MARY & MIETEK - Camden Fringe 2021
Donation protected
MARY & MIETEK
Mary & Mietek is a two-hander romantic journey through time, from 1945 to present day examining how separation in distance and in culture help either to divide or to bring us together.
A play created by Charles Sloboda-Bolton, written by Maria Laumark, and directed by Amy Rushent.
A Burning Pages & Katla Theatre Company Production.
Camden Fringe 2021
Hen & Chickens Theatre
25th-27th August
7:30pm
“My grandmother passed away in 2017 - but, while clearing out the house she had lived in for her entire life, I found a box of letters. These were sent by my grandparents to each other in the first years of their relationship, from when they met, to when they married. I want to share that history with the world - of my grandfather and my grandmother, MARY & MIETEK.” - Charles Sloboda-Bolton.
Created by the grandson of Mietek himself, and written by Danish performer and playwright Maria Laumark, the true story of Mary & Mietek is the catalyst for young lovers Ben and Alma to reflect on their own relationship and what the future holds for their love. A piece filled with movement, music, and hopeful romance, exploring how separation in distance and in culture can either divide - or bring us together.
After discovering his grandparents' old love letters, Ben makes a last attempt to salvage the future of his relationship with Alma, after being separated by borders, Brexit, and their own uncertainty. Based on the real letters of Mary & Mietek from World War 2, this two-hander romantic journey explores love beyond borders from 1945 to present day.
Trailer
If you are curious to see more, you can watch our trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dSxksEW1ts
About Us
Mary & Mietek is a debut production for both Burning Pages Theatre Company and Katla Theatre Company. We are thrilled to be working together to bring this moving and relevant true story to life!
Katla Theatre Company focuses on cross-cultural stories with its roots in devising and physical theatre. Katla strives to merge text, movement & soundscape to create a strong aesthetic that brings stories to life in a new and vivid way. The company was founded by Artistic Director Maria Laumark & Associate Artist Charles Sloboda-Bolton after training together at Fourth Monkey Acting Training Company.
You can read more about Katla on our socials @katlatheatre
Burning Pages, founded in February 2021 by Amy Rushent, are fresh out of the creative womb with bucket-fulls of energy and a drive to make true and lasting change. Our motto is “rip up the rule book, set it alight, and rise from the ashes.” We aim to create experimental and game-changing theatre that uplifts the voices of unheard communities and uses theatre as a holistic tool to create healing and bridge empathy gaps. As a company, creating from a place of truth, celebrating the unique qualities of all we work with, and removing the often archaic pressures our industry can put on creatives are all extremely important to us as a company.
You can read more about Burning Pages on our socials @pages _tc
Our Aims
Our fundraiser has been shaped by our core values as beliefs as theatre-makers. As well as bringing you innovative, needed, and entertaining theatre, there are other aims that have contributed to our goal amount and how we will be using your donations.
Supporting Early-Career Artists
We have specifically chosen early-career artists to work with who we know will benefit from being a part of this project with us. As early-career artists ourselves, we know how hard it can be to get your foot in the door, whilst also trying to make a living doing what you love. Exposure doesn’t pay the bills! Paying the artists we work with is our top priority, and we have budgeted for creatives involved in the show to be paid for their time, efforts, and their art!
Sustainability
In our breakdown below, you will see that we have a very small budget for our props, costume, and set. This is done on purpose. We will be self-sourcing from our own wardrobes and homes, as well as getting anything we need and cannot find ourselves second-hand in charity shops. Not only does this reduce our costs, but it helps the environment, the circular economy, and local business and charities.
Budget Breakdown
The wages for each artist is reflective of the amount of time they’ve spent or will be spending working with us.
Filming & Press Photo - £200
We have been working with photographer Dom Innes, who’s created our trailer, press photo & this crowdfunder film.
Composer - £400
We are working with musician Joel Marten to compose the music & soundscape for the show.
Movement Director & Production Assistant - £400
We are working with movement director Ruth Newbery-Payton to choreograph & create the movement language for the piece.
Tech support - £300
We would need to hire a technician for our 3 performance days.
Rehearsal Space - £150
We have managed to get free rehearsal space as in kind support for most of our rehearsals days, but need to hire space for the remaining days.
Props & Costume - £50
Though we are sourcing as much as possible from our own wardrobes, this is to give us the possibility to buy a little bit should we need it.
Ticket Sales:
With our ticket sales we intend to cover the Venue Hire Fee and Camden Fringe Registration & Marketing Fee (£504), and any money remaining will be split between the core team; Charles, Maria, and Amy.
