Belt Up Theatre was founded by Dominic J Allen, Jethro Compton, James Wilkes and Alexander Wright.

We debuted in 2008, before winning the Edinburgh International Festival Award for our project 'The Red

Room' that year.

We are based in York where we are now resident company here at York Theatre Royal. Belt Up is

committed to producing fearless, adventurous and playful work that places its audience at the centre of the

production.

Our Patrons are:

DAME JUDI DENCH THELMA HOLT CBE

The Directors: pictured above at York Theatre Royal by Ruth Gibson - Alexander Wright (top left), James Wilkes (top right), Jethro Compton (bottom left), Dominic Allen (bottom right). Pictured below during the build for ‘The House Above’

The Boy James creative author: alexander wright director: dominic j allen composer: alexander wright cast the boy: jethro compton the girl: lucy farrett james: dan wood

Outland creative author: dominic j allen directors: dominic j allen & joe hufton cast charles: dan wood arthur / bruno: jethro compton muriel / sylvie: lucy farrett

Twenty Minutes to Nine creative author: james wilkes director: james wilkes cast ellena h: lucy farrett All three shows produced by Jethro Compton. Production Assistant: Matthew Williams

JETHRO COMPTON THE BOY JAMES: The Boy OUTLAND: Arthur/Bruno

Jethro’s most recent work as an actor includes Haemon in Antigone (2010) and

Renard le Clown in The Tartuffe (2008-2010). Jethro played the role of Ferdinand in

The Tempest (2009) in Belt Up’s production at RSC Dell in Stratford and in 2010 he

was one of four who played the part of the Ghost Walker in A Ghost Walk – the part

rotated between the company directors each evening. He has also performed as a

member of the ensemble in The Trial (2009-2010), Octavia (2010-2011) the award

winning Metamorphosis (2008-2010).

Jethro first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007 as the role of Peter

Mandelson in TONY! The Blair Musical.

LUCY FARRETT THE BOY JAMES: The Girl OUTLAND: Muriel/Sylvie TWENTY MINUTES TO NINE: Ellena H

Lucy's most recent work as an actress includes Gala Dali in Lorca is Dead (2010-2011) and Antigone in Antigone (2011) and Butter in Atrium (2010-2011). She is one of the longest serving members of Belt Up’s ensemble; performing in the award winning Metamorphosis (2008-2010) and Elmire in The Tartuffe (2009-2010). She has enjoyed playing several roles in the company's Shakespeare's, including Lady Macbeth in Macbeth (2008), the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet (2008), Miranda in The Tempest (2009) and most recently Titania in an outdoor production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in Rowntree Park (2010).

DAN WOOD THE BOY JAMES: James OUTLAND: Charles

Dan’s work with Belt Up Theatre over the past two years has included Alonso in Shakespeare’s The Tempest (2009), Harry in The Order of Atlantis (2010), Gaston le Doux in The Tartuffe at York Theatre Royal (2009-2010) and as part of 2010’s Edinburgh project The House Above the roles of Mr Heinzel in Octavia, Ted Sterling in Odyssey and Paul Eluard in Lorca is Dead. Dan has also worked as a composer with Belt Up, writing the music for Octavia and co-composing with Alexander Wright the company’s first musical, The Beggar’s Opera, in March 2011.

DOMINIC J ALLEN THE BOY JAMES: DIRECTOR OUTLAND: AUTHOR/CO-DIRECTOR In 2009, Dominic adapted Kafka's The Trial for Belt Up Theatre, followed by The Odyssey in 2010. He wrote an

original play for 2010, which he also directed, Lorca is Dead. Other work as writer and director includes The Oresteia

(with James Wilkes 2009) and Morbid Curiosity (2008). For Belt Up Theatre, he has directed The Boy James (2010)

and Volpone (2008). Dominic has also written a number of plays with the comedian Chris Stokes, with whom he is

currently collaborating on a potential radio sitcom.

