THE SMALLEST STORY

Thursday 25th May 7.30pm / Studio Hub

THE SMALLEST STORY


The Smallest Story is the newest play from Tideline Runners following on from 2022’s much-loved Why Henry Is SO Weird.
Starring Sophie Armstrong (Summerland, BBC’s All Together Now) and Gary Robson (Why Henry Is SO Weird, One More Kiss) as Amy and Charlie Donnelly, the darlings of the children’s modern literary scene whose lives are thrown into chaos when Amy is diagnoses with Young Onset Mixed Dementia. On the first Christmas following her death, Charlie is forced to reckon with his grief before it destroys him. He chooses to relive his life in reverse, watching his time with Amy and their family backwards from its tragic end to its humble beginning, all the time watching Amy grow younger, more hopeful and healthier.

RJ Flynn, author of The Words in the Wires, Why Henry Is SO Weird and Hidden in this Room, revisits his 2015 one-act play The Smallest Story Ever Told and imbues the world of its protagonists with a deeper focus, a greater mastery of its subject matter, and a whole lot more soul than the beloved (albeit truncated) original.

Performance Dates and Times

Thursday 25th May 7.30pm

Full Price: £12.00 | Concessions/Children: £10.00

Recommended Age 12+ (some strong language, scene involving drug use)

Cast & Creatives

Cast & Creatives
SOPHIE ARMSTRONG – AMY DONNELLY
Sophie has starred in two series of All Together Now with Geri Horner on the BBC. Sophie was the first actor to play the role of Amy Donnelly when the show originally opened in 2015. She is the lead singer of the group Summerland.

GARY ROBSON – CHARLIE DONNELLY
Gary has been a regular cast member of Tideline Runners since its inception and played the role of Charlie in the initial 2015 run of The Smallest Story. He has performed in community and professional theatre for over 25 years and is a member of Here Come The Girls. He has also starred in Vadim Jean’s feature film One More Kiss.

BEE KERR – SALLY MASON
Bee is returning to the stage after 10 years away while she started up her photography business and raised her two young children. She previously worked with Tideline Runners in 2013’s The Words In The Wires as Ida Reuter as well as appearances in Blood Brothers and The Wizard Of Oz.

CARL LAIDLAW – MATTHEW DONNELLY
Carl graduated from Newcastle University with a BA in Drama. He was a part of the acclaimed collective ‘4 Straight White Men’ whose work dealt with mental health. Carl appeared in Tideline Runners’ 2018 performances of Sam & Isla Forever.

DAVID SIMPSON – EVAN CAVENDISH
David is a member of the beloved improvised comedy collective ‘The Damp Knights’. He has made many appearances with Tideline Runners having cut his teeth on stage with The Maltings Youth Theatre and community theatre appearing in His Dark Materials, The Producers and Gregory’s Girl.

RJ FLYNN – AUTHOR, DIRECTOR
Rob (RJ) Flynn formed The Tideline Runners in 2011 as a home for new theatre writing in the North East. His work includes The Words In The Wires (which won best theatre production 2013 in the regional Johnson Press annual rundown, One Big Lie, Hidden In This Room and Why Henry Is SO Weird. He is currently working on a large scale musical project Every
Now & Then that is set during a series of air raids during WW2.

Your Visit

We look forward to your visit!

Parking is located to the rear of the Playhouse in the public car parks. Parking discs are required to be displayed until 6pm and are available from the Visitor Information Centre located within the Playhouse building. Please check individual car park signs for any time restrictions.

Grab a bite to eat at the Playhouse Kitchen or why not relax and enjoy a drink in our Playhouse Bar? The bar serves an extensive range of drinks including draught and local bottled beers, wines, and gins.