Love’s Labour’s Lost – The Factory

by | Jun 23, 2020 | Love’s Labour’s Lost, The Factory, Willow Globe

I have been a member of The Factory theatre for several years now. The Factory has a reputation for doing very innovative, often improvised work but with a deep understanding of text. We work in a spontaneous manner and never block scenes or decide what to do in advance but try wherever possible to be in the moment of playing. We decided to work on Love’s Labour’s Lost because it is a less familiar play. I really enjoyed meeting online and studying the text with the Factory’s associates every week throughout April, May and June.

Link to The Factory

We were due to play at the Willow Globe in Wales but unfortunately the event had to be cancelled. Instead, we decided to put the show online and performed a version on Zoom that was livestreamed on YouTube.

We made some decisions beforehand – such as casting, there were also a few cuts to the text. However, as every actor was filming alone in their home we had no idea what the background would look like, how they would play it or indeed what might happen due to the limitations of technology. In order to try and bring a Factory feel to the online experience, we asked the audience beforehand to suggest household items that we had to incorporate as props into the show. The results of this varied wildly… I play Jaquenetta.

You can find it on YouTube HERE

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

by | Nov 28, 2017 | Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare’s Globe

I’m over the moon to be cast in All’s Well That Ends Well in the beautiful, candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe. All’s Well is rarely performed as it has themes and an ending which are considered difficult for a contemporary audience.

Director Caroline Byrne and dramaturg Annie Siddons have reimagined the play to draw out the story of 2 young people who have both recently lost their fathers. Helena’s coming of age journey is set against a backdrop of strong female friendship and support. In quite unusual casting for Shakespeare, the women in the cast outnumber the men! The whole play was underscored with music composed by the amazing Theo Vidgen, with 4 musicians in the gallery.

I play Mariana, in this version a tattoo artist and companion to the Widow. As part of my ensemble duties I also cover Diana, Paroles, George Dumaine, Edward Dumaine, the Countess and Widow. Throughout the course of the run I ended up playing George and Edward Dumaine for a week, and the Widow and Countess for the final week of the run. A wonderful experience with an extraordinary company. Great reviews across the board.

Click here for event link

Click here for ‘Casting Announced‘ page

LAMPEDUSA

by | Oct 14, 2017 | Citizens Theatre, Glasgow

Once again, this “zeitgeist-capturing evocation of hope” was a big hit in Glasgow garnering 4 and 5 star reviews.

“a zeitgeist-capturing evocation of hope”
– The Herald

“Jack Nurse’s production delivers an evening worth remembering”
– The Scotsman

“an intense experience”
– The Times

“powerful”
– Reviews Hub

“a nuanced performance and a powerful one”
– Wee Review

The production was directed by Wonder Fools’ AD Jack Nurse, with acclaimed Scottish actor Andy Clark playing Stefano and me reprising my role as Denise. The design by Alisa Kalyanova included a ton of sand and the sound design was made up of original music played live by Stuart Ramage. 

It’s been a privilege for me to experience the journey of this play and explore this role in different parts of the country over the past 2.5 years. The sad fact is of course, that its themes remain as relevant and awful as ever. 

Click for event information

LIL’ RED (R&D)

by | Jul 14, 2017 | Unicorn Theatre

Singing again! An exciting week of vocal experimentation developing 2 musical pieces with musician and composer Pete Wyer and playwright Mia Chung. Pete and I first worked together back in 2002 on a play called Sea of Silence. This time we looked at a blues version of the Red Riding Hood tale and a sung version of a Korean folk tale. 

Click for website of composer Pete M Wyer: http://pmwmusic.com/

Click for New Dramatist website: http://newdramatists.org/mia-chung

THE SUGAR-COATED BULLETS OF THE BOURGEOISIE

by | Apr 14, 2016 | Aldeburgh, Arcola Theatre, HighTide

Outstanding performance … Louise Mai Newberry as Tang. Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Guardian

March – April 2016 Arcola Theatre
August – September 2016 HighTide, Aldeburgh

This epic play spanning over 60 years of Chinese history from the Maoist revolution to the present day is the culmination of nearly a decade of study and tells the story of the real people. 

“A big, ambitious and thought-provoking production” The Guardian

I play Tang, the no-nonsense communist soldier who brings grassroots change to Rotten Peach Village. It is a very moving piece about how people were empowered to create real change for themselves but how corruption and the struggle for power and results led to the famines of the Great Leap Forward and eventually set the nation on the road to extreme capitalism. I felt very humbled to tell these women’s stories and honoured to be part of a production that had so much heart and humour. 

The Arcola Theatre and later the Jubilee Hall in Aldeburgh were transformed by Lily Arnold into a Chinese Temple. Take a look at the stunning cast photos by Nobby Clark on the HighTide website. 

Thank you to Michael Billington for this breathtaking review: “Louise Mai Newberry is outstanding” (Link)

ANY MEANS NECESSARY

by | Jan 14, 2016 | Nottingham Playhouse, Play

January & February 2016 – ANY MEANS NECESSARY

Nottingham Playhouse (Link)

Continuing my work in topical, political plays I’m thrilled to be part of the cast of this new play exploring the story of the undercover cops deployed to infiltrate political activist groups. The story hit the headlines in 2010 when police officer Mark Kennedy/Mark Stone was unmasked by environmental activists following the aborted protest at Ratcliffe-on-Soar power station. Since then, despite the Met police’s policy of ‘neither confirm nor deny’ in relation to the undercover officers (part of the SDS and NPOIU) over 40 years, in November 2015 the Met issued an outright apology to the women who were tricked into having relationships with them. A full inquiry into what happened began in January 2016 and is likely to continue for the next 3 years. (Link)

Any Means Necessary is a fictional account of one of these stories. It is a privilege to be part of such an important piece of work. It is also a joy to be working with a female writer in a cast dominated by women!
I play Leanne, police officer Dave Cross’s wife; at home with kids and unaware of what his job actually involves… (BBC News Link)