Overview
Liverpool, 1989. Greg is thirteen. He has just started secondary school. He earns pocket money sweeping up hair in a barbers. Girls are aliens. Liverpool FC are everything.
Liverpool, 2012. Greg has an extraordinary story to tell you.
Bottleneck is a vibrant coming-of-age story about becoming a man through adventures both big and small. It is about a notorious city; Liverpool. How the outside world views it, and how it views the outside world.
Recent LIPA graduate James Cooney performs following his acclaimed breakthrough performance in Island at the National Theatre.
Luke Barnes is a northern-born emerging playwright; both a unique and exciting wordsmith. His first play Chapel Street was selected as one of the top 5 new plays off the West End in 2011 by The Stage and he was shortlisted for an OffWestEnd award for most promising playwright.
Steven Atkinson directs. His previous productions for HighTide at the Edinburgh Festival include Dusk Rings A Bell by Stephen Belber (Assembly) and Lidless by Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig (Underbelly, Fringe First 2010 winner).
Running time 60 minutes approx. No interval.
Start time: 14.00
End Time: 15.00
Join in the conversation @ Twitter #bottleneck
Suitable for ages 12+
Production Supporters
Clare Parsons and Tony Langham
Criona Palmer and Tony Mackintosh
Cast/Creative
Written by Luke Barnes
Directed by Steven Atkinson
Movement Directed by Georgina Lamb
Lighting by Natasha Chivers
Sound and Music by Tom Mills
Assistant Directed by Richard Fitch
Performed by James Cooney
|
|
James Cooney is a recent graduate of LIPA. His theatre credits include Island at the National Theatre.
|
Reviews
Seldom does theatre possess the raw emotional power to reduce an entire room of strangers to stunned silence but HighTide Festival Theatre's magnificent staging achieves that feat with aplomb and sensitivity. Metro, FOUR STARS.
Luke Barnes, 24, captures the voice of Britain’s youth with wit and compassion. He emerges from this year’s Fringe as a red-hot writing talent to watch. The Independent, FOUR STARS.
Bottleneck is an outstanding play by young writer Luke Barnes. The Telegraph, FOUR STARS.
Bottleneck feels urgent, fresh, full of rage. Exuent, FOUR STARS.
There's been quite a buzz about Luke Barnes' play, and one can understand why. Whatsonstage, FOUR STARS.
Performed with poise and seemingly endless energy by James Cooney. The Scotsman, FOUR STARS.
Totally brought to life by Barnes’ vividly expressionistic writing. The List, FOUR STARS.
Barnes is one of the best new writers at the Fringe, and James Cooney is exceptional as Greg. Three Weeks, FIVE STARS.
James Cooney gives a great performance. Time Out
Book Now
Tickets can be booked through the Pleasance Theatre website here.
N.B There will be no performance August 13.
.jpg)