Projects
A Very Odd Birthday Party
Directed by Anna Berentzen
Written by Hannah Donelon
Created with Hawkseed Theatre Ltd
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Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, A Very Odd Birthday Party is a new play by Hannah Donelon with live, traditional music. The play follows mother-to-be Eveline and her Dad Michael Moriarty on a journey that penetrates the psyche, humour, and trauma of being a first and second-generation immigrant in the UK. A Very Odd Birthday Party revels in the complexities of family, working-class identity, and memory. This is a story filled with humour, suffering, loss, music, and hope for the future. Creative audio description was embedded into the script with expertise from Chloë Clarke.
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'A real slice of Irish family life examining love, loss and memory in a charming and witty way.'
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'Loved this beautiful show'
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'A powerful and moving dramatic performance with live music and singing. Telling the important story of the forgotten Irish and second generation Irish.'
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'Just back from watching @hawkseed share beautiful, poignant, heartbreaking stories of dementia, family and love in their brilliant production ‘A Very Odd Birthday Party’'
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'Beautiful storytelling, incredible performances, and music that will give you goosebumps! Don’t miss it!'
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Astronauts
Directed by Anna Berentzen
Written by Alice Birch
Created with The Royal Exchange and The RET Young Company
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It’s set in a tower block with no views. No, it’s set in a huge snow globe with floor to ceilings windows. It is a family story, or perhaps it’s about a girl, or me, or you, or all of us. In this story your feet will never touch the earth, everything you need is here… and always out of reach.
Can you hear it? That low level hum… It’s time to listen, really listen before there’s no room left to breathe.
The Royal Exchange Young Company present Alice Birch’s compelling play inspired by the housing crisis. First produced in 2014 this stunning work is as significant today as when it was first written.
This production is integrated with BSL Interpretation and captions.
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The Survivors Guide to Living
Directed by Anna Berentzen
Written by Zodwa Nyoni
Co Created with the Royal Exchange Young Company 2021
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The Survivor's Guide to Living explores what it means to radically find happiness, yourself and imagination when the world feels like it doesn't make sense. This play includes integrated BSL throughout every performance.
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Audience Response:
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'They created a captivating & heartfelt reflection on their pandemic experience, the importance of art & theatre (this broke me) plus so much more. Truly incredible, important & impeccably presented.'
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'The Survivors Guide To Living was super! Bursting with energy and warmth and so much talent!'
ROOT by Hawkseed Theatre Co.
Anna Berentzen in co-founder of Hawkseed Theatre Co. Working alongside Hannah Donelon, they support, develop, and celebrate new writing that raises the voice of those who are often under or misrepresented on stage. In 2021, Anna directed ROOT as part of her ongoing work with Hawkseed Theatre Co. Root was a five month project that researched and developed seven new plays for theatre. Five of these plays were explored online, and two were workshopped at The Met and shared digitally. Anna worked with professional artists, access consultants, and communities to help shape and develop these pieces in an authentic, fair, and accessible way.
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Have a look at videos to see footage of A Very Odd Birthday Party by Hannah Donelon, and Billy Buckle and the Stolen Mandolin by Jim English. This was filmed from The Met, by videographer by Aaron Howell.
All I Want for Christmas
Anna directed 4 episodes of All I Want for Christmas for The Royal Exchange Theatre. She directed Maxine Peake, Conor Glean, and 2 fantastic community performers to tell a story all about young love in Cheetham Hill, written by Sonia Jalaly.
Outdoor Facilitation
Anna regularly works with companies and community groups to deliver theatrical outdoor experiences. This work is inspired by: a love of getting outdoors in all weather; the joy of being creative; sharing creativity with others.
Working alongside Twinkleboost CIC, Anna has developed and delivered a program of outdoor sessions aimed to support children's speech and language development, using games, songs, sign, and creative sensory play.
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Anna is a qualified Level 3 Forest School Leader. This training has led to extensive experience of outdoor working and facilitating including sustainable ways of working in nature, outdoor education, child psychology, bush craft, and local flora and fauna.
See Me After
See Me After was an explosion of young voices on stage, co-directed by Anna and Yandass Ndlovu. This live performance explored spoken word, improvised dance and movement, live music, and animation. Have a look at the videos to see performance and rehearsal footage.