EXCITING NEW WRITING IN AID OF CHARITY

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Lydia Brickland (She/Her) is a writer, performer and all round bad bitch from Gateshead. Her work examines big, complex issues in a fun, lively and accessible way. 

Lydia’s writing is always filled with humour, playfulness and she centers a radical kindness in her practice. Outside of writing she has taken up running and will tell you she’s running the London Marathon at every opportunity she gets (smug bitch). 

Writing Credits include: Tangerines (Alphabetti Theatre, 2023), Deck The Stalls (Wandsworth Fringe Festival 2023) and Dear Sophie Ellis Bextor (Camden Peoples Theatre, 2022). Short Plays: HEN HEN HEN (53 Two, Mancester, 2023), Taking Stock (The Lowry, Manchester, 2022), Frubes, Creme Eggs, and Massive Slags (Live Theatre, Newcastle, 2022), Ice Cream Van Fucker (The Old Courts, Wigan, 2022) How to Get Rid of Your Gag Reflex (Lion and Unicorn, London, 2021). 

"Lydia Brickland’s pure comedy script, which cleverly balances office shenanigans & touching holiday feels" - Fringe Biscuit 

She writes and performs with the all female and non-binary comedy collective Your Aunt Fanny. Taking shows to; Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Soho Theatre, The Tron Glasgow, Live Theatre Newcastle and many many more.  

She’s written and performed on their numerous productions and tours including; Minge Unhinged (2019 – 2020), Bonnie and Fanny’s Christmas Spectacular (2019 & 2021), The Cumback (2021), Muff Said (2022 - 2023) and The Nar-Tivity (2023). 

"Don your rose-tinted glasses and escape to the pink party for an hour of sheer brilliance." - Broadway World 

Jonny (he/him) graduated from the MA Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama in 2021.

His writing credits include: That’s Ace (Vault Festival & King’s Head Theatre, 2023), PlantGays [co-written] (Tour - London, Devon & Exeter, 2023), My Beautiful Distraction (Barons Court Theatre, 2022), 7 Minutes in Heaven (Web-Series, Lost Tapir Productions, 2021) and ‘What You Do With It’ a Talking Heads Monologue (Online, Up ‘Ere Productions, 2020). 

That’s Ace received 4 award nominations including a London Pub Theatre Standing Ovation Award nomination and an OffFest nomination. He recently completed an R&D of his next show ‘Shaky Breaky Heart’ which will hopefully be seen in 2024.

He is also an actor and is currently touring the country in a Pantomime tour of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ as Jacques the Jester.

 Hannah Kennedy (they/them) is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter with an MFA in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Their play, Godmodders & Metagamers, was selected for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s 37 Plays Project. 

Their works have been performed at The White Bear Theatre, The Showroom, Barons Court Theatre and the Guildford Fringe. This year, their commitment to telling queer stories was recognised with their play, When We Die (What Will Become of Us?), winning the prestigious Nancy Dean Lesbian Playwriting Award.  

Chloe is a Director, Theatre Maker and facilitator from Zimbabwe and was selected to take part in Katie Mitchell’s directing intensive at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Chloe has a BA (Hons) Degree in Theatre and Performance (Theatre Making) from the University of Cape Town where she was a member of the Golden Key Society and was on the Deans' List. Chloe was the youngest member invited to join the Lincoln Centre Theatre Directors Lab in New York and she is an alumnus of the Directors Lab Mediterranean in Barcelona.  She has worked with the Young Vic on numerous projects, Work Light Productions, Mark Rubinstein Limited as well as directed work at the Drayton Arms Theatre and Hope Theatre.

Other Credits Include: Deck the Stalls a one woman anti panto written by Lydia Brickland and performed by Laura Rea at the Hope Theatre, Drayton Arms and Wandsworth Arts Festival (Director), Twigs by Hannah Kennedy, commissioned by the University of Chichester (Director), The Drought (Associate Director), Fire (Playreading), The Prophet of Monto (Playreading), Nest (Writer and Director), Oedipus Electronica and Medea Electronica (Assistant Director) and The New Voices Festival (Curator and Producer). 

 Christmas always reminds me of my mum. It was her time of year not only because she loved feeding people and had a wonderful sense of fun and tradition but because she was so generous. Dickens speaks of ‘the true spirit of Christmas’ and for me, my mum always encapsulated that. We didn’t have a lot growing up, but our house was always open and there was always enough food to feed a small army. 

We grew up in Zimbabwe where a lot of the songs and movies about Christmas didn’t quite make sense with sweltering 30 Degree heat, but there was always such a strong sense of tradition and family and togetherness. I will always remember our annual Christmas Champagne Croquet Challenge which was a post lunch highlight. It was actually a kiddies croquet set and the champagne was definitely some sparkling wine but we loved the alliteration! After lunch, we’d recharge our glasses and pile outside for a game of croquet. It always got a bit out of hand and a little bit competitive but it was fabulous. And home.