A Friend of a Friend Theater Has Moved to New Website


 

This was the original website for A Friend of a Friend Theater, a platform for those with unsung talents to perform, or have their work performed, in the West End and London Fringe.
Content is from the site's 2012 -2013 archived pages.


Around 2014 A Friend of a Friend moved their website.
Their current site is found at: http://afriendofafriendproductions.org/ . Go there for the most up to date information.

Circa 2012

...This new company, A Friend of a Friend, has been established to provide writers, not specifically new ones or young ones, with an opportunity to have their works performed in this beautiful theatre just off the main West End beat[...]
the eclectic range of subjects on offer here deserves to be applauded. Instead of just plundering the recent graduates of writing courses they have managed to find some real and proven talent... "

A Friend of a Friend provides a platform for those with unsung talents to perform, or have their work performed, in the West End and London Fringe. So if you’ve written a script or want to perform in one of our shows, get in touch and follow us on and Twitterfor all the latest news.

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A Friend of a Friend seeks:

Short Plays
- 10 minutes in length
- Maximum of four actors per play
- Can submit more than one script
- Plays should be in PDF or Word (.doc) format attached to email

THEME: “Performance”

This could be relating to behind the scenes, front of house stories, the life of an out of work/jobbing actor, etc.
Submitted scripts which do not follow the script WILL still be considered

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Actors and Directors
- Spotlight PIN / Stage Jobs Pro link
-  OR Current curriculum vitae+headshot

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Comedy
- 10 minute act
- Showreel / youtube

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We accept applications all year round.

Actors, Performers and Directors who apply will be added to our Contact Sheet and considered for all future shows.

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Send the above information to our email afriendofafriendtheatre@hotmail.co.uk with your full name (and stage name), contact details and how you heard about us.

{Please note that we cannot pay those involved in our performances, but host our shows at well-known theatres with reputations for excellent productions.}

About Us

A Friend of a Friend seeks out and supports new writers, directors and performers. At the core of our ethos is creating a platform for high calibre, though provoking work from emerging artists. We distinguish ourselves from other new writing companies by the professional standard of our productions, showcasing short plays in fully rehearsed performances, whilst taking pride in hosting our events at well-respected venues with a reputation for outstanding work.

We are also recognised for our work with other aspects of the Arts. A Friend of a Friend has collaborated with Point and Laugh to feature talented comedy acts selected from London’s most hilarious new comedians; as well as endorsing music and the visual arts. Our Autumn/Winter 2013 Season ventures into site specific theatre in an event that combines theatre, music and painting/sculpture, and throws into relief an Audience’s relationship with the Arts.

The philosophy of continuous support and networking plays a fundamental part in A Friend of a Friend’s role as Producer. We encourage a sense of community between our artists, and all of our participants are invited to keep us informed of their work so that we can promote and celebrate each other’s’ success. In this highly competitive and often impersonal industry, A Friend of a Friend strives for a personal touch to help build connections and promote future success.

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AN ASIDE: In this time of the Covid 19 pandemics, many industries have been hard hit. Theater has been one of those particularly hard hit. I should know. I have many friends who are actors here in NYC who have been out of work since NYC initially shit down last March. This was the headline from an article from May 5,2020: "COVID-19 has shaken theater fans and shuttered all New York City's venues, including Broadway, which grossed $1.8 billion last season and attracted a record 15 million people. How Broadway — one the city's jewels — will reopen is still not clear.....Broadway theaters abruptly closed on March 12, knocking out all shows — including 16 that were still scheduled to open — and postponing indefinitely the Tony Award schedule. Producers, citing health and city authorities, have extended the shutdown through at least June 7." By  John Carucci, Mark Kennedy, and The Associated Press. It is now September and NYC is slowly opening- but not Broadway. Sept 8, 2020 the Washington Post By Peter Marks, had an article titled: New York City can’t rebound without Broadway. And Broadway’s road back is uncertain. Museums are just beginning to open but with a number of changes as to the way one attends. The problems for theaters and concert halls have far more issues to address than NYC museums. Ventilation systems in need of updating, cramped quarters for artists and other workers in backstage areas, a lack of specific federal guidance about what safety measures are required, and a host of other issues are besetting the path back for the purveyors of some of the world’s premier venues and attractions. To the despair of everyone, theaters have no firm restart date. "Tallying the financial losses to a bedrock sector of the New York economy is itself a gargantuan task: In the six months since the historic shutdown began — a closure without parallel in American life — the jobs of thousands of performers, directors, designers, stagehands, ushers, box-office workers, administrators, publicists and more have been cast into limbo. The aid doled out by the federal Paycheck Protection Plan and unemployment benefits helped arts staffers hold on, but now, stories abound of performers and other creative-economy workers leaving the city."

