Sara Gray - as Shirley
High Peak theatre group return to Buxton Fringe with powerful drama
High Peak theatre group, Easy Company, are returning to the Buxton stage this July after a long absence.
Robbie Carnegie and Sara Gray, together with work colleague Sian Dudley, formed Easy Company in 2011. That year, they performed together in a double-bill of plays by Amy Rosenthal: Lifelines (starring Robbie and Sara, and directed by Sian) and Henna Night (starring Sara and Sian, and directed by Robbie).
‘We had a great time doing the double-bill,’ says Robbie, ‘but in its aftermath, life seemed to get in the way, and it’s taken us 8 years to come up with a follow-up!’ Sian left the area for pastures new, but Sara and Robbie continued to work together onstage. ‘Robbie directed me in The Winter’s Tale, and we played opposite each other in Breaking the Code, both for Buxton Drama League,’ Sara adds. ‘The main problem was finding an opportunity to stage a Fringe-type play,’ explains Robbie. ‘For the last 6 years, I’ve been working for Buxton International Festival, so was unable to commit myself to anything else in July.’ ‘But the idea of Easy Company never went away,’ continues Sara, ‘so when Robbie changed jobs early this year, we decided the time was right to revive Easy Company and put on a play at the Buxton Fringe.’
The play is Jordan, by Anna Reynolds with Moira Buffini, a moving, powerful one-woman drama, based on a true story. Sara plays Shirley, on trial for the murder of her child, looking back on the awful circumstances that drove her to this terrible act, and she is embracing the enormous challenge of this role, ‘There’s a great responsibility in playing a real person and it’s a very hard-hitting play, which certainly puts me as an actress through the wringer! But I know audiences will be moved and sympathetic to Shirley’s plight.’ Robbie, who is directing the play, adds, ‘Luckily the play is not without its humorous moments, and it’s been my task to help Sara bring out the light and shade in the piece.’
Sara sums up the experience, ‘We called ourselves Easy Company, because that’s how we see ourselves – friends who enjoy spending time together and who share a passion for putting on good theatre. We’re looking forward to being back in the Arts Centre Studio, performing to Buxton audiences again.’
Jordan will be performed at Underground at the Arts Centre on Friday 12, Friday 19 and Sunday 21 July at 7.15pm. For tickets go to underthefringe.com or visit the Box Office at the Old Clubhouse.
Buxton Fringe
Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe
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