11 people joined a professional company of actors to bring to life PIGEON, a new play from the Royal Exchange Theatre in association with Thickskin
The Community Cast supported a cast of professional actors in telling the story of PIGEON, the headline show at The Den festival in Tyldesley. Acting as an ensemble, (that is, performing together as a group), they played The Locals – a magical mix of people, memory, and folklore.
“My favourite part was being involved in the process, being listened to – being able to give our ideas” Community Cast Feedback
“What it also did is the Royal Exchange is this big thing, but it made me realise its just people, it took the big scary thing away and made me think that if I want to I could do it (on a career in creative arts)” Community Cast Feedback
“Like a taste of home, really really enjoyed the show and the creativity of the writing” Audience Feedback
Pigeon – About The Play
Have you ever seen a baby pigeon?
Debs is convinced she saw a man turn into a pigeon outside The Bridge Pub in 1987. 20 years later she is still telling the tale to anyone who will listen. The pub now stands abandoned, set to be demolished to make way for a new housing estate, and Debs is on a mission to save it! But something strange is slowly happening. What starts as a twinge in her back, becomes something more bizarre than she could possibly imagine.
Is Debs about to sprout wings and take to the skies?
Pigeon is a play about community, family folklore and what it means to fly away and never return.
About the Team
Written by Joseph Walsh and directed by Neil Bettles, PIGEON is a new production from the Royal Exchange Theatre, in association with ThickSkin. Created for the Royal Exchange Theatre’s mobile theatre, the Den, coming to Tyldesley this August.
Joseph Walsh: The RTYDS alumni, Joe’s credit’s include assistant director of Blood Harmony (ThickSkin Theatre), writer and director of Frozen Peas In An Old Tin Can (The Way Theatre). While his play Like Dad, Like Duck won the Oldham Coliseum Off Out Competition.
Neil Bettles: Artistic Director of ThickSkin, Neil has directed work that has toured the UK and to New York and Brazil, Winning numerous awards at the Edinburgh Fringe including a Fringe First for ‘How Not To Drown’ in 2019.
ThickSkin: Wigan’s very own award-winning theatre company.
The Royal Exchange Theatre: Manchester’s largest producing theatre.
The Den Festival: a community arts festival coming to Tyldesley this August. Made by and for local people as part of our Community Engagement programme, Local Exchange.