Stage

THE WHITE BIKE

by Tamara von Werthern

Premiere: The Space, London 2017, directed by Lily McLeish.

Image: Josephine Starte & Helen Stern
Cast: Christopher Akrill, Helen Millar, Helen Stern, Josephine Starte, Liam Faik

Creative Team: Lucy Sierra (designer), Simon Pittman (movement director), Pete Malkin (sound designer), Dan Saggars (lighting designer), Ellie Thompson (video designer), George Warren (producer), Joe Dines (sound design assistant), Melissa Berry (stage manager)
Millions of people cycle to work every day. And every week, some of them don't make it home.

'This is a beautiful play - a personal story told with a gentle touch.' Five Stars Spy In The Stalls

This is the most convincing and probably most human ghost story to be seen on stage for a long time... will stick in the mind long after leaving the venue.'
'The script is clever and subtle'
'Will help change the future for everyone'
Four Stars The Upcoming

'An important show to watch and share' Four Stars Westend Wilma

'Out of the ordinary'

'Tamara von Werthern's decision to focus on everyday life brings the tragedy home.'
Three and a half Stars Reviewshub

'Very Well Done. Utterly heartbreaking'

Sardines Theatre Magazine

BABY DOLLS

by Tamara von Werthern

Three women meet at a baby shower. But darker things than cupcakes and baby-grows are on their mind.

In this dystopian future where women’s bodies are state-controlled, prospective parents undergo intense scrutiny to obtain a parenting licence, practising with life-like baby dolls under government surveillance.

Currently in Arts Council funded R&D period, with support from Greenwich Theatre

Directed by Anna Girvan, produced by Fiona Steed and Very Rascals Productions

PUDDLES

Photo by Sonya Hurtado R&D image at Shoreditch Town Hall (The Ditch) of Rachel Handshaw, Loren O'Dair and Chris Nayak

Puddles is a new play following the journey of female friendship from university days to early forties by Tamara von Werthern

Featuring live music by Sam Hooper (BAFTA-winning composer, most recently: The Witchfinder, BBC2) and a cast starring Loren O'Dair (ONCE: The Musical, Rellik, The Grinning Man, Trafalgar Studios) Chris Nayak (RSC, Shakespeare's Globe/West End) and Rachel Handshaw (Edge of Tomorrow, Venom: Let There Be Carnage and Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation) and presented in the form of promenade performances, Puddles explores expectations on women’s careers, sexuality & bodily autonomy through a love triangle shown from the perspective of two women.

Directed by Anna Marsland (The Curious Incident of the Dog at the Nighttime, National Theatre; The Key Workers Cycle, Almeida Theatre) and produced by Fringe First award winner Emma Blackman (Bobby & Amy), this sharing marks the completion of this initial R&D process about three university friends reunited after fifteen years apart creating an unholy cocktail of desire, friendship, romance, and choice.

LEMONS

Written & performed by Tamara von Werthern

Directed by Sandra Theresa Buch, sound design by Esben Tjalve

The inaugural episode of The Fizzy Sherbet Podcast, the short play is followed by an interview with the writer, a note from the director and another interview with special guest Nastazja Somers.

The piece was inspired by the lockdown travel restrictions and is a poetic take on migration, identity, belonging and political change.

'The project actually began in 2017 and evolved into a podcast when restrictions more or less dictated that this was the case. Prior to that, at the live events, a sweet treat was left on the audience’s seats, hence the name of the podcast. Initiated by Lily McLeish and Tamara von Werthern, the latter is both the writer and performer of the first piece, Lemons, which, if nothing else, seems appropriate given the overarching title of the podcast. Von Werthern, who has a German heritage, gives voice to the immigrant experience and sets her monologue in a double time frame both before and after Brexit has occurred. As might be expected, the piece is a doleful reflection on the changes that have been wrought by that particular seismic shift especially in the welcome (or otherwise) that has been extended to those who are perceived as being from outside. It’s a very personal piece – how could it be otherwise? – that makes a gentle plea for tolerance in this so called brave new world especially one that, at the time of broadcast, was hemmed in by travel restrictions and a sense of isolation. Esben Tjalve’s slightly menacing underscore provides a neat enhancement of the mood.'
John Chapmen, 2nd from bottom review
'Seagulls fighting over smashed up chips. And the sea is deep and cold and wide.'

