The Static and Blackout

Description

The Static 'We all have sick thoughts. It doesnae matter what you think, it's what you do that counts. Trouble is, my thoughts do things. Don't believe me? Just watch.' Sparky is a bright but volatile 15-year-old boy on the brink of permanent exclusion from school. Then one day he falls under the spell of a seemingly psychic girl called Siouxsie and develops his own kinetic superpower. But will it save him or push him over the edge? The Static is a coming-of-age love story about what happens when our darkest dreams come true. Blackout 'A small room, bright lights, white walls, a metal door. Oh my God! Imagine you wake up in a jail cell and you don't know how you got there.' Blackout is the true story of a 15-year-old boy charged with attempted murder who tries to piece together the events in his life that have brought him into a secure care unit and threaten to keep him there. This short play packs a big emotional punch with its stylistic economy and razor-sharp storytelling. The Static was originally produced by ThickSkin for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and UK tour 2012. Blackout was commissioned for NT Connections and produced by ThickSkin at the Edinburgh Fringe 2010, winning the Arches Brick Award and subsequently touring the UK.

Davey Anderson is from Glasgow and his work as Playwright/Director includes: Snuff, (Arches Theatre, as winner of the Arches Award for Stage Directors, runner up Meyer-Whitworth Award), Rupture (NTS & Traverse Theatre) and Blackout (National Theatre New Connections & Citizens Theatre Young Company). His other plays include: Flicker (as part of the 200th play, Oran Mor), Playback (Ankur Productions), Wired (Oran Mor), Liar (TAG Theatre Company & Sounds of Progress, Best Show for Children and Young People, Critics Award for Theatre in Scotland) and Clutter Keeps Company (Birds of Paradise). Adaptations include: Zorro (Visible Fictions & Traverse Theatre). Co-Writing/Directing credits include: Mixter Maxter (NTS & St Magnus Festival, Orkney). As Associate Director he collaborated with New York based company The T.E.A.M. on Architecting (Co-Production with NTS). His work as Musical Director/Composer includes: Peter Pan (NTS & Barbican), Be Near Me (NTS & Donmar Warehouse), Oresteia (Lazzi Experimental Arts Unit & Cumbernauld Theatre) and Black Watch (National Theatre of Scotland, world tour). He was Director in Residence with the National Theatre of Scotland 2006-07 and is currently an Associate Playwright with the Playwrights' Studio Scotland 2010-11.

Davey Anderson's writing - urgent, real yet heightened - comes straight from the mould of Mark O'Rowe or Enda Walsh. * What's On Stage * a dazzling display of current small-scale theatre technique, delivered with outstanding wit and flair. * The Scotsman * ThickSkin Theatre makes a triumphant return to the Fringe... with another high octane, physically driven winner with a simply affecting message * Edinburgh Guide * All you really need to know is that this show is amazing... The closest thing to magical perfection I've ever seen * ThreeWeeks * A small but persuasive package that has real energy and excitement. -- Lyn Gardner * Guardian * Davey Anderson's short, sharp shocker ... it has a spiky edginess (on Blackout) -- Lyn Gardner * Guardian *