JETHRO COMPTON PRODUCER Jethro has produced dozens of shows for Belt Up Theatre over the past few years with highlights including The

Tartuffe (2008-2010), The Trial (2009), Lorca is Dead (2010-2011), Metamorphosis (2010), Odyssey (2010-2011),

Octavia (2010-2011), Antigone (2010-2011) and Quasimodo (2010-2011) which he also wrote and directed. Jethro’s

first independent production ran for five weeks in London earlier this year; Belt Up Theatre’s Macbeth, a co-

production with SJC Productions at The House of Detention Clerkenwell. In 2011, In 2010 Jethro was awarded a

bursary from Stage One to encourage his development as a commercial producer. In 2011 Jethro became an

Associate Artist of Southwark Playhouse and also spent time working for West End and Broadway producers David

Pugh and Dafydd Rogers.

JOE HUFTON OUTLAND: CO-DIRECTOR Joe’s first directorial role for Belt Up Theatre was as Assistant Director on The Beggar’s Opera (2011) at York Theatre

Royal. As an actor, Joe’s most recent work with Belt Up Theatre includes Quasimodo in Quasimodo (2010-2011),

Luis Bunuel in Lorca is Dead (2010-2011), Banquo/Malcolm in Macbeth (2010 at York Theatre Royal & 2011 in The

House of Detention London), Eteocles in Antigone (2011), Filch in The Beggar's Opera (2011), Tennant in

Metamorphosis (2010), The Captain in The Order of Atlantis (2010), Antonio in The Tempest (2009) and a member

of the ensemble in Leaspell (2009). Other directing credits include Made for Radio by Sarah Gordon at the Monkgate

Theatre York in 2011.

MATT WILLIAMS PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Matt first worked as Production Assistant for Belt Up Theatre in June 2011 at York Theatre Royal on a double-bill

Atrium and The Boy James. He has trained as an actor with National Youth Theatre 2009 and performed as part of

their site specific project S’warm in London 2010. He was awarded Edinburgh Playhouse Scholarship 2010 for

acknowledgment and contribution whilst studying Drama and Performance at Queen Margaret Edinburgh. Later this

year Matt will be joining an ensemble of young actors to perform alongside Belt Up Theatre’s ensemble in York

Theatre Royal’s ensemble production of 40 Years On.

JAMES WILKES TWENTY MINUTES TO NINE: AUTHOR/DIRECTOR

James’ writing credits include Atrium which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2010. His adaptations for Belt Up

include Women of Troy (2008), The Oresteia (with Dominic J Allen, 2009), Metamorphosis (2010) and The Tartuffe

which premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2008 and ran in various forms till 2010 where it finished in a special

farewell performance at the York Theatre Royal. James also wrote Belt Up’s version of John Gay’s The Beggar’s

Opera which premiered at the York Theatre Royal in March 2011. Directing credits include Octavia and Antigone as

part of The House Above in Edinburgh 2010 as well as The Tartuffe (2008-2010).

ALEXANDER WRIGHT THE BOY JAMES: AUTHOR/COMPOSER Alexander’s directing credits include Metamorphosis (2010), The Trial (2009-2010), Odyssey (2010-2011), Women of Troy (2008), The Beggar’s Opera (2011) and Macbeth (2010 at York Theatre Royal & 2011 in The House of Detention London). As a composer, he has written for Lorca is Dead (2010-2011), Antigone (2010-2011) and co-composed with Dan Wood for The Beggar’s Opera (2011), Belt Up’s first musical. As well as The Boy James, Alexander’s adaptation of Antigone also premiered at The House Above and toured in February and May 2011. Alexander's other upcoming work as a writer includes William, a piece or storytelling for families, and Some Small Love Story, a new musical, both premiering with The Flanagan Collective at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Belt Up Theatre has been touring the UK for

the past two years.

From runs in London to fairytales by the sea

– it’s been a busy time.

