PRESS FOR BITCHES & MONEY 2006 EDINBURGH FRINGE.
BITCHES & MONEY PRESS RELEASE/ CAST & CREW INFO FOLLOWS REVIEWS
THE STAGE - 'MUST SEE' www.thestage.co.uk www.thestage.co.uk/edinburgh/awards
"This young company - all members are under 25 - features Martin Henshall from the Soho Theatre Core Writers Group. On this showing, he is a young writer with great promise. Bitches and Money, telling the tale of the final scam of three Victorian card sharps, is well paced and thoughtfully constructed. Henshall’s dialogue evokes the era but manages to retain a contemporary edge.
THREE WEEKS DAILY "PACKED WITH MEMORABLE LINES. GOOD STUFF"
THE BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE features BITCHES & MONEY in its Underbelly 2006 preview here
BROADWAY BABY preview
BITCHES AND MONEY/ WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY MARTIN HENSHELL.
BITCHES & MONEY PRESS RELEASE/ CAST & CREW INFO FOLLOWS REVIEWS
THE STAGE - 'MUST SEE' www.thestage.co.uk www.thestage.co.uk/edinburgh/awards
"This young company - all members are under 25 - features Martin Henshall from the Soho Theatre Core Writers Group. On this showing, he is a young writer with great promise. Bitches and Money, telling the tale of the final scam of three Victorian card sharps, is well paced and thoughtfully constructed. Henshall’s dialogue evokes the era but manages to retain a contemporary edge.
It is well cast and speedily directed, avoiding the self-indulgent traps that normally stand before a director who has written, produced and stars in a piece.
As fallen society girl Cora, Fiona Maclaine ennunciates her way around the stage but finds the malice and greed that lies within her character. Claire Murphy plays maths genius Patience, the engine room of the scam, as a woman well on the way to madness. She prowls around the stage with her talk of a time machine and a deadly ruthless streak.
Henshall as gang leader Jack creates a Dr Frankenstein-like character who can only watch as his evil creation takes on a life of its own and schemes to kill him.
The plot is cut up and spliced back together so that the action pushes forwards and backwards through time, gradually building the story. It is very effective. A great debut."
THE SCOTSMAN "RESERVOIR DOGS IN CORSETS. VIOLENT FUN"
THREE WEEKS DAILY "PACKED WITH MEMORABLE LINES. GOOD STUFF"
THE BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE features BITCHES & MONEY in its Underbelly 2006 preview here
BROADWAY BABY preview
BITCHES AND MONEY/ WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY MARTIN HENSHELL.
BITCHES AND MONEY is a fast-paced dark comedy about the final scam of three underworld card-counters who've just committed the perfect crime…. almost. The year is 1878, "Black" Jack, Cora and Patience believe they are the perfect criminal team – until one night the job goes horribly wrong and they're left stranded in a hideout wondering who to trust now that the chips are down and the guns are out. On the run from the law and with no-one to trust, each character fights to escape with their life, their freedom, and most importantly - the loot.
“Black” Jack, self declared criminal mastermind; fallen society girl Cora and Patience, the eccentric leading mathematical genius of British crime have perfected a pontoon card-counting system and have been touring the underworld card tables of Britain in the pursuit of profitable games. However, on the night of the trio’s biggest and final game the count goes wrong and their scam is exposed. Proceedings turn violent and Jack, Cora and Patience flee for their lives. Now wanted for murder, we join them in their hideout where Jack is dying from a bullet wound in his back. He does not know the identity of his assassin but it is clear that it was one of his accomplices. The girls both proclaim their innocence and a cloud of double crossing and backstabbing descends on their murky lair as each gang member attempts to increase their share of the winnings.
The action of the play runs in two overlapping sections with one moving forwards from the moment that Jack is shot and the other backwards from the time the gang enters the hideout.
Bitches & Money is a play about gambling, greed and time travel.
ABOUT:
Bitches & Money is the first full-length play by 25 year-old Martin Henshell of the Soho Theatre Core Writers Group and the first production by Relentless Theatre. Relentless was formed in early 2006 by writer/actor Martin Henshell and TV producer Rachael Turner to promote new voices in screen and stage. Henshell was recently commissioned to adapt Jane Eyre for Shared Experience Youth Theatre which was performed at the Trafalgar Studios in early June and has been playing the lead in Vassily Sigarev’s PLASTICINE at the ICA and Stratford Circus this June and July. Martin is currently writing for a TV comedy/drama series on network television.
