SCAFFOLDING goes on tour!

SCAFFOLDING is an explosive new play about strength, love and community. Following a critically acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe, we are remounting and upscaling the production for a national tour this Spring - alongside a double bill of original songs created by carers and young people with Learning Disabilities in the Documental Productions community.

Sheridan is having a bad day. Her church is closing, Adult Social Care are on her case, and she can’t work out which ingredients she needs to make a bomb. With no one else to turn to, she climbs the scaffolding around a leaking steeple with a few questions for Whoever Is In Charge.

Award-winning writer Lucy Bell (Kevin Elyot and Ronald Duncan Awards) writes dark, car-crash humour in a dramatic collision between religious faith, the responsibilities of caring for loved ones with disabilities and the profound loss of shared community spaces in rural areas. Scaffolding is a unique two-hander: a production that involves real time casting of the part of God.

“achingly lovely”

★★★★★ The Stage

“Clever and affecting”

★★★★★ Bouquets & Brickbats

Following a critically acclaimed run at Edinburgh Fringe, Scaffolding is remounting for a 10 venue tour from this April - with support from Arts Council England we are able to significantly upscale the production value and work with an incredibly exciting team of talented creatives.

WHY NOW

Scaffolding has been built around the lived experience and sense of humour of both carers and those with cognitive disabilities, with Lucy Bell writing from her own experience of the privilege of parenting a daughter with severe learning disabilities who strives to connect with others despite major neurological barriers.

Lucy says: “I am part of Documental’s inclusive Makaton singing and signing choir for people with learning difficulties, parents and carers. We get together to make a beautiful sound, performing iconic pop set to Makaton signs. But we also share our stories of the daily hilarity, mayhem and isolation we experience as carers.

I wanted to write SCAFFOLDING because public services and shared community spaces have been stripped away the last decade or more. In many rural villages, the community around the parish church is the only thing left. Local authorities are up to their eyes in debt and so often, genuine support is only offered at a crisis point…like when a mother and parishioner decides to blow up a church!”

All of Documental’s projects aim to raise the visibility and aspiration for both people with disabilities and carers. In addition to the play there will be a short and sweet Double Bill celebrating connection - a 20 minute performance of songs on themes of connection written by carers and young people with Learning Disabilities in the Documental Productions community.

Local choirs have been invited to join in this performance. The lyrics are set to Makaton and it will be a chance to hear brilliant original songs and learn a few Makaton signs (the signing system for non-verbal people). A big part of why we are crowdfunding is to make sure we can pay for tickets for choirs, carers, and members of SEN families to see the show and take part in what will be a really special event.

WHERE YOUR MONEY WILL GO

The donations you make will help contribute to our production costs and also help support our engagement work:

TEAM CREDITS

Writer - Lucy Bell

Director - Natalie Simone

Performed by - Kerry Norton

Senior Producer - Naomi Turner

Engagement Producer - Susannah Bramwell

Sound Design - Joseff Harris

Set & Costume - Ella Barraclough

Lighting Design - Rachael Duthie

Movement Director - Karla Shacklock

Technical Stage Manager - Josh Lucas

Curtain raiser songs created with support from Joanne Rogers, Emma Kenshole, Allison Wright and Lucy Bell

Every little bit helps, but if you can't donate, you can definitely still help us out! Please make noise about our campaign and our project. Share it on Instagram, Facebook, and bring it to the attention of your friends and family!

You can follow us: Instagram - @DOCUMENTALPRODUCTIONS

If you have any questions about our crowdfunding campaign or the project, please do not hesitate to get in touch.