The following photographs are from our time

on the road.

This year will be Belt Up Theatre’s fourth year at the Fringe. In 2008 eight the company debuted with ‘The

Red Room’, a decedent Victorian boudoir that became home to a number of new shows including, ‘The

Tartuffe’, ‘Volpone’, ‘The Park Keeper’ and ‘Women of Troy’. The company also staged two roaming

productions; Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Macbeth’ were played out in real-time across the city

of Edinburgh, with performances taking place in real locations over three days.

In 2009 Belt Up returned tothe Fringe with the runaway success ‘The Tartuffe’ and a new production of

Franz Kafka’s ‘The Trial’ as part of the project affectionately titled, ‘The Squat’. Taking over a large portion

of the first floor in C SoCo, the company used the fire-damaged brick and woodwork as the backdrop for

the two productions. With a bar that ran through the night (filled with themed evenings of music, comedy

and besoke theatrical performances) Belt Up Theatre really made the space their own.

In 2010 Belt Up presented an entire new cannon of work

at the Fringe. Eight brand new shows that featured as

part of The House Above.

Octavia by Jethro Compton

The Boy James by Alexander Wright

Odyssey by Dominic J Allen after Homer

Metamorphosis by James Wilkes after Kafka

Lorca is Dead by Dominic J Allen

Antigone by Alexander Wright after Sophocles

Atrium by James Wilkes

Quasimodo by Jethro Compton after Hugo

How did you come up with the idea for Outland? The idea of Outland came to me while I was on the train on a very nice day. We had been talking about the potential of a sister piece to The Boy James and as I was watching the landscape roll past the train window, I couldn't help thinking about Lewis Carroll; how fun it would be to write a play that's about his work and his life, which he appears in. I thought an adaptation of Alice would be a bit predictable and so I had a rummage around in the hope of finding something people don't know so well. I came across Sylvie and Bruno, in which he's already written himself into it more or less (it's quite subtly done) and, ironically, one of the earliest scenes is on a train. So that was that. What do you look for when thinking about writing a new piece? When I'm trying to write something new I'll become super-absorbent. I'll soak up and scrutinise everything I see, or hear, or come across and ask myself how it could fit into a story. Sometimes nothing sticks together and therefore nothing gets written. But then, on occasions such as with Outland, I think to myself 'Hang on, that might just work'. It has to excite me and it has to make me think that it's going to be worth the time and toil I'm going to have to put in, because I know I always get to a certain point when writing a play where I wish I'd never started. So, in short, it's got to have something that hooks me and something about it that's going to keep me going. How does Outland compare with previous plays you have written? I'm very interested in writing about historical figures and in historical settings. Lorca is Dead, for example, was made up entirely of real people. So in Outland I have that same sort of challenge to get to grips with Lewis Carroll's life but, also, I have a lot of leeway to play around with it and make stuff up. So, it has a few connections to other stuff but I think, on the whole, Outland will be a new direction for me.

If you could sum up Outland in 3 words what would you say? I'd use a quotation from Hamlet (Act III, sc i) : '...Perchance to dream' What can audiences expect from Outland? They can expect a lot of typical Carroll nonsense and characters; there's a fair bit of Wonderland and his obsession with puzzling logic. However, you'll also meet some new characters, if you're not familiar with his more obscure work, and perhaps another much more profound, sentimental, philosophical side to him. The play has its surreal, absurd moments that you'd inevitably expect but it's also touching, sweet and introvert. What do you believe creates a good piece of theatre/writing? A good piece of theatre relies on taking the writing and making it into an experience. That experience needs to rhyme with the text and help externalise what's going on for the characters. Any play where you come out feeling very sorry or very happy for a fictional character is always a good play, and if it's possible to make that experience unique for each audience member, then all the better! As for good writing, I think that relies on telling a good story and telling it well. Keeping the audience on their toes and keeping them engaged. It's not just what you say but how you say it.