Fiona Maclaine (Cora) starred in recent Hollywood film V FOR VENDETTA and regularly appeared in SKY ONE comedy IS HARRY ON THE BOAT? Claire Murphy (Patience) has had numerous stage and screen roles including leads with the Irish Rep and in Jonathan English’s critically acclaimed sci-fi film MINOTAUR (starring Rutger Hauer). James French (Jack) is a recent graduate of LAMDA and was recently in Channel Four’s MUNICH: MOSSAD’S REVENGE.
Fiona Maclaine (Cora) starred in recent Hollywood film V FOR VENDETTA and regularly appeared in SKY ONE comedy IS HARRY ON THE BOAT? Claire Murphy (Patience) has had numerous stage and screen roles including leads with the Irish Rep and in Jonathan English’s critically acclaimed sci-fi film MINOTAUR (starring Rutger Hauer). James French (Jack) is a recent graduate of LAMDA and was recently in Channel Four’s MUNICH: MOSSAD’S REVENGE.
* The play’s title, “Bitches and Money” is taken from Ice Cube’s infamous line “life ain’t nothin’ but bitches and money” from NWA’s “Gangsta, Gangsta”
* Relentless Theatre is a young theatre company. All three actors and the writer are 25 or under
* The original actor playing Cora was pilfered by John Malkovich’s new movie
* The play’s score has been written especially by Rainy City Music
* Pre Edinbugh shows at the Salisbury, Harringay, London on Tues 25 & Wed 26 July (starts 10pm)
Underbelly (Baby Belly 2) 16.45 daily
Underbelly Press Office 0870 745 3078
Underbelly Box Office 0870 745 3083
Relentless Theatre Press 07980 741593 (wide range of publicity shots available)
>BITCHESAND MONEY/ CAST + CREATIVE TEAM
CAST.CLAIRE MURPHY – PATIENCE/ JAMES FRENCH – JACK/ FIONA MACLAINE – CORA.
(The original Cora has just been cast in a Hollywood film)
> CLAIRE MURPHY – PATIENCE
BITCHES AND MONEY is Claire’s Edinburgh Fringe Festival debut. Claire graduated from the Oxford School of Drama in 2003. Theatre credits include lead roles for the Irish Repertory Company, playing the title role in SIVE at the Riverside Studios. Claire played the lead alongside Sinead Cusack in John McKay’s short film FAVOURITE and Nan in the Lions Gate feature film MINOTAUR directed by Jonathan English. MINOTAUR played at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, was selected for the Brussels Fantasy Film Festival and played on the Sci-Fi Channel in the United States. Claire played the lead role of Clara in short film DOOR OUT OF THE DARK a Ravenstorm Films production directed by Rafael Cortes and recently had the role of Laura in THE LOST THING - a short film by Alex Claus.
2006 Laura THE LOST THING (Alex Claus)
2006 Clara DOOR OUT OF THE DARK (Ravenstorm Films, Rafael Cortes)
2005 Nan, MINOTAUR (Lions Gate, Jonathan English) Feature Film
2004 Sive, SIVE (Irish Repertory Theatre Company, Rosalind Scanlon) - Stage
2004 Maggie, LOVERS…WINNERS (The Irish Centre, Rosalind Scanlon) - Stage
2003 Jay, BADNUFF (The Bush Theatre, Owen Lewis) - Stage
2003 Riassa, THE SUICIDE (Battersea Arts Centre, Joyce Branagh) - Stage
1998 Nula Nolan, TITANIC TOWN (Roger Michell) – Feature Film
1997 Jacqueline McLure, FAVOURITE (National Film School, John McKay) - Short Film
> JAMES FRENCH – JACK
James graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) in 2005. Theatrical roles have included Konstantin in THE SEAGULL (Tabard Theatre), Cal in a touring production of EAST OF EDEN and Sir Edward Coke in Gari Jones' BY PARTIES UNKNOWN: THE CRYPT PROJECT (4 star review in Time Out). James played a Mossad Agent in Channel Four's MUNICH: MOSSAD'S REVENGE and was the title role in BBC Radio 4 drama FIVE SUMMERS AND JOHNNY ONION (2006)Key roles at LAMDA included Yoyo in THREE BIRDS ALIGHTING ON A FIELD (Crispin Bonham-Carter) and Van Badham's BLACK HANDS/ DEAD SECTION (Winner, Queensland Literary award for Stage 2005) Prior to LAMDA James obtained a degree in Drama from Bristol University.
