Last year spawned the debut performance of Tim Keogh's play, Thorn, at the GM Fringe. Many arriving at the Kings Arms may well have expected to find a drama nervously taking its first steps. However, Thorn hit the ground running, and showcased the talents of a great cast that confidently performed a script that oozed warmth and wit.
Lovingly created, Thorn focuses on the early life of Morrissey with the expertise of a genuine fan. As a result, Tim made the shortlist for best play in the Salford Star Awards and collected Best Newcomer at the Fringe Awards. In short, it's great to see it return with the original cast intact.
"The play initially had nineteen roles played by nine actors at the script in hand rehearsed reading in 2016" Tim explains "I managed to get it down to eleven roles but we still needed nine actors for the premiere in August '17; a large cast for a small Fringe production."
The play takes place in the vicious and volatile seventies. Hooliganism, riots and poverty provide the backdrop for the play's artistic anti-hero. Thorn captures this beautifully and hones in on the contrast between the toughness and desperation of the time against the gentle and creative nature of an adolescent Morrissey.
Despite the success of Thorn, Tim felt a little fine-tuning was in order..."Even though we won an award I felt that there were a few loose ends so I wrote an extra scene for the shows in October '17. You could say that a play is constantly evolving and you have to resist the temptation sometimes."
Thorn finds a youthful Moz craving self-expression, but ultimately being frustrated by the small-mindedness of many of those who surround him. The puerile, aggressive nature of his own father, teachers and fellow pupils lead Mozza to look elsewhere for a kindred spirit. It proved highly relatable as Tim recalls; "The highlight for me occurred after the first show when a young man in his twenties asked me if I was the writer. I feared the worst, but he gave me the biggest hug ever and thanked me for 'writing his life'."
The catalyst for Morrissey's escapism is the appearance of a 'glammed up' David Bowie on TV. Instantly recognising a like-minded soul, Moz sets off exploring his own identity. It won't be straight-forward, but the good life is out there somewhere!
If you have a murderous desire to see a great piece of theatre, you really need to see Thorn. And what better place than a venue within the same city as Salford Lads Club. Well, I wouldn't say no...
Thorn by Tim Keogh
Thursday 19th - Saturday 21st April
Salford Arts Theatre £10/£8
To book tickets – click here
COMPETITION:
To win two tickets, just answer this question:
'I dreamt about you last night and I fell out of bed twice'...Which Salfordian play does Morrissey take this quote from?
Email answers to info@salfordstar.com by noon on April 7th -
UPDATE: 7th April: Thanks for all your entries. The answer was indeed A Taste of Honey. We've now drawn a winner who is John Crumpton
Words by Ian Leslie
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