How did you come up with the idea for Twenty Minutes to Nine? Well it has a variety of inspirations really. I wanted to write a one performer show and to fit thematically in with The Boy James and Outland I started looking at source materials that covered the same area – Victorian, Edwardian, Classic stories, giving a new edge to much loved characters. I knew that I would be writing for Lucy Farrett so I was looking for something focussed around a woman from the beginning. I eventually settled on Miss Havisham from Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations and started researching from there. I’ve ended up with a play very much inspired by Miss Havisham but looking at love, loneliness and being jilted much more widely. It’s inspired by lots of people really, Miss Havisham, the real life people who inspired Charles Dickens’ character and then a few others like The Beatles’ Eleanor Rigby who has ended up giving the main character her name. It’s also very much inspired by just a nice chat, a nice chat with someone a bit eccentric who happens to be a reincarnation of a Dickens character. What do you look for when thinking about writing a new piece? Something that plays with the audience’s journey throughout the piece. With Twenty Minutes the audience won’t so much see a character arc, it’s more about their arc really. The nature of Eleanor’s character is that when the audience meet her, all her plot has already really occurred or will happen far in the future. The audience are getting a portrait, a sort of freeze frame of this character but they won’t get everything all at once. Hopefully the audience will realise that they’re saying goodbye to a very different person to the one they thought they were saying hello to. This piece is all about relationships between audience and characters so that’s the impetus behind their journey in this one. How does Twenty Minutes to Nine compare with previous plays you have written? There’s only one character. Well, there’s lots of characters but you only hear about them through one. That’s the biggest difference. Unlike most one woman shows though it isn’t a monologue though – it’s very much a dialogue. The piece is designed to be a conversation between Eleanor and the audience. That’s of course a massive challenge

as who knows what the audience will end up saying! I’ve ended up writing a lot of things that may never even feature in a performance but are there just in case. Really it’s structured on a reward system, there’s lots of script but you only get certain bits if you earn them – not by challenges but by saying or doing the right things. It’s quite exciting in that respect. The audience won’t really know exactly what they’re doing but they are choosing what they get to see/hear and what they don’t. If you could sum up Twenty Minutes to Nine in 3 words what would you say? A sensational conversation What can audiences expect from Twenty Minutes to Nine? You know when you meet someone for the first time and it feels like you’ve known them forever? Hopefully that I guess. It’ll be like visiting a batty old aunt with all sorts of crazy stories that she reels off. At its core the play is just storytelling but I’ve tried to create that very conversational sort of storytelling that you get between friends and people who know each other well – the relationship between Eleanor and the audience is just as important as the stories. So the audience can expect some stories, some funny, some sad, some offensive, some unbelievable but they can also expect a new friend. What do you believe creates a good piece of theatre/writing ? Characters really. Every single person is fascinating in one way or another so if you can create a fully rounded person you’ve got a play.

THE NAKED MOUNTAIN In 2008 Belt Up Theatre ‘organised’ an expedition on the final weekend of the Fringe to climb 823 feet

above the city the top of Arthur’s Seat and arrive just in time to watch the sun rising over the sea.

In 2009 they once again took up the challenge. This time with one subtle difference; for some unknown

reason a number of the boys (who shall remain nameless but forever be known as the Founding Fathers of

Naked Mountain) decided to remove every scrap of clothing once they’d reached the peak.

Needless to say, by the time Belt Up had arrived in Edinburgh in 2010 the legend of Naked Mountain had

already weaved its way through the people of the Fringe. Whispers, myths and rumours spread across the

festival – the word spread.

On the final weekend of last year’s Fringe Belt up ascended the volcano once more.

In 2009 the five Founding Fathers began the legend of Naked Mountain.

In 2010 they were joined by over forty others - friends, colleagues and strangers.

In 2011…

programme created by Jethro Compton Ltd

www.jethrocomptonltd.co.uk