> FIONA MACLAINE – CORA
Fiona has worked on a variety of TV, Film and Theatre projects. Film/TV credits include: feature film MINOTAUR (Lionsgate) as Vena, one of the lead characters and as the regular character of Annie in SKY ONE TV drama/comedy IS HARRY ON THE BOAT? Fiona has also featured in TV commercials for Sony Playstation and EBay.
Theatre credits include: Cecille/ensemble in ANNIE (Aberystwyth Arts Centre); Ensemle/dancer in ALADDIN (His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen); Margarita in WEST SIDE STORY (Cannizaro Park); Dancer for THE CIRCLE OF REMEBERENCE (Millennium Dome); Bebe in A CHORUS LINE; Linda in STAGS AND HENS and Snowy in HONK (Arts Educational).
Fiona was born in Glasgow and brought up in the town of Dumbarton. Fiona began her acting and dance training at an early age, attending the Sutherland School of Dance and Drama. At 16 Fiona went on to train at The Dance School of Scotland and after won a three-year scholarship to train at The Arts Educational School, London.
Theatre credits include: Cecille/ensemble in ANNIE (Aberystwyth Arts Centre); Ensemle/dancer in ALADDIN (His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen); Margarita in WEST SIDE STORY (Cannizaro Park); Dancer for THE CIRCLE OF REMEBERENCE (Millennium Dome); Bebe in A CHORUS LINE; Linda in STAGS AND HENS and Snowy in HONK (Arts Educational).
Fiona was born in Glasgow and brought up in the town of Dumbarton. Fiona began her acting and dance training at an early age, attending the Sutherland School of Dance and Drama. At 16 Fiona went on to train at The Dance School of Scotland and after won a three-year scholarship to train at The Arts Educational School, London.
CREATIVE TEAM.
>MARTIN HENSHELL – CREATIVE DIRECTOR + WRITER
Creative Director, writer and co-founder of Relentless Theatre, 25 year-old Martin is a member of the Soho Theatre Core Writers Group and has just completed writing an adaptation of Jane Eyre for Shared Experience Youth Theatre which was staged at the Trafalgar Studios in London in June 2006. Martin has written a number of plays for stage:
2006 THE SEXUAL CUP (written for the Soho Theatre)
2006 INSIDE THE BRAIN OF JANE - a short play inspired by Jane Eyre (Trafalgar Studios June 2006, Shared Experience Youth Theatre)
2005 BITCHES AND MONEY (White Bear Theatre, London, Out of Twig)
2005 DID THE POPE SMOKE DOPE? (Courtyard Theatre Hereford, Ellie Parker)
Finalist N.T.W New Writing Festival
2005 KRIMINALZ (Soho Theatre Studio, Leanne O’Kasi)
A one act hip-hopera for the stage
2004 SHEPHERD’S PIE (Co writer) (Jermyn Street Theatre, Katie Goodwyn)
Martin is also a successful actor. He is currently rehearsing PLASTICINE by Vassily Sigarev (SplitEgo, Leann O’Kasi) which was performed at the ICA on June 8th and will be at Stratford Circus on the 22nd and 23rd July 2006. Martin is playing the lead role of Maksim. Martin's a graduate of the Oxford School of Drama and has also appeared in THE BILL (ITV), NORTH AND SOUTH (BBC) and LEONCE AND LENA (Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe)
Martin is also a successful actor. He is currently rehearsing PLASTICINE by Vassily Sigarev (SplitEgo, Leann O’Kasi) which was performed at the ICA on June 8th and will be at Stratford Circus on the 22nd and 23rd July 2006. Martin is playing the lead role of Maksim. Martin's a graduate of the Oxford School of Drama and has also appeared in THE BILL (ITV), NORTH AND SOUTH (BBC) and LEONCE AND LENA (Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe)
If you’d like a copy of any of Martin’s plays, please don’t hesitate to ask. Contact rachael@relentlesstheatre.co.uk
> RACHAEL TURNER – PRODUCER
Rachael is a Current Affairs TV Producer and Director. Relentless Theatre is Rachael’s first foray into theatre production. Rachael is a co-founder of Relentless Theatre. Rachael’s last programme was “Force Fed” (BBC2, produced & directed) This autumn, following Edinburgh and the Bitches and Money tour, she will be producing a documentary in Kenya about the first women-only village, Umoja.
> HANNAH EDWARDS – COSTUME
Hannah has styled and designed for Roisin Murphy (Moloko) and her work has featured in/on ELLE Magazine, T4, Faking It and the current Halifax bank adverts.