at the London Horror Festival in October! Details here.
We're not in the studio this week, but we are still delivering the goods! Here's episode two of Black Shuck...
- Matt reviews Mission Impossible: Fallout & The Incredibles 2
- Ellie chats about Mama Mia: Here We Go Again
- We play another round of Fringe Roulette
- It's the first episode of radio drama 'Black Shuck' by Duncan Hands!
Excitement abounds as in this episode we:
- Do another 'Strat and Alex do Art': it's sewing! It gets way more heated than that sounds...
- Review a film - Matt talks about 'TAU' off of Netflix ((A new instalment in straight-to-Netflix sci-fi horror B-movie corner!) - TAU Trailer
Pop it in your ear canals...
Matt and Ellie bring you such aural delights...
- Reviews of 'Solo', 'Ocean's 8', and 'Deadpool 2'
- A mystery announcement
- Strat & Alex do Art: Flower Arranging
Article - The Trouble with Hollywood's Gender Flips