Dare Devil Rides To Jarama - UK theatre tour

What we're raising for: 

Our trusty 'TRESSELL'  van is no more please help us replace it so we can tour our new show 'DARE DEVIL RIDES TO JARAMA'  in Autumn 2016 & Spring 2017 . We need to raise £2,000 so that we can buy a decent van to tour our set and the actors which we’re hoping to achieve with your generosity. Any donations, however small, will be enormously appreciated.

ABOUT THE SHOW

Our new play 'Dare Devil Rides To Jarama' is about speedway star and Wall of Death motorcycle rider Clem "Dare Devil" Beckett who felt his place was with Spanish people defending freedom and democracy against Franco's rising fascist armies.

This play tells this extraordinary story as part of the 80th Anniversary of the Spanish Civil War and the formation of the International Brigade and aims to remember the Brigade volunteers as they set an unprecedented example of international solidarity and their fight against fascism remains an inspiration to people around the world today.

We have a fantastic tour booked in Autumn 2016 and need your help to get us to  all the venues as our very Trusty Tressell Van has died a death and we need to replace it!

 Why support us? 

In a culture of cuts to the arts and raised costs of living, it’s increasingly difficult to maintain the running of a theatre company. However,  seeing the effect our work has on those who watch it makes the investment worthwhile. 

Over five years we have developed links with political, artistic and educational organisations that represent the most disadvantaged in society; produced work that explores themes and issues of special interest to these groups; and created a wider audience appeal through our accesible, story-telling theatrical style. Our previous productions were United We Stand, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, We Will Be Free! and On The Road To Freedom.

REVIEWS FOR PREVIOUS SHOWS

★ ★ ★ ★ ‘TREMENDOUS’ THE TIMES ‘

 A striking piece of work’ THE OBSERVER 

★★★★★ 'UNMISSABLE' Everything Theatre 

★★★★  'SPECTACULAR’ London Theatre 1

★★★★★ ‘EXCELLENT’ The Morning Star

 ★★★★ -PASSIONATELY DELIVERED’Liverpool Echo

This play has received commissioning support from the International Brigades Memorial Trust,  The Trade Unions, Harrogate Theatre, The Place, Bedford, Barnsley Civic and Square Chapel, Halifax. but it doesn't cover the cost of buying a NEW VAN!!

We are aiming for £2,000 from our crowdfund campaign. If we don't hit the total target the funds will still be used towards the production in order for us to make the performance and raise awareness of the contribution of The International Brigade.

Our budget to make the work is  £60,000

Through commissions we have already raised £30,000

Through performance fees we have raised £20,000

We have 'in kind' support to the tune of £8,000

Those with a keen eye for numbers will notice that we fall short of our £60k target and thats why we need you, our crowd, to help.

As you can see a lot of hard work has already been done to make this piece a reality and now we need you to help us get over that final hurdle of replacing our TRUSTY TRESSELL VAN!!!

What We Need & What You Get

We have exciting offers and rewards for our backers! 

New rewards will be offered as the project continues so keep checking back for updates!

 WHO WE ARE!

Louise Townsend(Producer/Director)  Producer/director/company founder has been involved in every aspect of theatre production in all scales of theatre, and directed both of Town's End Touring's critically acclaimed productions to date, UNITED WE STAND, ON THE RODAD TO FREEDOM, HIDDEN AND HOMELESS, RTP and WWBF!  Prior to this she was a casting director, mainly with Pippa Ailion Casting, working on large West End productions, such as Lion King for Disney Theatrical, Original cast We Will Rock You for Phil McIntyre, Tribecca and Queen, Simply Heavenly for National Theatre and Young Vic, All You Need Is Love for John Miller Pete Brookes, Theatre De complicite & DV8 and DeLovely, a film for Winkler Films. On her own she cast seasons for Haymarket Basingstoke and Quondam Theatre Company in Penrith.   Neil Gore (Writer/Actor/Musical Director)  Actor/writer/company founder who has always been known as a vibrant performer and musician for thirty years in all types of theatre from small scale to West End and has toured to every corner of the country with over several theatres and theatre companies. He started by joining S.U.Fringe Theatre whilst at university in Sheffield and wrote and performed comedy with Eddie Izzard at successive Edinburgh Festivals in the early 1980s. After university he co-founded Metro Theatre Co-operative with Stephen Daldry and appeared in their production of The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and their subsequent commissioned new plays. He returned to RTP to adapt it and write United We Stand, We Will Be Free!,for two actors, to excellent reviews and audience reaction over the last five years for Towns End Productions.

John Kirkpatrick (Musical Director) Is the finest player of melodeon, button accordion, and anglo concertina in the country, and is one of the most prolific figures on the English folk scene, performing solo and as a member of the Richard Thompson Band, Steeleye Span, Brass Monkey, and Band of Hope. As songwriter, composer, choreographer, and musical director, he has worked for the National Theatre in Lark Rise to Candleford, and for many shows at The Victoria Theatre (later The New Vic) in Stoke and Orchard Theatre in Devon.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SqGCLotudo