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Craig Norman

CRAIG NORMAN

  (1973 - )
Nationality:    British
email:    Click here to contact     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a

Craig is an actor, writer and director. His previous written work includes Bleach (Empty Pockets Theatre Company, London) Killing London (Bourne Rep, Bournemouth), Dark Forest (Total Beast, the Bridewell - the piece was 'Highly Commended' as part of a writing competition), Splintering (performed as part of an evening showcasing new writing by the Smithy, the writing group attached to Forest Forge Theatre Company at Forest Forge) and Special (presented as part of an evening of work written by the Smithy at Dorchester Arts Centre). His next work to be performed will be 'Aurora' at the Pacific Playhouse (formerly Southwark Playhouse) by Grit Productions/Mokita Productions in March 2008 and he hopes to see his play 'small Black Flowers' performed later in the year. Craig also runs writing workshops for the Engine, a writing group for 15-25 year olds based at the Lighthouse, Poole. cnorm@talk21.com

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below is a list of Craig Norman's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Aurora         Bleach         Dark Forest         Distance, The         Killing London         Small Black Flowers

Aurora

Synopsis:
the play focuses on three characters; Dean, Kerri and Rags who are hiding out in a garage during a very hot summer. It becomes clear that Dean and Kerri are boyfriend/girlfriend and Rags initially stays in the background not making much sense. Kerri has just nearly been hit by a lorry when on a shoplifting spree for Dean and states she has had enough of this life and wants out. Dean is a dealer and owes a lot of money to his suppliers (this is who he is hiding out from) although it is not made explicit exactly who he is hiding out from. After being restrained by Dean, Kerri eventually escapes from the garage and Dean throws Rags out when suspecting him of 'grassing' him up in a fit of paranoia. the play then begins to follow the stories of these three characters. Kerri returns home to her sister, Lynne in an attempt to begin getting her daughter back who has been taken away from her by social services. the last time Kerri saw her sister was when she was babysitting but she abandoned her sister's child in search of alcohol. Kerri tries to apologise to her sister but her sister's husband, Michael is less than forgiving and wants her out. the sisters also explore their relationship as children and how Kerri began drinking. the tensions mount resulting in Lynne realising she no longer loves her husband and that she wants to help her sister in her fight for her child and a new life without drinking. Rags, turfed out from the garage he called home is mugged in the street but taken in by Stu, who is also trying to wean himself away from his life of crime and drug dependency. Stu sees the act of coming to Rags' rescue as a 'Good Samaritan' gesture but when Rags is out of the room he searches his coat for anything he can sell and accuses him of hiding drugs on his person. Stu is torn between pulling himself out of this existence and wanting a new better life for himself. Stu relents but has found a photograph of a child in Rags' pocket, his one and only prized possession. the photograph, it transpires, is of Rags's daughter and the discovery of it leads to an emotional reunion between Rags and his estranged wife, Bridget who after initial anger (and Rags' inability to articulate himself resulting in him violently destroying Stu's kitchen), asks him to come home. Dean, lost without Kerri and Rags who he had befriended, returns home to his parents. the parents question him about his life as a drug dealer leading to a bitter confrontation between Dean and his father. Dean blames his Father for his dependency and asks him to demonstrate his love, which he does by writing a cheque for Dean to pays off his pursuers. the final scene of the play sees Dean and Kerri reunited in the garage. Kerri wants to enlist Dean in her fight for her daughter as it transpires that he is the Father of the child. Dean has returned as he knows he 'should' pay off the 'heavies' but does not tell Kerri if he has or hasn't. It is suggested that Kerri and Dean may start a new life but just as they are about to leave the door is kicked in and thunder breaks.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Pacific Playhouse (formerly Southwark Playhouse)    2008

Organisations:
Grit Productions/Mokita Productions

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Bleach

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Pitshanger Manor Museum, Ealing, London    1998

Organisations:
Empty Pockets Theatre Company

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

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Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  3            Female:  1            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Dark Forest

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:

Organisations:
Total Beast Theatre Company

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Distance, The

Synopsis:
Outside the door, sinister forces are at work. Inside, the pressure is building. As Alex wraps food preparing for . . .. who knows what, Darby dreams of taking off to somewhere . . . anywhere. And through it all their baby sleeps a fitful, restless sleep. A poignant story of love, passion and loss.

Notes:
part of Writing in the Margins

1st Produced:
Alma Tavern Theatre, Bristol (reading)    2008

Organisations:
Theatre West

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
-

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Killing London

Synopsis:
Four strangers in London. One has had enough of his mundane existence, he is at breaking point. Today something is going to change, he is going to make it change. Things will never be boring or mundane in his life again. He is unsure of where he is going or who he will meet on the way but he knows he won't be going back. Two is full of excitement, a new opportunity has her full of hope and optimism for the future. Things are going well until she meets a stranger in a pub, her evening will not go as planned. Three is a budding actor: moving to London to make it big. He is determined to make something of his life and be someone. After a failed audition and a few drinks he witnesses something that will riddle him with guilt until he can take no more. Four is a young girl from out of town, she has moved to the big city to get away from problems at home. Four is desperate to be loved and cared for. Feeling like she doesn't belong anywhere she begins to dislike her new home with the noise, dirt and loneliness. Things are bad until she meets One. Could this be the man to change things

Notes:
the main theme of the play is urban Alienation which encapsulates feelings such As loneliness, frustration, fear, A sense of wanting to belong. Also, living in London can be exciting And inspiring And these Are feelings I want the play to convey too. Running through the play is A strong sense of guilt. I suppose it's the schizophrenic feel of living in London; some days you could be walking Across the Thames marvelling At sights such As Big Ben or the Houses of Parliament And other days you just want to get out And escape like one of the characters in the play, faced with the noise, dirt, loneliness And discomfort. This is highlighted by two opposing characters who eventually meet. It A kind of A paradox that I think is A common feeling for people living in London, like A love/hate relationship. the four characters have large monologues which involve speaking directly out to the Audience, especially early on in the play. Even though I want the text to speak for itself And I obviously want the Audience to listen to the words, I Am Aware of the challenge of keeping this interesting visually for the Audience. therefore I have incorporated multi media to the performance, using A variety of images And film to compliment the Action on stage. I Am hoping it will have A very Atmospheric feel. I wanted the Actors to be very Aware of the differences in the characters so we did lots of work on this early on in rehearsal. This involved exploring the physicality of each role As well As improvisation And hot seating. Additionally, I think there is A definite rhythm in the writing which I Am Aiming to bring out in the performance. the Audience, I think should be taken on A journey with these characters; for most of it they may be unaware of where it is taking them, which is hopefully the exciting part, And for A lot they feel uneasy or unsettled, they may identify with some characters more than others And hope for A different outcome.

1st Produced:
Centre Stage, Bournemouth    2005

Organisations:
Bourne Rep

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  2            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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Small Black Flowers

Synopsis:
the play is a quartet of individual pieces which deal with such subjects as the disintegration of marriage, destructive relationships and the need to break away from them and the death and disappearance of children. Emotional themes such as loss and grief and the desire for change and new beginnings weave throughout the play. the characters within each piece are unknown to each other and are all existing in entirely different worlds; whether it is an isolated country cottage, an overfilled garden shed with a bottle of pills on the table or a garage with blackened out windows. However, each are linked by the symbolism of small black flowers. . .brought in from the garden by the embittered and volatile Melissa, stuffed behind a road sign in remembrance of a terrible motorcycle accident or the title of a Manic Street Preachers song which has emotional significance for a mother sat alone at her kitchen table.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    -

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

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