“But there is someone we’d like you to meet. Someone very special.” - Val

When Jess returns home from her first term at University full of tales of her first few weeks away from home, she is delighted to see her parents again. She is less delighted to discover that while she has been away her parents have found some one new to lavish their attentions on! The first term of a psychology degree might not be enough to deal with such bizarre parents …

In Alison Carr’s new play, your childhood toys can turn out to be your worst enemies.

First produced by New Writing North at Apartment, Newcastle upon Tyne, Nov 2006.

The cast was as follows:

VAL: Libby Davison
COLIN: Gez Casey
JESS: Lucy McCorry
WAITRESS: Louisa Kirkness

Directed by Deborah Bruce

REVIEWS …

“[a] little gem …” (The Journal)

“This clever play manages to be deep, witty and comical all at the same time …” (The Evening Chronicle)

The production contributed to Alison’s nomination for The Journal Culture Newcomer of the Year Award.

[A BIT] ABOUT …

“Sometimes, you’re in the right place at the right time. When it came to Mam, Dad, Monkey and Me I can only think it was fate. The idea came from a snippet of overheard conversation in a bar one night. (The friend who was with me maintains that a light bulb went off above my head!)

At the time I was one of four writers who had been selected for New Writing North’s EMERGE scheme, a year long professional development programme for the region’s most promising writers. Our brief was to write a bite-size play which was set at lunchtime. With the nugget of an idea planted, I was ready to go …

EMERGE offered me the first ‘formal’ training in writing I had ever received. It was very structured – writing and rewriting pitches for our ideas. This was something completely new – previously I had just started writing a script and gone where it took me. At first I was suspicious of the ‘process’ but when it came to writing draft#1 I realised how valuable all of that preparation had been.

It was also the first time I worked with Deborah Bruce. I have been fortunate enough to work with her again since, and she is an incredible director who brought a real understanding and sensitivity to the piece.

What amazed me once the play was performed were the number of people who admitted that they too had stuffed toys that they had named, would talk too, dress up, and so on. And this was some three years before the madness that was My Monkey Baby …!” [- Alison]

MORE …?

PREVIEW [The Evening Chronicle ...]

“Actors Make a Meal of Latest Roles”
Former The Bill star Libby Davison is getting up to some monkey business at a Newcastle bar this week.

WINNER …

Monkey & Me went on to win the Yvonne Arnaud Playwriting Festival. It was presented as a script-in-hand performance at the Mill Studio. Directed by Christopher Luscombe.