What do you do when your neurodivergent brain isn’t playing ball? It would rather recount tweets and past traumas. Jen has decided the only way forward is to ask Harold Pinter for help – this play won’t write itself. The only problem is Pinter doesn’t play ball either, he prefers cricket. Can Jen make this collaboration work and find some ND joy? And while we’re at it, is Pinter a feminist and what on earth is gender anyway?
A new play from Miriam Higgins featuring Harold Pinter (sort of).
⭐⭐⭐⭐ "A very compelling play"
"An exquisite performance [by Ashleigh Aston] full of nuance and fine expression."
"Louis Pieris was commanding as Pinter, and he played the badinage...with poise and confidence." Adam Williams, North West End, July 2024
https://northwestend.com/my-chat-with-harold-pinter-kings-arms-salford/?
“Funny and wise, touching and intelligent, Miriam Higgins’ playful play is a breath of fresh air. Highly recommended.” Harry Burton (Actor and Director)
"Thoughtful two-hander on neurodivergence and creativity...The play offers an interesting insight into the writing process and shows that some people do things differently." Wyn Middleton, DailyInfo.co.uk, March 2024
***My Chat on tour July 2024***
Leaning House are pleased to announce My Chat with Harold Pinter is playing Birmingham, Salford, and London in July 2024.
BIRMINGHAM
17 July 2024, 8pm
Old Joint Stock Theatre, Temple Row West, Birmingham, B2 5NY
Part of Birmingham Fest
Ticket price: £12
Tickets: https://old-joint-stock-theatre.designmynight.com/663b87f54ce98c5a8e3fb6c3/my-chat-with-harold
SALFORD
18 July 2024, 9pm
The Kings Arms, 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN
Part of the Greater Manchester Fringe
Ticket price: £12 / £10 (concessions)
Tickets: https://greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk/events/my-chat-with-harold-pinter/
LONDON
25 July 2024, 7:15pm
26 July 2024, 9pm
27 July 2024, 7:15pm
Camden People's Theatre
58-60 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PY
Ticket price: £12 / £10 (concessions) / £8 (student)
Tickets: cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/My-Chat-With-Harold-Pinter
BIRMINGHAM
17 July 2024, 8pm
Old Joint Stock Theatre, Temple Row West, Birmingham, B2 5NY
Part of Birmingham Fest
Ticket price: £12
Tickets: https://old-joint-stock-theatre.designmynight.com/663b87f54ce98c5a8e3fb6c3/my-chat-with-harold
SALFORD
18 July 2024, 9pm
The Kings Arms, 11 Bloom Street, Salford, M3 6AN
Part of the Greater Manchester Fringe
Ticket price: £12 / £10 (concessions)
Tickets: https://greatermanchesterfringe.co.uk/events/my-chat-with-harold-pinter/
LONDON
25 July 2024, 7:15pm
26 July 2024, 9pm
27 July 2024, 7:15pm
Camden People's Theatre
58-60 Hampstead Road, London, NW1 2PY
Ticket price: £12 / £10 (concessions) / £8 (student)
Tickets: cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/My-Chat-With-Harold-Pinter
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Cast:
Jen - Ashleigh Aston (she/they) Harold - Louis Pieris (he/him) Creatives: Writer/Director - Miriam Higgins (she/her) Lighting Designer - Abi Turner (they/them) Music and Sound Designer - Dan Pollard (he/him) Poster design: Stuart Riley (he/him) Production photos: Hugh Warwick (Instagram: @HedgehogHugh |
Ashleigh Aston and Louis Pieris (c) Hugh Warwick
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Audience Feedback
This play is a gem. A deliciously chewy wordy musically poetically human theatre night. A joy. I greatly enjoyed it: a very clever concept brilliantly executed and splendidly directed. |
I loved the play and how it brought us into Jen's inner world in what felt like a safe and homour-filled way. It feels particularly important given the lack of understanding of neurodivergent and stigma Powerful and beautiful in equal measure. |
So important to see neurodivergent lives and experiences on stage especially in a more positive and humorous way without making fun of the experience. This was amazing! Amazing performances they kept us absolutely captivated. |
So very very good! I really enjoyed the play which was fun, witty, stimulating, somewhat random and thoroughly enjoyable. Also, really amazing acting - honestly. Brilliant - thank you!!! |
The best lesson in Pinter, cricket and the fact that a lot of us have a lot going on in our heads. A joyous piece, so well performed. Should be seen by many. Thank you! |
I loved it. Very relatable. Shows the beautiful complexity of a neurodivergent experience. Lovely show some beautiful gentle moments. Great performances. |
Biographies
Ashleigh Aston (She/They) – Jen
Ash Aston is a performer, voiceover and video editor. She has just returned from 2 months busking around Europe with her acoustic duo Butterfly Moon (@butterflymoonmusic). Her theatre credits include: Wizard of Oz (Paperback Theatre), Squirrel Walnutkins Saves the Planet (Same Difference Arts), Outside In (Reaction Theatre), Mr Stink (UK & Ireland Tour) and Mercutio & Tybalt (BurtonTaylor Studio).