The online world is a mixed bag, with some thriving while others are in an existential struggle. I spoke with the CEO of TNG/Earthling, Bob Sakayama, a search engine consultant who told me that some of his clients were devastated and may not come back for the foreseeable future, while others were actually thriving. But his search consultancy is in no danger as more businesses are forced to rely on their online presence. Any business relying on travel or tourism are dead right now. But those selling cleaning supplies are off the charts. Those selling only online avoid the problem with customers in stores, so that's now an advantage since delivery has become the primary safe option.

On a whim, I checked to see how the pandemic was impacting the theaters in London. There was a surge in COVID-19 cases just recently this Fall in the U.K. that threatened to unravel much of the progress made across their film and TV industry in recent months. In the Spring all major British theatre were closed and other cultural events that were cancelled or postponed. Just like NYC, actors, stagehands, costumers, ticket sellers, bar workers and more saw their livelihoods disintegrate thanks to the lockdown. In the US Broadway, Off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway artists and companies are engaged in their own struggles to come back. According to Jeffrey Seller, lead producer of “Hamilton, “There will be an explosion of creativity when we return,” he said. “I believe in my heart and in my soul that when we feel confident, we’re all going to be back together. We need it. We yearn for it.” For new writers, directors and performers, it's going to be a long, hard trek, no matter what.

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Founder & Artistic Director

Susanna Narvaez

Sooz went to King’s College London to read Law and French Legal Practice. Halfway through the LLB, a part time job at the Novello Theatre ignited a passion for this industry and the rest is history. Since then Sooz has worked backstage on several West End shows including Spamalot (Palace), The Lord of the Rings Musical, Oliver!, Shrek the Musical (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), The Hurly Burly Show (Garrick), Dirty Dancing (Aldwych), Doctor Faustus (KCL Greenwood). She assisted with the planning and PR of West End Stories at the Jermyn Street Theatre and acted as runner and location manager for special events run by The British Red Cross and by the Mayor of London. Recent credits include Stage Manager for the off-West End nominated production of Ondine at the White Bear Theatre, Sibling Productions’ Short Cuts 4: Metamorphosis and Short Cuts 5: All Hallows Eve at the Hen and Chickens Theatre (read more about Short Cuts); plus technical support for FunBags Comedy at the Cavendish Arms, and A Little Bag of Cabaret, a monthly burlesque night at the Drayton Arms Theatre.

 

Associate Director

Patrick Maubert

Patrick

Patrick, a native to New Brunswick Canada, began his career as a performer completing his undergrad training in musical theatre performance at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy of New York City. As a performer, Maubert has worked internationally in an array of cross-genre platforms. He has since completed his MA in Directing at the Arts Educational Schools. Selected international directing credits include: Heaven Help Me!For Perfect Pitch, Wizard of Ozfor Secombe theatre, Heart&Musicfor Charlotte Street Arts Centre, Oliver! for Polkadot Theatre, Hairspray for Voyager Academy, A Christmas Carol for Playhouse Theatre. Assistant/resident directing credits include: The Road to Qatar at the Edinburgh Fringe, Passport to Pimlico, a site specific musical adaption for SouthWest Fest, Legally Blonde for ArtsEd, The Wonderful World of Dissoica for ArtsEd, Feel Good for Theatre New Brunswick. Patrick is currently directing Mark Abbey’s Ice Cream for Camden’s Theatre Breaks Festival.

   

 

FAQ

Why “A friend of a friend”?

When you work in the West End, it seems as though everybody is a friend of a friend…. that’s why gossip spreads so quickly!

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But what if I don’t work in the West End?

Don’t worry, you can still take part! Simply send in your script or spotlight pin and we’ll include you in our considerations listing.

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When do you need my script?

We accept scripts all year around, meaning that if you miss the deadline for a particular show, you can still send your script in and be considered for future performances.
If you would like to be considered, your scripts should be sent to  info@afriendofafriendtheatre.com by this date. Please make sure that your script includes a cover sheet with your full name, the name of your play, and your email address. You should include any particular requirements, and how you heard of us in the email, along with the script as a PDF or .doc (Word) file.

