GRACE DARLING:
A STAGE CELEBRATION
OF A NATIONAL HEROINE
The story of the Victorian
sea rescue heroine Grace Darling is to be brought to the stage.
Tyneside-based Ed Waugh and
Trevor Wood, whose international and national stage hits include Dirty Dusting,
Waiting For Gateaux, Maggie’s End and Son of Samurai, have penned Amazing
Grace to celebrate the achievements of the first Victorian female
heroine, who tragically died in 1842 aged only 26, four years after her heroic
deed off the Northumberland Coast between Bamburgh and Seahouses.
Grace Darling and her lighthouse
keeper father lived on Longstone island when, in a storm on September 7, 1838,
the SS Forfarshire struck the notorious Harcar rocks, a part of the Farne
Islands. Of the 63 people on board, nine managed to escape in the lifeboat while
Grace and her father selflessly manned a coble to heroically rescue 9
people stranded on the rocks.
Queen Victoria sent £50 for Grace
which was administrated by the Duke of Northumberland and three
Bravery medals were bestowed on her by three separate Humane Societies
and the RNLI. After Victoria, Grace became the most well know woman in
19th century Britain.
The play will tell the story of
Grace Darling through the eyes of a modern-day writer called Grace who wants to
make a film about her famous namesake.
Trevor Wood explained: “It’s a
funny, modern take on a wonderful story and will appeal to everyone aged from 13
to 113. We want to celebrate Grace’s achievement whilst illustrating how the
Hollywood machine can play fast and loose with the facts.
“Grace was the first
working-class female celebrity – the Cheryl Cole of her time – and the play is a
tribute to her achievement.”
Amazing Grace will include film
of some famous Northumberland landmarks and is being co-produced by
Alnwick Playhouse with the support of Sunderland University.
Jo Potts, manager of Alnwick
Playhouse, said: “Alnwick Playhouse is excited to premiere this new play based
on and around Grace Darling. Her unique story is rooted firmly in the
Northumberland landscape and deserves to be told.”
Judith Hills, Associate Dean in the Faculty of Arts, Design
and Media at Sunderland University, said: “We are very excited to be involved in
Amazing Grace. It’s a novel approach to fantastic story which I’m sure will make
a terrific piece of theatre.”
The three-week north east tour
will begin with a world premiere at Alnwick Playhouse on Wednesday, October 17,
as follows:
Alnwick Playhouse: 01665 510 785 Wednesday, October 17;
Thursday, October 18 (evening and matinee);
Friday, October 19
Consett
Empire: 01207
218171 Saturday, October
20 (evening and matinee)
Hexham Queen’s Hall: 01434 652477 Monday, October 22 and Tuesday,
October 23 (evening and matinee)
Gala theatre (Durham):
0191 332 4041 Wednesday, October 24 and Thursday,
October 25 (evening and matinee)
Hartlepool Theatre: 01429 890 000 Friday, October 26
Gateshead Old Town
Hall: 0191 433 6965 Saturday, October 27
Customs House (South
Shields): 0191 454 1234 Monday, October
29 and Tuesday, October 30 (evening and matinee)
Blyth Phoenix theatre:
01670 367 228 Wednesday, October 31
Berwick Maltings: 01289 330999 Thursday, November 1 and Friday,
November 2 (evening and matinee)
Playhouse Whitley
Bay: 0844 277
2771 Saturday, November 3 (evening and
matinee)
Tickets for Amazing Grace are on
sale from the venues. For further information visit www.edwaughandtrevorwood.co.uk
The duo's play Alf Ramsey Knew My Grandfather is playing the 900-seat
Darlington Civic Theatre from July 24 to 17.
Amazing Grace is supported by the National Lottery
through Arts Council England