The Team
Charles Sloboda-Bolton (he/him) - Ben/Mietek
Charles is a theatre-maker & musician from West London. He spends his time in between Manchester and London with his partner. He has worked with theatre companies Such as Rhum & Clay, Dank Parish, and film companies like the Threelancers. He has trained at Questors, FONACT, Guildhall, LIPA, and Fourth Monkey
Maria Laumark (she/her) - Alma/Mary & Writer
Maria is a Danish London-based actor & theatre-maker specialising in devising and international collaborations. She’s the Artistic Director of Katla Theatre Company & Creative Associate for Cut the Cord Theatre. She has done extended outreach work in all of the Nordic countries & the UK, and she used to tour internationally with her Danish all-female theatre company CHACMA Performance.
Amy Rushent (they/them) - Director
Amy Rushent is a Berkshire-born queer, gender-fluid performer, writer, theatre-maker, and the Artistic Director of Burning Pages. They are tenaciously passionate about uplifting unheard voices with holistic theatre practise. They are also obsessed with painting portraits of their favourite Drag Queens.
Ruth Newbery-Payton (She/Her) - Movement Director & Production Assistant
Ruth is a South London born and bred, (and won’t let you forget it) performer/colaborator. Trained in acting and movement, she dons many a hat, including actor, movement consultant, seamstress… you name it. Using the all encompassing title ‘Creative’ to cover all bases on her tax return.
Joel Marten (he/him) - Composer
Joel Marten is a guitarist and producer from West London. The past year of isolation has sent Joel into remote collaborations, with artists such as Biig Piig, Emie Nathan and jazz duo Maliki. Outside of session work, he stays creative with psych-jazz project Jango, and with the sample-based electronic music you’ll hear in this play. He also tutors young aspiring musicians in guitar.
Dom Innes (he/him) - Photographer
Dom Innes is a London based videographer, photographer & editor. He loves a good cup of tea & a game of cricket.
Our Supporters
We’d like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who has helped us so far to help bring life to this play - without the support of these organisations for rehearsal space, promotional opportunities and all sorts of other assistance, we would never have gotten to this stage. So, a big shout out to:
Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company
The Pleasance Theatre
The Blue Elephant Theatre
Rosemary Branch Theatre
Questors Theatre
The Sloboda Family
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for all your help!
Rewards
Firstly, we want to thank you for reading our campaign, and a share on social media goes a long way in our fundraising journey! Tweet it, share it on your Insta stories, snapchat streak buddies, your facebook timelines - it makes a world of difference!
We cannot thank you enough for your support and contributions, and as early-career artists with big ambitions and goals, your help in making this show a reality will set us up going forward to create more of the game-changing and innovative work we think is needed in our industry!
Should you wish to donate to Mary & Mietek, no matter how much, we have some incredibly exciting rewards lined up for our contributors!
Mary & Mietek is a two-hander romantic journey through time, from 1945 to present day examining how separation in distance and in culture help either to divide or to bring us together.
A play created by Charles Sloboda-Bolton, written by Maria Laumark, and directed by Amy Rushent.
A Burning Pages & Katla Theatre Company Production.
Camden Fringe 2021
Hen & Chickens Theatre
25th-27th August
7:30pm
“My grandmother passed away in 2017 - but, while clearing out the house she had lived in for her entire life, I found a box of letters. These were sent by my grandparents to each other in the first years of their relationship, from when they met, to when they married. I want to share that history with the world - of my grandfather and my grandmother, MARY & MIETEK.” - Charles Sloboda-Bolton.
Created by the grandson of Mietek himself, and written by Danish performer and playwright Maria Laumark, the true story of Mary & Mietek is the catalyst for young lovers Ben and Alma to reflect on their own relationship and what the future holds for their love. A piece filled with movement, music, and hopeful romance, exploring how separation in distance and in culture can either divide - or bring us together.
After discovering his grandparents' old love letters, Ben makes a last attempt to salvage the future of his relationship with Alma, after being separated by borders, Brexit, and their own uncertainty. Based on the real letters of Mary & Mietek from World War 2, this two-hander romantic journey explores love beyond borders from 1945 to present day.
Trailer
If you are curious to see more, you can watch our trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dSxksEW1ts
About Us
Mary & Mietek is a debut production for both Burning Pages Theatre Company and Katla Theatre Company. We are thrilled to be working together to bring this moving and relevant true story to life!
Katla Theatre Company focuses on cross-cultural stories with its roots in devising and physical theatre. Katla strives to merge text, movement & soundscape to create a strong aesthetic that brings stories to life in a new and vivid way. The company was founded by Artistic Director Maria Laumark & Associate Artist Charles Sloboda-Bolton after training together at Fourth Monkey Acting Training Company.