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I’m an actor/director and what to get involved, what do I do?

Email us at  info@afriendofafriendtheatre.com so that if any of the writers need actors or directors, we can forward you to them, please include your C.V. and a link to your Spotlight or stage jobs pro account. All applicants will be added to our contact sheet. Writers are given the choice to direct their own work or source a director, in the latter case we would assign a Director from our contact sheet. This also applies for castings.

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Will I be paid?

Unfortunately we will be unable to pay you for your participation, but we hope that the opportunity to perform or stage your play on a West End stage will be an enticing opportunity. We have also ventured into site-specific theatre, and our Autumn/Winter 2013 production combined theatre with the Arts by transferring the performance to a gallery space.

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What specific requirements are there for scripts or acts?

You can be as creative as you like but please keep in mind that each performance should be no more than ten minutes long, and as you will be sharing the space with 5 other acts and potentially the resident show’s set, we ask that you restrict necessary actors to 4 maximum, and that props be kept to a minimum, preferably only carry-on objects (chairs/tables can be arranged as required).

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I have written a few scripts and submitted them to you. How should I proceed if I am selected?

We will need you to confirm the title of the play as well as your name as they are to be promoted. This means deciding if the tile of your play is “This Is My Script” or “This is my Script” (or other variations of this playful example). Full directions will be emailed to you.

We have also been contacted by directors and performers that are interested in taking part in the project. Let us know if you need us to forward any of their details to you so you can see if they are suitable for the roles. If you need rehearsal spaces, we may be able to give helpful suggestions.

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What happens if my script or act is not selected?

Acts are selected both for quality and to maintain the fluidity of the performance. If you are not shortlisted for the upcoming show we will hold on to your information and may well approach you to see if you would like to be involved in the performances that follow – if a script is not selected initially it doesn’t mean that we didn’t enjoy it!
Of course, we will never use your script without your explicit permission and respect your intellectual property.

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I have a comedy act and would like to take part, what do I do?

Send an email to  info@afriendofafriendtheatre.com including the name of your act and links to youtube and your website. Any upcoming dates when we can come to see you live will also be helpful.

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Please email or leave a comment below if you have any other questions!

Keep in touch

 



 

‘First Draft’ January 22 2012 Shortlist

Patrick

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To view news updates of ‘First Draft’ from our Archives, please click here. Please note that this is a past performance and tickets are no longer available. For details on the current production please visit the Homepage.

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January 22nd 2012, Charring Cross Theatre. An evening to showcase new writing in the West End.

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Superhero Therapy
A short piece which asks whether being a superhero would really be as great as it seems.
Written by Mark Fairclough
Mark has been writing as long as he can remember being able to.  He has contributed to the long running comedy sketch show Newsrevue, and some of his work has also been performed in his native Leeds. He hopes to complete his first full length play in the near future.
Directed by Dominique Poulter
Dominique is London based director who has worked in both the UK and the USA. She is currently working for Y Touring Theatre Company as company manager. Directing credits include The Way of the Pear, Alice in Wonderland for Epsom Youth Theatre and Reel at The Gulbenkian Theatre.

Lauren Buckley as the Therapist
Lauren is a third year drama and theatre studies student at Royal Holloway University of London. Acting credits whilst at university include That Face by Polly Stenham (Izzy), Hushabye Mountain by Jonathon Harvey (Sister Bernadette) and How to disappear Completely and Never Be Found.
Daniel Aiken as the Superhero
Daniel hails from Northern Ireland and trained professionally at Middlesex University in London. His Theatre credits include Mother Goose as Mother Goose’s Son; Little Red Rtiding Hood as the Hans Woodsman; Sweet of Dry as the narrator; and Peter Pan as Michael Darling.

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Still I See My Baby by DBHorrigan
A play about the importance of children.
Written by DBHorrigan
 Recent credits: There Ain’t No Law Against Fish And Chips by rose Lewenstein – Soho Theatre, A Peaceful Resolution by Mike Carter – The Old Red Lion; and The Duchess Of Malfi by John Webster – The Charring Cross Theatre (then The New Players). Dan is currently engaged in talks to bring shows to The Old Red Lion, The Bierkeller and The Actors Church in 2012.
Directed by Hannah Kaye
Hannah trained in Chicago and Paris before attending Drama Centre and the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Recent productions include: Troublesome King John (The Jerwood Space), The Hamlet Project (Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the Arcola Theatre) and The Winter’s Tale (Italia Conti). Hannah teaches acting and movement at drama schools including Drama Centre and the Urdang Academy and is currently in rehearsals for the musical Nine.

