"Colder Than Here" by Laura Wade (3-6 Apr 2019)

Poster

Death remains as taboo as it is inevitable, an irony that Laura Wade deals with in “Colder Than Here” with sensitivity and humour. Here we see a family living over the course of several months with the news of Myra’s imminent death. It is an unwelcome visitor into a family that has settled, as we all do, into accommodating each other’s foibles — but a visitor that changes everything… and everyone.

Wade is enjoying a stellar career — she had two plays in London last year, with the National Theatre’s production of “Home, I’m Darling” currently enjoying its West End transfer. In “Colder Than Here”, we see her at the beginning of her success, her 2005 debut.
And it is perhaps obvious that success was to come: the writing is poignant without being sentimental; funny yet profound.

​It has been a pleasure to work with the talented cast and crew that has come together to bring this important play alive.

What They Said
"We really enjoyed it, a triumph. Genuinely the best play we've seen all year" Ros & Mike S
"It was absolutely fantastic at every level. We loved it" Manon
"A lovely and moving performance" Teena H
"A very touching and poignant play" Christine L
“A very honest moving performance! Next step the Royal Court!” Mairead
“Colder than Here is a poignant examination of the journey a family goes through when a member knows they are dying of cancer. Choosing a burial place and funeral arrangements, with a broken domestic boiler do not sound like they are going to be the best way to pass your evening, but the writing is superb, touching and funny, and the delivery in this 4 hander is slick and well timed, with a fast pace and plenty to think about. The backdrops by Coral Churchill are a great setting for the tightly directed action by Paul Smith. Full disclosure - I helped with the set, but watching the magic happen was thrilling!” James H-S
“We laughed and laughed. Just my kind of black humour” Jane A
“I thought the show was absolutely fantastic! Laura Wade has created such a wonderful script and I just thought you all brought it to life so beautifully. The humour, the delicate moments. The audience last night were with you all the way. There were moments when you could hear a pin drop. Incredibly emotional, but such wonderful use of humour. An absolute pleasure to watch.  Congratulations!” Fleur dH
 “Full house, impressive cast of four all strong, poignant script, huge applause. Wish they’d done an encore would have stood up! Loved it!” Diane 
“I so much enjoyed the play - great performances from a superb cast ... could well have been in the ‘West End’ : thank you so much for bringing it to our attention.” Liza

Photos

Programme
programme_colder.pdf
File Size: 235 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Cast

Myra (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze)
Alec (Alastair Dewar)
Harriet (Coral Churchill)
Jenna (Flora Barker)

Crew

​Director (Paul Smith)
Assistant Director (Jane Atkinson)
Producers (Malcolm O’Neill, Jane Atkinson)
Stage Manager (Stuart Campbell, Bryony Wilman)
Set Designers (Malcolm O’Neill, James Holmes-Siedle)
Scenic Artist (Coral Churchill)
Lighting and Sound Designer (Marc Pearce)
Assistant Lighting Designer (Utku Er)
Props (Bryony Wilman)
Publicity (Fleur de Henrie Pearce)
Publicity Photographs (Ian Trowbridge)
Dress Rehearsal Photographs (Pihu Dube)
Front of House (Members and Friends of St Michael’s Players)