You can read more about Katla on our socials @katlatheatre
Burning Pages, founded in February 2021 by Amy Rushent, are fresh out of the creative womb with bucket-fulls of energy and a drive to make true and lasting change. Our motto is “rip up the rule book, set it alight, and rise from the ashes.” We aim to create experimental and game-changing theatre that uplifts the voices of unheard communities and uses theatre as a holistic tool to create healing and bridge empathy gaps. As a company, creating from a place of truth, celebrating the unique qualities of all we work with, and removing the often archaic pressures our industry can put on creatives are all extremely important to us as a company.
You can read more about Burning Pages on our socials @pages _tc
Our Aims
Our fundraiser has been shaped by our core values as beliefs as theatre-makers. As well as bringing you innovative, needed, and entertaining theatre, there are other aims that have contributed to our goal amount and how we will be using your donations.
Supporting Early-Career Artists
We have specifically chosen early-career artists to work with who we know will benefit from being a part of this project with us. As early-career artists ourselves, we know how hard it can be to get your foot in the door, whilst also trying to make a living doing what you love. Exposure doesn’t pay the bills! Paying the artists we work with is our top priority, and we have budgeted for creatives involved in the show to be paid for their time, efforts, and their art!
Sustainability
In our breakdown below, you will see that we have a very small budget for our props, costume, and set. This is done on purpose. We will be self-sourcing from our own wardrobes and homes, as well as getting anything we need and cannot find ourselves second-hand in charity shops. Not only does this reduce our costs, but it helps the environment, the circular economy, and local business and charities.
Budget Breakdown
The wages for each artist is reflective of the amount of time they’ve spent or will be spending working with us.
Filming & Press Photo - £200
We have been working with photographer Dom Innes, who’s created our trailer, press photo & this crowdfunder film.
Composer - £400
We are working with musician Joel Marten to compose the music & soundscape for the show.
Movement Director & Production Assistant - £400
We are working with movement director Ruth Newbery-Payton to choreograph & create the movement language for the piece.
Tech support - £300
We would need to hire a technician for our 3 performance days.
Rehearsal Space - £150
We have managed to get free rehearsal space as in kind support for most of our rehearsals days, but need to hire space for the remaining days.
Props & Costume - £50
Though we are sourcing as much as possible from our own wardrobes, this is to give us the possibility to buy a little bit should we need it.
Ticket Sales:
With our ticket sales we intend to cover the Venue Hire Fee and Camden Fringe Registration & Marketing Fee (£504), and any money remaining will be split between the core team; Charles, Maria, and Amy.
The Team
Charles Sloboda-Bolton (he/him) - Ben/Mietek
Charles is a theatre-maker & musician from West London. He spends his time in between Manchester and London with his partner. He has worked with theatre companies Such as Rhum & Clay, Dank Parish, and film companies like the Threelancers. He has trained at Questors, FONACT, Guildhall, LIPA, and Fourth Monkey
Maria Laumark (she/her) - Alma/Mary & Writer
Maria is a Danish London-based actor & theatre-maker specialising in devising and international collaborations. She’s the Artistic Director of Katla Theatre Company & Creative Associate for Cut the Cord Theatre. She has done extended outreach work in all of the Nordic countries & the UK, and she used to tour internationally with her Danish all-female theatre company CHACMA Performance.
Amy Rushent (they/them) - Director
Amy Rushent is a Berkshire-born queer, gender-fluid performer, writer, theatre-maker, and the Artistic Director of Burning Pages. They are tenaciously passionate about uplifting unheard voices with holistic theatre practise. They are also obsessed with painting portraits of their favourite Drag Queens.
Ruth Newbery-Payton (She/Her) - Movement Director & Production Assistant
Ruth is a South London born and bred, (and won’t let you forget it) performer/colaborator. Trained in acting and movement, she dons many a hat, including actor, movement consultant, seamstress… you name it. Using the all encompassing title ‘Creative’ to cover all bases on her tax return.
Joel Marten (he/him) - Composer
Joel Marten is a guitarist and producer from West London. The past year of isolation has sent Joel into remote collaborations, with artists such as Biig Piig, Emie Nathan and jazz duo Maliki. Outside of session work, he stays creative with psych-jazz project Jango, and with the sample-based electronic music you’ll hear in this play. He also tutors young aspiring musicians in guitar.
Dom Innes (he/him) - Photographer
Dom Innes is a London based videographer, photographer & editor. He loves a good cup of tea & a game of cricket.
Our Supporters
We’d like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who has helped us so far to help bring life to this play - without the support of these organisations for rehearsal space, promotional opportunities and all sorts of other assistance, we would never have gotten to this stage. So, a big shout out to:
Fourth Monkey Actor Training Company
The Pleasance Theatre
The Blue Elephant Theatre
Rosemary Branch Theatre
Questors Theatre
The Sloboda Family
Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts, for all your help!
