THE BIRDS
by Conor Mcpherson
A suspensful, atmospheric adaptation inspired by Daphne du Maurier's enthralling short story.
Mysterious masses of birds have begun to violently attack at high tide, driving strangers Nat and Diane to take refuge in an isolated, abandoned house by the sea and form a bond to survive their haunting new circumstance. With no electricity and scarce food, the tension is palpable and hope is waning.
Yet if two is company, three is a crowd, as the sudden arrival of a young woman with a mysterious nature of her own ruffles feathers in the house and quickly threatens to destroy their so-called sanctuary.
Diane / Bertie Hustwayte
Nat / Peter Barrs
Julia / Zoe Morgan
Tierney / Peter Elliott
Director / Matt Turpin
Assistant Director / Michelle Taylor
Assisted by / Sarah Evans, Zoe Morgan, Naomi Proctor
Stage Manager / Naomi Proctor, Sarah Evans
Lighting / Pulse Event Management
Sound Design / Matt Turpin
Sound / Pulse Event Management and Kelvin Brotherston
Live Recordings / Jo Flay
Trailer / Chasing Rabbit Productions
'The Birds' Image Design / Sam Knight
Production Photography / Peter Mould
Stables Theatre, Hastings 14-16 August 2014
Barn Theatre, Smallhythe 4-6 September 2014
... my engagement with the story was through an apparent and genuine understnading of genre and sub-genre by the directors here. Zoe Morgan and Matt Turpin actively relish the post-apocolyptic claustrophobia, and references are made to well-known screen depictions of this genre. They play with the space and props to inspire their own adaptation of the stage play. When talking to Matt and Zoe it becomes clear that their passion is not only about the stage but also the process of putting a project together. They have approached this project with collectivity in mind. The brilliant cast are Bertie Hustwayte (Diane), Peter Barrs (Nat), Zoe Morgan (Julia) and Peter Elliott (Tierney).
Kate Renwick
Hastings Independent
The performance of The Birds on Thursday 14 August was fantastic. The dialogue was literate, the narrative perfectly paced (the elliptical structure worked especially well), and as for the acting...astounding. The sound effects were chilling, the lighting eerily atmospheric, the set both symbolic and realistically convincing. Overall I felt it had a bit of Sartre, a touch of 1970s Survivors, a little of The Day of the Triffids and a whole load of its own originality. To all involved - thankyou so much!
Nigel S
Trip Advisor