 |
| Steve Cowley in Battle Cry |
“For those who’ve witnessed the worst things
imaginable, the world can never be the same again; and for those that haven’t
the least we can do is listen”
High
Peak Bookstore, July 23rd & 24th as part of the
Buxton Fringe Festival, 7pm
doors, 8pm
performance
This is the story of Adam, a British
soldier who after 25 years of service now suffers with PTSD. Finally, he has agreed
to attend a support session…but why doesn’t he want to talk about it? Maybe
discussing the details hasn’t helped in the past? Maybe he feels misunderstood?
Maybe he’s just not a guy who talks about his feelings? Or…maybe talking and
reliving it is part of the problem? Adam feels alone and alienated; he believes
that no one can possibly understand the problem as they weren’t there. They
didn’t see the things he saw…it doesn’t come flooding back to them every time
they close their eyes…
Some wounds are invisible. Adam’s certainly
are. But is this a story where all hope is lost. Or could there be a future for
Adam?? Maybe being heard is the first step?
Battle Cry is a play which gives a chance
for such voices to be heard. Adam tells a story that will strike a chord with
every military sufferer of PTSD, based on the true story of real-life people
whose lives have been torn apart by the condition. The play is stark,
uncompromising and most importantly genuine…as only true authenticity is
appropriate for such subject matter.
Through diligent research with PTSD
sufferers, Matt Fox & Steve Cowley have distilled the poignant, universal
truth from the voices of many who have and do suffer every day from the effects
of this condition. Battle Cry creates an authentic fiction from fact that will
speak to every PTSD sufferer. This play is desperately needed as even now,
these sufferer’s voices are not being heard. Why? Is it part of the training?
Is it culture? Or are military personnel just expected to keep this quiet?
Maybe the world believes they wouldn’t make good soldiers if they dealt with
the emotional ramifications of their day job? Battle Cry is not a political
piece of work; we make no comment on why these people have had to do the job
they do. Rather we look at the results of these decisions, to speak to a wide
audience and bring about awareness of this most pressing of issues through
storytelling. A true, emotive human story being the most powerful way to get
this message out. These soldiers shouldn’t have to explain themselves, but the
world needs to hear their story.
We
are thrilled to be finally returning to a live theatre tour after an
unimaginably difficult period for the industry. We have kept ourselves busy
during the lockdown with writing and online performances, but nothing compares
to the experience of standing in the same room as your audience and delivering
a play.
Battle
Cry is an intense, emotive piece that brings the audience right into the mind
of a man on the brink. The pandemic has brought mental health to the front of
everyone's mind, and we can't think of a better subject to kick off our touring
schedule with.
We
hope our audience revel in the unique experience of a live performance and
remember why theatre matters so much to us all.
Matt Fox - Writer
Matt Fox has written plays, opera’s and
musical adaptations, which have been performed in the UK, U.S, Canada, Mexico
and Australia. His most recent piece, ‘Fred Ted, Jack & Harold” toured the
UK in 2018/19 before transferring to the USA in Autumn 2019. Matt’s work is
published by Roister Doister Publishing Ltd and Off the Wall Plays in the UK
and JD Drama Publishing in the USA.
Matt started writing for the theatre as a
teenager when he joined a writer’s group at Plymouth Theatre Royal. He was the
founder of Swindon Fringe Festival, runs the production company Madam Renards
Ltd and is trustee for the JTP Trust, a South West music education charity. He
regularly lectures on playwriting and theatre production at a number of UK
universities.
Matt has written extensively on subjects,
which the world really needs to discuss; whether it’s the ever-growing issues
of suicide (To Sleep 2013), poverty (Family Play 2015) or the way we deal with
death (The Life We Lived 2016), he has always wanted to cast a light on those
areas where real stories need to be told. During the writing process the tales
told by the soldiers he interviewed struck such a chord with Matt that he
became certain this was one of the most important writing projects he had ever
undertaken.
Steve Cowley - Actor
Steve Cowley has enjoyed a long and varied
career as an actor, director, lecturer, workshop practitioner and writer. His
passion, love and belief in the value of theatre and performance remains as
strong and firm as ever.
Steve’s theatre credits include; Michael in
(Ab)solution, Macbeth in Macbeth, Landlord in Two, Michael in This is Living,
John Proctor in The Crucible, John Merrick in The Elephant Man. Steve created
the roles of Soldier in Listen and Man in Dummy House, both of which were solo
performance plays.
Steve is passionate about supporting new
writers and has been fortunate enough to tour the UK and abroad with many new
pieces of work including To Sleep, The Life We Lived and Fred Ted Jack &
Harold. In addition to this, Steve has also worked on numerous corporate films
and events.
Steve is delighted to not only be working
with Matt again, but to be given the opportunity and honour to be the voice of
so many PTSD sufferers.
Buxton Fringe
Website: www.buxtonfringe.org.uk
Facebook: buxtonfringe
Twitter: @buxtonfringe
Instagram: @buxtonfringe