Film/TV includes: Man Like Mobeen (BBC3/Netflix), Backbite (BBC Arts).
Butterfly Moon gigs: Glastonbury Festival, Timber Festival, Just So, Festival, and Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre.
This is the second of Miriam’s plays Ash has performed in, and the third time being directed by her. She is very excited to delve into Miriam’s magical mind!
Ash Aston is a performer, voiceover and video editor. She has just returned from 2 months busking around Europe with her acoustic duo Butterfly Moon (@butterflymoonmusic). Her theatre credits include: Wizard of Oz (Paperback Theatre), Squirrel Walnutkins Saves the Planet (Same Difference Arts), Outside In (Reaction Theatre), Mr Stink (UK & Ireland Tour) and Mercutio & Tybalt (BurtonTaylor Studio).
Film/TV includes: Man Like Mobeen (BBC3/Netflix), Backbite (BBC Arts).
Butterfly Moon gigs: Glastonbury Festival, Timber Festival, Just So, Festival, and Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre.
This is the second of Miriam’s plays Ash has performed in, and the third time being directed by her. She is very excited to delve into Miriam’s magical mind!
Louis Pieris (He/Him) – Harold Pinter
Louis Pieris is a professional actor who trained at Drama Centre London (Foundation Course) and The Oxford School of Drama (Three Year Course). He is the Artistic Director of Pomona Theatre, who produced his debut play Signposts into Blackpool in 2023.
His theatre credits Van Gogh (OSO Arts Centre), Signposts into Blackpool (The Lion and Union Theatre), Peter Pan (OSO Theatre), No Particular Order, and The Crucible (Oxford School of Drama).
His screen credits include, The Critic (2024), Sky Broadband Commercial (2024), Me + I (2021), Female (2021).
He is thrilled to be back in the role of his favourite playwright, Harold Pinter, after a successful run at the Old Fire Station in Oxford.
Louis Pieris is a professional actor who trained at Drama Centre London (Foundation Course) and The Oxford School of Drama (Three Year Course). He is the Artistic Director of Pomona Theatre, who produced his debut play Signposts into Blackpool in 2023.
His theatre credits Van Gogh (OSO Arts Centre), Signposts into Blackpool (The Lion and Union Theatre), Peter Pan (OSO Theatre), No Particular Order, and The Crucible (Oxford School of Drama).
His screen credits include, The Critic (2024), Sky Broadband Commercial (2024), Me + I (2021), Female (2021).
He is thrilled to be back in the role of his favourite playwright, Harold Pinter, after a successful run at the Old Fire Station in Oxford.
Glossary
After the show we had some audience members asking about the words used in the play and their meanings.
Well, we are always happy to help...
Well, we are always happy to help...
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Word - Definition Argle-bargle - A heated or confused argument. Auspicate - To predict or foretell. Blatherskite - A person who talks nonsense or blabbers on. Blither - To talk incessantly, to blather Bombilate - To make a humming or buzzing sound. Bombinate - To buzz or hum incessantly. Chimerical - Imaginary or fanciful. Collywobbles - A feeling of anxiety or nervousness in the stomach Crinkle-crankle - A 'S' shaped decorative garden wall Crinkum-crankum - An elaborate decoration or detail Cumberworld - Useless person who just takes up space Curmuring - Rumbling especially in the bowels Desultory - Lacking a plan or purpose, random Disconbobulate - To confuse or disconcert Dizen - To dress up or adorn in a showy or cheap way Driggle-Draggle - A dirty woman Fandangle - An ornate or fantastic ornament Fopdoodle - A fool Fodgel - Plump, rounded; buxom Fustilugs - A large clumsy gross person Gorgonize - To have a paralyzing or mesmerizing effect on Haberdashery - A shop to buy sewing notions Hedge-born - Low class Hornswoggle - To scam or con Hugger-mugger - To act in a secretive manner Indecorous - Lacking propriety or decorum Kench - To laugh loudly Latibulate - To hide oneself in a corner Loiter-Sack - A moocher Morribund - Near death or stagnant Muck-Spout - Someone who talks and cusses a lot Percolator - A pot for making coffee, in which boiling water is forced up a central tube and then comes down again through the coffee Quagswagging - The action of shaking to and fro Quockerwodger - A type of wooden puppet controlled by strings Raggabrash - A disorganised person Rapscallion - A person who causes trouble Rumbustious - Uncontrollably exuberant; unruly Secateurs - Small, handheld pruning shears Sluberdegullion - A filthy, slobbering person Snoutflair - A good-looking person Twattle - To gossip Whiffle-Whaffle - Indecisive, flip flopper Widdendream - A state of mental disturbance or confusion Wonder-wench - A sweetheart Yemeles - Careless, heedless, negligent |
Ashleigh Aston as Jen (c) Hugh Warwick
Louis Pieris as Harold (c) Hugh Warwick
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