You can listen to the play on all streaming platforms, including Apple and Spotify, or on the Fizzy Sherbet website or click just below!

JACKPOT

A pitch-black comedy about the housing crisis.

Written by Tamara von Werthern & Jack Hughes

R&D with support from ACE and University of West London, directed by Lily McLeish

Hackney Attic, London, 2018, directed by Lily
McLeish

Longlisted for BBC Writersroom 2019

Directed by Steve Loader in Madrid, Spain, 2019
You fall in love. You buy a house. You start a family. Right? Things aren't that easy for Hal and Serafine, who share a tiny bedsit the wrong end of town. But where there's a crisis, there's always a profit to be made. Jackpot is a dark modern fairy tale about the housing crisis and what we're prepared to do to get what we want.

Poster Design: Jessica Landon

BIRTH

by Theatre Re

Conceived & directed by Guillaume Pige

Cast: Eyglo Belafonte, Vyte
Garriga, Claudia Marciano, Charles Sandford, Andres Velasquez

Composer & Multi-Instrumentalist: Alex Judd
Lighting Designer: Dr Katherine Graham
Rehearsal Director: Eyglo Belafonte
Production & Stage Manager, External Advisor: Josephine Tremmeling
Costume & Prop Designer: Malik Ibheis
Costume Maker: Amedine Bello
Dramaturg: Tamara von Werthern

BIRTH is nothing short of a masterpiece. FIVE Stars. Theatre Weekly

MONSTER MUNCH

Short sharp piece about love and grief.

Written by Jack Hughes & Tamara von Werthern

Performed as part of Cuckoo Bang's BITS at the White Bear Theatre, Kennington, 0n 10-11 February 2019, directed by Laura Jayne Bateman

Cast: Tim Crowther & Lauren Moakes

Twisted siblings, vodka, monster munch, fierce love and river swimming in an explosive short play about grief.

ALICE

by Tamara von Werthern

directed by Gemma Kerr

Cast: Helen Millar

Commissioned by and Performed at St Giles Church Soho, June 2018

'I am still your wife, yet you denied me, denied all of us, that is the worst - you are trying to erase us from your history.'

A monologue about Alicia Duchess of Dudley, whose husband Robert Dudley fled with his lover to Italy, leaving her with their five surviving daughters. A full-length version of the piece (with 13 characters) is currently under development with Gemma Kerr and Jenni Jackson. An R&D rehearsed reading was directed by Phoebe Rhodes with students from LCM in December 2019.

SHARKS ARE TERRORISTS

written by Tamara von Werthern, directed by Anna Marsland

Cast: Josephine Starte, Graham O'Mara, Tim Larkfield

premiered 10-11 June 2018 at Southwark Playhouse, Little Pieces of Gold

The production of the play was filmed on location with the same cast a week later and turned into the short film I DON'T WANT TO SET THE WORLD ON FIRE (winner of Best Screenplay Lift-Off Season Award 2019)

A full-length version of the script is in development with director Lily McLeish and creative producer Steph Weller

I DON'T WANT TO SET THE WORLD ON FIRE

Short film, directed by Marcus Liversedge

Cast: Josephine Starte, Graham O'Mara, Tim Larkfield

Winner of Best Screenplay, Lift-Off Season Awards 2019

Special Mention Award, Lift-Off London 2019

Best Original Story (Honorary Mention) LA Independent Film Festival

Best Short Film (Comedy) Kosice Film Festival

Screened at Cannes Short Film Festival, London Lift-Off and Lift-Off Berlin

The film originated from the production of SHARKS ARE TERRORISTS at Southwark Playhouse. It was filmed on location with the same cast a week after premiering as part of Little Pieces of Gold (Suzette Coon). The original theatre production was directed by Anna Marsland.

View film on Lift-Off's YouTube Channel below:

AWARDS

I Don't Want to Set The World on Fire (based on 'Sharks are Terrorists':

Winner of Best Screenplay Lift-Off Global Season Award 2019

Winner of London Lift-Off Special Mention Award

Best Original Story (Honorary Mention) at LA Independent Film Awards

Best Short Film (Comedy) at Kosice Film Festival

for JACKPOT
longlisted for BBC Dramaroom

for THE WHITE BIKE
longlisted for Papatango Prize