Rewards
Firstly, we want to thank you for reading our campaign, and a share on social media goes a long way in our fundraising journey! Tweet it, share it on your Insta stories, snapchat streak buddies, your facebook timelines - it makes a world of difference!
We cannot thank you enough for your support and contributions, and as early-career artists with big ambitions and goals, your help in making this show a reality will set us up going forward to create more of the game-changing and innovative work we think is needed in our industry!
Should you wish to donate to Mary & Mietek, no matter how much, we have some incredibly exciting rewards lined up for our contributors!
(NB: no raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to our gofundme.)
A Personal Thank You (>£10)
With this donation, you will receive a personalised video message from one of our team, a shout out on social media, and your name included in our marketing material as a contributor!
The Fly On The Wall (£10)
With this donation, you will receive the above + exclusive access to behind-the-scenes footage from rehearsals; including previews of scenes and interviews with our cast and crew!
The Historian (£15)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + access to a private online exhibition of the original letters Mary and Mietek sent each other, with photos and commentary.
The Bookworm (£20)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + digital copies of our script, along with a video from our writer, Maria, and creator, Charlie, about the process of turning the letters into the script we ended up with!
The Musician (£30)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a digital copy of the full soundtrack of our show, along with a video from our composer, Joel Marten, about the process of creating the music for the show!
The Interior Designer (£50)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a limited edition Mary & Mietek print designed by Anna Lumpkin, of @littlesistershopuk , signed by our cast and director to hang on a wall in your home!
The Collector (£100)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a hand-written original copy of one of Mary and Mietek's letters created by Megan Church (@rectofolio on Instagram)!
The Developer (£101 or more)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a recording of the show, and a 1:1 Q&A with a member of our team on the process of developing the show from its beginnings to now!
Final Thoughts
It is not easy creating a debut piece of work, and we know that we are embarking on a journey full of ups and downs, but we believe in this show, in the aims of our companies, and that we can be the change this industry is hungry for.
This pandemic has taught us that time is valuable, human connection is irreplaceable, and how much we need to enjoy our lives while we have them. Theatre is what makes us happy, makes us feel alive, and so we are determined to bring this show about hope, love, and distance to audiences at this year’s Camden Fringe.
We must again say thank you. This year has been so hard for everyone for so many different reasons, especially financially, and we appreciate every single penny, every single share, and every single read of our campaign.
Keep looking after yourself. Stay safe. Stay well.
The Mary & Mietek Team
Charlie, Amy & Maria
Burning Pages & Katla Theatre Company
A Personal Thank You (>£10)
With this donation, you will receive a personalised video message from one of our team, a shout out on social media, and your name included in our marketing material as a contributor!
The Fly On The Wall (£10)
With this donation, you will receive the above + exclusive access to behind-the-scenes footage from rehearsals; including previews of scenes and interviews with our cast and crew!
The Historian (£15)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + access to a private online exhibition of the original letters Mary and Mietek sent each other, with photos and commentary.
The Bookworm (£20)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + digital copies of our script, along with a video from our writer, Maria, and creator, Charlie, about the process of turning the letters into the script we ended up with!
The Musician (£30)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a digital copy of the full soundtrack of our show, along with a video from our composer, Joel Marten, about the process of creating the music for the show!
The Interior Designer (£50)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a limited edition Mary & Mietek print designed by Anna Lumpkin, of @littlesistershopuk , signed by our cast and director to hang on a wall in your home!
The Collector (£100)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a hand-written original copy of one of Mary and Mietek's letters created by Megan Church (@rectofolio on Instagram)!
The Developer (£101 or more)
With this donation, you will receive all of the above + a recording of the show, and a 1:1 Q&A with a member of our team on the process of developing the show from its beginnings to now!
Final Thoughts
It is not easy creating a debut piece of work, and we know that we are embarking on a journey full of ups and downs, but we believe in this show, in the aims of our companies, and that we can be the change this industry is hungry for.
This pandemic has taught us that time is valuable, human connection is irreplaceable, and how much we need to enjoy our lives while we have them. Theatre is what makes us happy, makes us feel alive, and so we are determined to bring this show about hope, love, and distance to audiences at this year’s Camden Fringe.
We must again say thank you. This year has been so hard for everyone for so many different reasons, especially financially, and we appreciate every single penny, every single share, and every single read of our campaign.
Keep looking after yourself. Stay safe. Stay well.
The Mary & Mietek Team
Charlie, Amy & Maria
Burning Pages & Katla Theatre Company
Fundraising team (2)
Maria Laumark
Organizer
England
Amy Rushent
Team member
