In association with West Yorkshire Playhouse
MARK THOMAS
The Red Shed
The Stage Special Award 2016 (The Red Shed)
Scotsman Fringe First winner – 2016 (The Red Shed)
Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award winner – 2014
Scotsman Fringe First winner – 2014 (Cuckooed)
Scotsman Fringe First winner – 2012 (Bravo Figaro)
Bank of Scotland Herald Angel winner – 2012
Sony Award for Radio Comedy winner – 2008
Guinness World Record Holder: Most Number of Political Demonstrations in 24 Hours – 2006
MediActivist Awards (MISTY) – 2005
UN Association Global Human Rights Defender Award – 2004
Kurdish National Congress Medal of Honour – 2002
Time Out Comedy Award – 1990
The Red Shed is the third part of our favourite campaigning comic’s theatrical trilogy, following the much revered Bravo Figaro and Cuckooed. Mark returns to the place where it all began – the Red Shed, a labour club in Wakefield – to celebrate the club’s 50th birthday as he continues his tour in 2017 of yet another award-winning, highly acclaimed performance.
The Shed, home to Mark’s first public performances, is also a home to dissent, to organising and to progressive politics, and so it was here that Mark’s true political prowess began. An iconic and vital place for its patrons, this is where the true meaning of solidarity is found and where you can be part of history and part of the struggle. A south London lad, born to a Thatcherite world of self-employed builders, labourers and tradesman like his father where the individual is key, Wakefield’s alien traditional labour community awoke a new determination in Mark and changed his life forever.
Interviewing old friends and comrades, Mark pieces together the club’s history and works alongside it to campaign with some of the poorest workers in the country. It is the story of the battle for hope and the survival of a community. It is a tale of strikes, fights, dinner ladies, crap beer, good beer, burger slingers, pickets, placards, commies, friendship, love, history, dreams and, above all, remembering. Part theatre, part stand up, part journalism, part activism, Mark realises his obsession with community and struggle.
With every one of his previous solo shows selling out their Edinburgh runs, snapping up awards and nominations and becoming a Radio 4 series, the Fringe would not be the same without this ‘alleged comedian’s’ explorations. He’s won a Herald Angel award, the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression award and The Red Shed this year won him his third Scotsman Fringe First alongside The Stage Special Award. He’s stopped arms deals, created a manifesto and brought the winning policy to parliament, walked the entire length of the Israeli wall in the West Bank, filmed his own Channel 4 series, written books, won more awards, held Guinness World Records, investigated everything from Coca-Cola to inheritance tax avoidance, given evidence to Parliamentary Select Committees, stopped multinational infrastructure deals, been arrested on numerous occasions and founded a new definition for the word ‘Farage’.
www.markthomasinfo.com / TWITTER: @markthomasinfo
PRESS ON THE RED SHED (Fringe 2016)
★★★★★ “One of Britain’s greatest storytellers…beautifully-paced and structured…a passionate humanity that surpasses most other work at the Fringe” THE SCOTSMAN
★★★★★ “Mark Thomas’ story telling is masterful, creating a vivid picture in the mind of the audience that will last long afterwards” EVERYTHING THEATRE
★★★★★ “A compelling, intimate and rousing performance that lifts the spirit…At times The Red Shed takes on a magical quality to it, like you’re not simply watching a play but are truly part of some great change that is inspiring to even be present for… you are completely engrossed from the moment he comes on stage to the moment he leaves it” BROADWAYBABY
★★★★★ “An intense and moving masterpiece… it really is a breath-taking performance” WHATS ON LONDON