Jane Dodd
Jane trained at E15 Acting School, The Actors’ Temple, London and Meisner Center, LA. Theatre credits include Maggie in Jake’s Women (Bridewell Theatre), Dora in Airswimming (Hen & Chicken’s Theatre), and Jenna in Colder Than Here (Courtyard Theatre). Jane won an Olivier Award in 2011 for La Boheme at the Soho Theatre and critical acclaim for her performances in Colder Than Here and 4Play.
Jane Jeffery
Jane is an actor/director whose most recent credits include: Linda in I, Anna, (feature film starring Gabriel Byrne, Charlotte Rampling and Hayley Atwell), Eloise Baker in Emmerdale (ITV), Mrs Gardner in Gates (Sky) and Fiona Marquez in Doctors (BBC1). Her recent directing credits include Blood Wedding (ALRA), The Lighthouse (The Kings Head) and Richard III (Arts Ed).
Augustina Seymour
Augustina trained at Guildhall. Recent theatre includes Shore (Riverside Studios), Hamlet (Guildford Shakespeare Company) and Much Ado About Nothing (Chester Performs).

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The Corner Fence by Jon Barton
Mel and Harry have agreed to undergo an unusual form of couple’s therapy. As tensions rise, the half-truths begin to stack up. A darkly comic look at couple’s therapy.
Written by Jon Barton
Jon is a graduate of the Royal Court Young Writers Programme.
Recent Theatre includes: ‘Derelict’ (Southwark Playhouse), ’Solicit’ (Theatre 503) and ‘Spot The Difference’ (Albany).
The Corner Fence has been directed by its cast.

Morag Sims as Mel
Morag trained at ALRA and was Spotlight Prize Nominee 2009.
Recent Theatre includes: ‘The Winter’s Tale’ (Titian Rep), ‘Lost & Found’ (Sheer Drop) and ’Printed Linen’ (Glass to Wall Productions).
Nick Ruben as Harry
Nick trained at East 15 Acting School.
Recent Theatre includes: ‘Scratchbook’(Squint), ’ Taleblazers’(Blacklight Theatre) and ‘I Made You A Mixtape’ (Jacksons Lane).
Violet Ryder as the Therapist
Violet trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
Recent Theatre includes: ‘Lullabies of Broadmoor’ (Stepping Out Theatre), ‘Pride & Prejudice’ (Bath Theatre Royal) and ‘Brief Encounter’ (Kneehigh Theatre).

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Wildehouse by Robin Johnson
Samuel Wildehouse is up to his immaculately cravatted neck in it this time and no mistake! It’ll take more than a hare-brained scheme involving a false moustache to get him out of this one. A gentle satire on Edwardian aunts-and-butlers comedy.
Written by Robin Johnson
Beginning to build a reputation for strong, witty and intelligent plays, usually with a farcical undertow, Robin is currently producing his latest work, ‘A Handbag, Darkly’, for the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe.  This will be the third of his plays to have made it to the Fringe.
Directed by Alex Mack
A prolific director at University, Alex was in responsible for award winning amateur productions of ‘Cat on a Hot Tin Roof’, and ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’.  With his own group, Rule of Three, he was also part of a highly successful staging of Sarah Kane’s ’4:48 Psychosis’.

Dominic Rye as Samuel Wildehouse. Having taken part in almost every available production at the University of Leicester during his time there, including their Edinburgh Fringe production of ‘Memento Mori’ by Jonathan Nolan, Dominic is now auditioning for drama schools.  At the time of writing he has call backs at Central and the Old Vic, wish him luck on both.
Canavan Connolly as Reinhart. A graduate of Central, and veteran of no less than three Edinburgh Fringe productions, Canavan has always enjoyed contrarian roles and the opportunity to try unusual castings.  As a subservient and weak Watson, in ‘Broken Holmes’ (also by Robin Johnson), or Benedick in ‘Much Ado About Nothing’, comedy has always been a strong focus, and no less so with Wildehouse.

