Temp/Casual

OUR PROJECT

Temp/Casual is a brilliant new play written by Steve Timms, from Spent Ambition Theatre - a new company founded in 2009 with with Director, Ben Power. Originally staged as a fringe production for the Manchester 24:7 theatre festival - breaking box office records and attracting rave reviews - the company have worked extremely hard to gain the opportunity of performing at the Contact Theatre, over four nights, from Wednesday 18th to Saturday 21st May 2011.

THE PLAY

Set in modern day Manchester, Temp/Casual is a play for anyone who has ever wanted to tell their boss where to stick it! A bittersweet drama about faltering friendships, broken dreams, and the pain of loss - with razor sharp dialogue, multimedia projections, and a thrilling contemporary soundtrack.

Martin, Susan, Adam and Stick are Media graduates, hungry for fame and recognition. Three years after leaving university however, their collective ambition has begun to wane; the four friends find themselves adrift in a world of debt, drugs and dead end employment. Wannabe actress Susan ends her relationship with Martin: with an expanding overdraft, she considers a new career in adult entertainment. Adam works in an off-license and fantasises about becoming a comedian; in the meantime, he gets by dealing occasional drugs. Stick is rewarded with a new DJ night; but tormented by his father’s battle against cancer, he slowly slips into abusing drugs. Martin wins a commission from the North West Tourist Initiative, and sets off on a poetic tour of the region’s hidden attractions. Quickly disillusioned, he dares ask the question - ‘will success ever make me happy?’

FUNDING

We have massive support from the Contact Theatre in terms of space, equipment, technical support, and publicity, and we are working with students and using equipment from Salford University to film video sequences that punctuate the live action. We have also have great support from other creative friends, such as James Humphries who built our website, and Glenn Bailey who designed our logo.

An application to the Arts Council has been made that will hopefully cover our professional fees for this project, and we are awaiting their decision - we are still short of our target however and need funds to cover various practical things, such as: transport costs, insurance, web hosting, rehearsal space fees, materials for set, costume and props, publicity fees and printing, technicians fees and equipment hire. We will find out in early april if we are successful with that application and are looking to you to support us with what's missing.

We would sincerely appreciate any help you can give us with this project. Steve is such a fantastic writer, with an amazing ability to create characters who are funny, engaging and instantly familiar, but also unsettling, unpredictable and chaotic. The team we have put together is talented, and unique, with a fantastic attitude, sensitivity and charm. We hope you can help us on our way.

You can make a payment through this site either by Debit or Credit Card, or by using your Paypal account. Simply decide on the donation you would like to make, pick a reward from the list on the right, and follow the instructions - easy. If your reward includes tickets, we will email you to arrange the best day for you to see the show and book tickets in your name, so look out for our reply.

Please visit our website www.spentambition.com to learn more about our company and this project - including our poetry competition, with winners announced and prizes donated by 'Comma Press' awarded on opening night.

REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

‘Eloquent, moving and completely gripping’ - Manchester Evening News

‘ …excellent performances … a very entertaining hour and a bit that leaves you wanting more’ - British Theatre Guide

‘ … enaging, funny and heartfelt … Ben Power’s slick direction and the effective use of a simple yet multi-functional set design, combined with a rousing sound score and multi-media elements, also add to this highly accessible production..’ - The Public Reviews

‘How great it is to see the dramatic events taking place on stage in front of the audience rather than being relegated to back-story or some kind of cryptic sub-textual code. Instead the writer is brave enough to show us the violence, drug taking, love making, exam marking, sexual role play and performance poetry that make up the lives of these young, northern, urban graduates.’ - UK Theatre Network 

‘Temp/Casual is ambitious writing, with of-the-moment characters inhabiting a believable world of debt, drugs and losing one's way. It is well worth developing. During the Festival, the company was extremely hard working, making excellent use of the resources and getting special recognition for their publicity and marketing. Their 'go-get' attitude brought in record houses and there was a great buzz about the show. I recommend that you support this venture.’ - David Slack, Director, 24:7 Theatre Festival

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Poetry Competition details