★★★★½ “Mark Thomas’ conviction and passion ensure that this theatre/stand-up mash-up is absorbing from beginning to end” TO DO LIST
★★★★ “Thomas is a terrific performer and raconteur… funny, raw and angry” THE GUARDIAN
★★★★ “Evocative… hard to resist” SUNDAY TIMES
★★★★ “The show will still leave even the most laissez-faire Thatcherite Tory with food for thought and a reminder as to how deep the scars of that era run” THE TELEGRAPH
★★★★ “Thoroughly attention grabbing.. a moving and entertaining tale” METRO
★★★★ “MARK Thomas has been the left wing conscience of the Fringe for some years now… he channels a firebrand spirit which in the current political climate is more necessary than ever” THE HERALD
★★★★ “An engaging, warm-hearted performer” FINANCIAL TIMES
★★★★ “Intimate, self-deprecating and rambunctious. It is not just what he says, but how he says it that counts” THE STAGE
★★★★ “Very, very funny…I’d wager Thomas’ smart, everyman narrative, will charm you whatever your politics” WHATS ON STAGE
★★★★ “He is a superlative storyteller, whipping from poignancy to laughter in the twist of a punchline…we hang on the twists and turns of his investigation, sharing in his curiosity, passion and punchy wit” CHORTLE
★★★★ “It provides the expected passion and thoughtfulness that has characterised his recent theatrical outings” THE LIST
★★★★ “Moving, impassioned and often very funny… Thomas finds real heart and guts in the stories he uncovers” FEST MAG
★★★★”Disarmingly beautiful…Thomas is on magnificent form” THE SKINNY
★★★★ “Constantly interesting, frequently funny and occasionally poignant” ACROSS THE ARTS
★★★★ “Such passion, such rage, such superb command of audience, bringing them from uproarious laughter to silence and tears in the blink of an eye” SCOTS GAY
★★★★ “Finely tuned, warm-hearted and very funny… riveting stuff” SPIKED
★★★★ “No one of any political colour could deny the skill with which Thomas can work a room and deliver a spittle-flinging diatribe” TV BOMB
“Left me in tears both from laughter and the emotion of it all” EDINBURGH REPORTER
★★ “90 minutes of pure socialist schmaltz” THE TIMES
TOUR DATES
NOVEMBER VENUE BOX OFFICE
Tues 29th BLACKWOOD, Miners Institute 01495 227206
Weds 30th BRIDPORT, Arts Centre 01308 424 204
DECEMBER
Thurs 1st BRIDGWATER, McMillan Theatre 01278 556677
Tues 6th FOLKESTONE, Quarterhouse Arts Centre 01303 858500
Thurs 8th STRATFORD, Arts House 01789 207100
Fri 9th HALIFAX, Square Chapel Arts Centre 01422 349422
Sat 10th LANCASTER, The Dukes 01524 598500
2017: FEBRUARY
Weds 1st STIRLING, MacRobert Arts 01786 466666
Thurs 2nd ABERDEEN, Lemon Tree 01224 641122
Fri 3rd INVERNESS, One Touch Theatre 01463 234234
Sat 4th DUNDEE, Rep Theatre 01382 223530
Tues 7th- Weds 8th SALFORD, Lowry 0843 208 6010
Fri 10th – Sat 11th SHEFFIELD, Crucible 0114 249 6000
Tues 14th COVENTRY, Warwick Arts Centre 024 7652 4524
Weds 15th CARDIFF, Sherman Theatre 029 2064 6900
Thurs 16th OXFORD, North Wall 01865 319450
Fri 17th CANTERBURY, Gulbenkian 01227 769075
Tues 21st TAUNTON, Brewhouse 01823 283244
Weds 22nd EXETER, Corn Exchange 01392 665938
Fri 24th HULL, Archbishop Sentamu Theatre www.hull2017.co.uk
Sat 25th HULL, Kingswood Theatre www.hull2017.co.uk
Tues 28th CORBY, Cube 01536 470470
MARCH
Weds 1st DURHAM, Gala Theatre 03000 266600
Thurs 2nd – Fri 3rd NORWICH, Playhouse 01603 598598
Sat 4th EASTLEIGH, The Point 023 80652333
Mon 6th-Sat 11th LONDON, Battersea Arts Centre 020 72232223
Thurs 16th NEWCASTLE, Northern Stage 0191 230 5151
Fri 17th BARTON ON HUMBER, The Ropewalk 01652 660380
Sat 18th CHORLEY, Little Theatre 01257 264362
Tues 21st SHOREHAM, The Ropetackle 01273 464440
Weds 22nd MARGATE, Theatre Royal 01843 292795
Thurs 23rd TUNBRIDGE WELLS, Trinity Theatre 01892 678678
Fri 24th STROUD, Sub Rooms 01453 760900
For more information on Mark Thomas, please contact
Bex Colwell: 07747 055227 / [email protected]
