Greenside Venues, Thistle Theatre
17th – 29th August (exc 23rd)
1.50pm (run time: 50 mins)
Book Tickets Here
SYNOPSIS
On the morning of February 8, 1587, the 44-year-old Mary Stuart visits the great hall in which she will soon be put to death for treason. There, she encounters Barnaby Fulke, an enigmatic man of the stage, sent to provide merriment to those who have come to witness her downfall.
Keen to set the record straight, Mary finds herself revisiting some of the scenes that led to her appointment with the axeman. But history, as she knows, isn’t written until the last act is played – and in the life of the former Queen of Scots, there is still one final scene left to play.
ORIGINS
Shooting Fish are a new writing organisation who work collaboratively with the community to co-write and co-produce theatre. The Spy Network was produced alongside NEET young people aged 16-18 as part of the Gainsborough Literacy Project. Gainsborough, situated in Lincolnshire, is within the bottom 10% most deprived areas in the country. The project targets young people who face a range of difficulties; traumatic home lives, mental health issues, experience of the judicial system, learning difficulties and those in poverty, living across the area. The project offers an alternative education programme enabling young people to build literacy, soft skills and confidence through participation in every aspect of theatre making, including script development, set design and build, marketing, casting and technical theatre. The programme enables young people to build a more positive future by raising aspirations and building self-worth; supporting a return to further education and/or gaining meaningful employment.
Creative Team
EMILY BIGNELL
Director
Emily has been working in film and theatre for over 20 years. During this time, she has developed into a highly skilled producer, director, and applied theatre practitioner, collaborating on a wide variety of projects across the UK.
As Artistic Director of Shooting Fish Theatre Company, she has led a host of projects funded by organisations including Arts Council England, Children in Need, and the Heritage Lottery, supporting the organisation in producing high-quality theatre that has toured nationally. Specialising in new writing, Emily enjoys collaborating closely with writers and the challenges that come with producing untested material. She is passionate about community engagement and a strong advocate that art is for everyone, often co-producing work with communities, especially those who face barriers to participation and deprivation.
NEIL EDWARDS
Writer
Neil has a broad background in many cultural and artistic fields, but in recent years has been developing his career as a writer and scriptwriter. He has written for theatre, radio and film (running Liverpool Playwrights from 2003-2007), and has been nominated for a Manchester Evening News Theatre Award twice.
Neil also writes short stories, flash fiction and reviews, drawing from a sharply developed worldview. He holds a BA in Video and Film Production and an MA (distinction) in Writing for Stage and Broadcast Media from the Central School of Speech and Drama. Neil has collaborated with us on most of our Gainsborough Literacy Projects, co-writing fourteen plays which previewed at the Trinity Arts Centre.
LEANNE TAYLOR
Producer
Leanne has worked in the creative industries for over 25 years. She ran her own street theatre company and produced theatre work across Lincolnshire. As a producer for Shooting Fish, she has worked on a variety of funded projects, including the development of the Literacy Project and Reconnecting Lincolnshire a Theatre in Education programme working with the Lincoln Diocese Board of Education.
LAURA CORDERY
Production Designer
Set and costume designer Laura Cordery has a first-class degree in Art from Warwick University and a post-graduate diploma in theatre set and costume design from RADA. Laura has been working with Shooting Fish since 2010 and has designed sets for the Laminated tour to Covent Garden and the 2012 Bonfire stage design based on Roald Dahl’s BFG. She has also transformed spaces onboard the Queen Mary Cruise ship for Shakespeare’s classics, including Hamlet and Much Ado About Nothing.
CAMERON NAYLOR
Sound artist
Cameron is interested in the art and technique of storytelling through sound, music, and spoken word. His works have been presented and performed internationally.
Currently, he is undertaking a PhD at the University of Manchester under the presidential doctoral scholarship. He is also a freelance composer, sound designer, and occasional speaker, educator, and juror.
ANJI CARROL
Casting Director
Anji Carrol trained as an actress at the Old Vic theatre school, before sidestepping into casting some 10 years later.
Having served 4 years apprenticeship as casting assistant to Di Carling, where she worked on projects like ‘This Life’, Anji decided to become a casting director in her own right.
Anji has since cast for TV, film and theatre. Working on the likes of ‘The Bill’, ‘West is West’ and is currently associate casting director for the New Vic Theatre, London. Anji is a member of the Casting Directors’ Guild of Great Britain & Ireland and a voting member of BAFTA.
JAIMIE BREMNAR
Barnaby Fulke
Jaimie graduated from Drama Studio London in 2019 and, since he has toured the country performing in a variety of Shakespeare and pantomime productions, honing his multi- rolling skills and ludicrously quick changes. Most recently, Jaimie has just completed recording voice-over for an as-yet- unannounced video game DLC. (Suitably mysterious, I know!)
An experienced immersive and interactive performance actor, he had a blast playing Captain Hook at Blenheim Palace (Christmas 2024), as part of their Neverland Immersive experience.
RACHEL WATERS
Mary Queen of Scotts
Rachel is an actor, physical performer, and singer who trained at Bretton Hall.
Stage work includes: Jenny in Holly and the Ivy, Middle Ground Theatre – UK tour; Nancy in Silas Marner – UK tour; The Factory, physical theatre co Precarious – Edinburgh & UK tour; clowning in Love and Madness, Shifting Sands Theatre; devising and performing acro duo Circus Scallywags – Circus Lates; Mrs Claus’ List – Blue Elephant Theatre; and stunt high diving & acro show Pirates of Skeleton Bay.
Screen work includes feature films: Aurelie (lead) – Best British Horror, Lisa (supporting lead) Bear – Amazon, Sally (supporting lead) in The Girl With the Metal Heart – awaiting Amazon release, and Lauren in The Innocent.
LIVY POTTER
Euston Valiant
Livy is an actor and writer based in York. She’s been lucky enough to have acted across both the UK and Europe. Highlights include being upstaged by a pod of dolphins at the Minack Theatre on the cliffs of Porthcurno in Cornwall, swanning around King’s Manor in York in a golden Tudor dress, and befriending a stray cat whilst playing Lady Macbeth in an outdoor performance of ‘The Scottish Play’ at the Budva City Theatre Festival in Montenegro.