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VIGILANTE by John Foster
Adam Shaw grieves for his wife and small daughter after their brutal murder. Following the arrest, conviction and imprisonment of the killer, Richard Maidment, Adam plots his revenge, intending to locate Maidment for his final sentence.
Produced by Nagham Naddour
Directed by Sam Snape.

Sam attended the Directors course at the Drama Centre, London.
Plays include the European Drama award winning Pflegefal which ran for 18 months at the Deutsches Nationaltheater in Weimar. TV credits include episodes of popular British TV Series including All Creatures Great and Small and Soldier Soldier. In 2011 ‘3 Hours’ (Mercury Bay Pictures), a short film he wrote, won two Oscar qualifying festival awards.

Colin Jonathan Appleby as Richard Maidment
Graduated from City Lit in 2010.
Roles include: Cardinal Krogstad in A Doll’s House, Oedipus in Oedipus Rex, and Arnold in Torch Song Trilogy, which he also directed. European musical tour of Better than Sex and Follies in London. This year sees the release of his latest feature film Arkham Sanitarium, and 2011 saw him star in The End, a powerful short film broadcast on Film4 to much critical acclaim.
Matthew Jure as Adam Shaw
Critically acclaimed roles include the amnesiac Man in arthouse film Undertow, obsessive-destructive mathematician Septimus Hodge in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia and the title role in Macbeth. He has been nominated for five awards and has won three: Best Newcomer (BIRSt, BBC-SRA Awards); Best Actor in a Short Film (Undertow, New York International Independent Film Festival) and Best Actor in a Feature Film (Starlight & Superfish, Michigan Blue Water Film Festival). He is currently preparing for JP Davidson’s feature film Downturn.

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Gangster of Love by Frank Osborne
It’s Jack’s first day of a new job and luckily his friends Nick and Jay are on hand to give some vital advice punctuated by a spot of role-playing. After all, it’s important to make a good first, second, and final impression.
Written by Frank Osborne
Recent credits: Cat Toast Equilibrium Roundhouse Theatre, The Big Fight Fortune Theatre, Acting 101 Jermyn Street Theatre & The Old Red Lion Theatre, Honest Phil at the Speak Easy New Writers Event, and Last Orders premiered at Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011.
Directed by Grant Murphy
Having performed in the West End and on International tours for the last 12 years, Grant recently returned to The Arts Educational Schools, to study a Masters in Creative Practice graduating with Merit. This production marks the beginning of a transitional year From Performer to Creative, and is very excited and passionate about the next 12 (or more) years on the other side of the curtain.

Andrew Kinsler – Vince
Andrew graduated from the Masters course at Arts Ed in 2010.
Roles include: the pilot for the new interactive TV series Prophetia produced by Treite Labs; the sell out one-man show at the Bush Theatre and Theatre 503 titled Lovec@t; Wavelength Theatre Company’s Unnatural Selection at the 2011 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the inner voice of 4 different characters in Hamlet Smith for the Nursery Festival in Southwark.
Chris Whittaker – Nick
Chris recently finished as dance captain in Aladdin – Hexagon theatre, Reading. He is now working on a workshop for a new musical and is the choreographer for Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Assassins’ at The Pleasance Theatre opening in March this year.
David Ellis – Jack 

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Special guest appearance from FunBags.
FunBags have been writing & performing their riotous mix of sketches, comedy songs and silliness since January 2010. They are: Jo Burke, Jacqui Curran, Gemma Layton & Alison Ward. To find out more about them and for future gigs, please visit www.funbags-comedy.co.uk

 



 

REVIEW: ‘Now, it’s… Noir Theatre!’

John Foster and Noir Theatre (First Draft at the Charing Cross Theatre, 22 January 2012) “There is film noir, noir on TV, every kind of literary noir you care to …

February 2, 2012

REVIEW: ‘Cheap night and challenging theatre’

This new company, A Friend of a Friend (FOAF), has been established to provide writers, not specifically new ones or young ones, with an opportunity to have their works performed …

January 23, 2012

REVIEW: ‘Cultivating talent is hard work’

The time for new writing is now. With the eyes of the world firmly fixed on the London stage following the international successes of War Horse and Jerusalem, combined with …

 

 

Featured audience wtw

Here at A Friend of a Friend Theatre we like to keep our finger on the pulse of what’s going on in Theatreland, so here you can see what show’s we’re watching, and where you can support new theatre and friends of FOAF.

Go to http://www.afriendofafriendproductions.org for the most up to date information about the A Friend of a Friend Theatre .

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