Key information
Duration: 55mins, no interval
Age guidance: 4+
Access: All performances are relaxed with acoustic sound and natural lighting.
Digital Programme:
The Pirates of Christmas Island
If we don’t treasure the world, there'll be no treasure left to find.
10-year-old Sammy has moved to a new house, in a new town, far away from her favourite person in the world, her Granny. The only good thing is that she is now much closer to ‘Christmas Island’- a mystical pirates’ haven, just off the coast of Spurn Point.
With the help of pirate royalty, and an encounter with some marooned jellyfish, Sammy uncovers the sorrows of the sea and the truth about the island that kept on giving.
Set sail with She Productions on this brand new family musical tour to East Riding Libraries this December. The Pirates of Christmas Island celebrates history’s Pirate Queens as they unite through courage, teamwork and some swashbuckling songs.
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Supported by East Riding Council, East Riding Libraries, The Deep, I AM FUND, 2 Cats Tax, Neill & Brown, Ara Fest.
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ABOUT SHE PRODUCTIONS
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She Inspires. She Engages. She Empowers.
She Productions, Company in Residence at the East Riding Theatre, was formed in 2015 by a
group of Hull and East Riding actresses who are committed to creating high quality, innovative
work for audiences and participants of all ages. Our mission is to develop and produce vibrant
original work driven by the female voice, alongside accessible and bespoke programmes serving
local communities.
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We have a strong focus on ‘edutainment’, which is using entertainment as a vehicle for social
change via productions and outreach work, meaning that all family shows have educational
themes and focus on social issues.
Through the development of the company over the years, and planned development for the future,
we have firmly rooted ourselves in the East Riding, with plans to continue engaging rural audiences
and working with intergenerational communities to create relevant and accessible work.
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To get in touch about Pirates or other productions please contact us at admin@sheproductions.co.uk
BIOGRAPHIES
JESSICA DUFFIELD - DIRECTOR
Jessica trained at Drama Studio London, after gaining a First Class BA Hons Degree in Drama and French.
As a founding member of She Productions, Jessica has co-written and performed in many of the company’s shows, including Beverley Does Broadway, The Three Kingdoms, The Lightless Pumpkin, The Lightless Pumpkin Returns, The StorytEllas and The Fairy Who Fell Off The Christmas Tree.
She has also directed for the company, including The Lightless Pumpkin Returns, The Three Kingdoms and, most recently, The StorytEllas Web Series, which she adapted for the screen during Lockdown.
Other theatre Includes: Beryl in Beryl (Arcola Theatre and East Riding Theatre) Miss Thorne/Billeting Officer in Goodnight Mister Tom, (East Riding Theatre), Mum/Nan in My Big Little Sister (National Tour including The Lyric Hammersmith, The Yvonne Arnaud and Nottingham Playhouse); Lady Susan in Lady Susan, The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband, The Vagina Monologues (East Riding Theatre); Top Girls (Tristan Bates Theatre)
BETH MURRELL - CO-PRODUCER
Beth is a Hull director, producer and community engagement creative. She is a graduate from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts and inaugural member of both the Godber Theatre Foundation and the Vault New Directors’ Scheme, one of only six directors across the country to be selected for this programme. Beth has just completed her first professional role as a theatre director on Don’t Just Sit There (Hull Truck Theatre, Hull and East Riding schools tour). This year, she has also led Absolutely Cultured’s social action programme. The Pirates of Christmas Island is Beth’s second time producing for She this year.
NATALIE WALKER - MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Natalie was born and raised in East Yorkshire. She graduated from Hull University in 2014 with a
BA in Music and Theatre but has been working professionally as a musician since 2009. Much of
this time has been spent accompanying, arranging and performing with choirs, including playing
several guest spots with performers from the West End and English National Opera. Her main
passion is theatre, and she has recently worked as MD for a production of Shakespeare in Love in
York, as well as working for 5 years as a creative with Castaway Music Theatre – an accessible
musical theatre company in Goole.
SIOBHAN ASHTON- STAGE MANAGER
Hello! I'm Siobhan and I'm super excited to be working as stage manager with the lovely people of SheProductions for this all singing, all sailing, swashbuckling Christmas production! I'm a post graduate studying at Hull University and have worked a little bit of everything around Hull and Nottingham, multifaceted in what I can bring to the table. I look forward to meeting the communities around East Riding and sprinkling some girl power in for good measure!
CAST
ALICE ROSE PALMER
JO PATMORE
MALAK BELLAL
SOL SANG
SAMMY/MARY READ/JAIA
GRAINNE O'MALLEY /JON/GRANNIE
SAYYIDA AL HURRA /JASPER
CHING SHIH
ANNETTE/JANE
CREATIVE TEAM
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Annie Kirkman Co-Artistic Director, Writer & Producer
Alice Palmer Co-Artistic Director, Writer & Actor
Jessica Duffield Co-Artistic Director, Writer & Director
Beth Murrell Producer
Siobhan Ashton Stage Manager
Emily Clay Set Designer
Sally Smith Costume designer
Natalie Walker Musical director and Co-Composer
Neil Fisher Movement Director
Hind Bourzouk Research Team
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