Not Dead, but Growing - Springboard Festival
Not Dead, but Growing - Springboard Festival
Past Performance
In The Theatre
January 30th - February 2nd 2024
Suitable for ages 12+

“Gone. Everything’s gone.”

Written as part of the Kiln Theatre’s Listen Local Young Writers’ Programme, Not Dead, But Growing is Áine McNamara’s first short play. Derived from her own family history of owning a now-closed pub that once lived inside the Willesden-famous Regency Working Men’s Club, the play reflects on the history and future of a multigenerational Irish family in London.

The play follows Maud, a young woman seeking a connection to her family’s Irish past. She aims to find this in her grandmother, Bridie, who instead is desperate to talk about the life she has built in Willesden. Her daughter and Maud’s mother, Colleen, just wants to open up the pub and resist her mother’s walks down memory lane. We also meet Seth, who spends the night on the pub’s pool table.

In a period where iconic institutions of London’s past are rapidly vanishing, will this family pub survive? What’s left for those who built the London we know today? And what waits in the future for its next generation?

Performance info:
30th Jan 2024 at 7pm
31st Jan 2024 at 7pm
1st Feb 2024 at 7pm
2nd Feb 2024 at 7pm
Suitable for ages 12+
30 mins, no interval
Content warning: includes references to death and infrequent use of strong language

This show is part of Springboard Festival

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Cast List
Adam Wadge Seth

Adam began his training at Bath Spa University, before attending the Identity School of Acting. He is also a member of the National Youth Theatre. He has appeared in multiple short films and adverts. Last year, he made his stage debut playing STICK MAN in ‘Stick Man’ (Warwick Arts Centre).

Joanna Nevin Colleen

Joanna trained at Drama Centre. Stage credits include: THE WOMAN ‘The River’ and BOYD, ‘The Brink’ (The White Bear), RUTH ‘About 500’ (King’s Head Theatre/VAULTS), KATHARINA ‘The Taming of the Shrew’, OLIVIA in ‘Twelfth Night’, LADY MACBETH ‘Macbeth’ and BEATRICE ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ (UK tours), LILY ‘A Man of No Importance’ (Arts Theatre), LADY CAPULET ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (Ashcroft Theatre), EMILY ‘Bronte’ (Gatehouse) and ELIZABETH ‘Lola Montez’ (Northumberland Theatre Company).

Áine McNamara Maud

Áine trained under Dominique Moore, at Central School of Speech & Drama, and is currently training on the Lyric Hammersmith’s SPRINGBOARD programme. Theatre credits include: ‘When We Were Normal’ (Three Sisters Productions), ‘Anne Boleyn’ (Round Church), ‘Paper Boats’ (Roadside Theatre), and ‘As You Like It’ (Fitzwilliam Museum). Other credits: SAM ‘The Wilsons Save the World’ (BBC Radio 4), ZARA in Torr (BFI Network), and INFANTA ‘Mary & George’ (Sky Atlantic).

Shenagh Govan Bridie

Shenagh trained at Bristol Old Vic. Recent stage credits include: NELLA in Winsome Pinnock’s ‘One Under’ (Graeae / Theatre Royal Plymouth), MUM in Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s ‘When The Long Trick’s Over’ (HighTide/New Wolsey, Ipswich) and CELIA in Carmen Nasr’s ‘The Climbers’ (Theatre by the Lake in Keswick.) TV credits: ARCHIE’S GRANDMOTHER in Archie (ITV), MIDWIFE SHEILA ROWE in Doctors (BBC), and CAROLINE in Strike – Lethal White (ITV).

Creative Team
Phoebe Rowell John Director

Phoebe is a London-based director, who began making theatre at Chickenshed’s Young Company, directing whilst studying at Cambridge University, and achieved an MA in Theatre Directing from Mountview. She is the current Resident Assistant Director for London Youth Theatre, and co-directing In Everglade Studio (Hope Theatre). Credits: The Intricate Art of Actually Caring (Hope Theatre), Press (Old Red Lion), The Woman-Hater (The Backstage Theatre), Guys and Dolls (ADC Theatre).

Rio Redwood-Sawyer Cinematographer
Jonathan Powell Technician