Hidden Voices 2024
Our first ever open call, Hidden Voices, supports under represented artists from the East/South East of England.
The selected artists’ work was featured at Hotbed 2024 after a period of bespoke development with the Menagerie team. We will be continuing to work with and support our Hidden Voices artists to develop their work and support their creative practice following Hotbed 2024.
Applications for Hidden Voices 2025 will open in spring 2025.
Beth is an actor and writer hailing from Teeside, living in London. TV shows include(Netflix-Afterlife 2018) (BBC-Pompidou 2015) (Doctors BBC 2023) Radio includes the award winning (English for Pony Lovers) as heard on John Finnemores ‘Double Acts’. Beth is a Laurence Olivier bursary winner, and 4x Triforce creative Network monologue slam champion.
“Hello! I’m Beth and I’m an actor and writer from Teesside (North East of England). I’m a working class writer and you definitely don’t know who I am! My childhood was spent shunting up and down the East coast of England collecting jellyfish stings, and that’s exactly where my show takes place.”
Dora is a theatre maker, writer, and lover of grabbing people out of the audience and making them do things!
Her work is often biographical, humorous, heartfelt, and deep dives into big subjects. She created and toured ADHD The Musical in 2023. Her latest show in development is The Lodger about home and belonging.
And has an MA in Applied Theatre from RCCSD. But most of her learning has come from failure of which she sees as a reliable companion on this burning floating rock in space.
“I’m in love with theatre. Throughout my life I’ve been involved in productions here and there as an actor, muso or writer but over the last years writing has grown from a sometimes hobby to being intrinsic to my purpose - sharing experiences and stories.
I’m a trans guy. I am also physically disabled and autistic. Like many other people whose voices are starting to be heard I was brought up to hide almost those aspects of myself. I thought I was alone. We deserve to be seen, both by people like us and by strangers.”
See Dora’s show The Lodger on tour now! Produced be RAWD Arts and Supported by Arts Council England.
Hidden Voices at Hotbed 2024
Gather Your Party Before Venturing Forth
Written and produced by Bobby Brill, Directed by Matisse Ciel Pagès
An intimate conversation facilitated (and hampered) by the shared experience of playing computer games. Exploring homelessness, disability, choice, neurodivergence and the value of human connection, it’s filled with nostalgia and the mundanity and silliness of every-day play, hard-won victories and bruising loses.
The Lodger
Written and Performed by Dora Colquhoun
Ever felt like you were on a quest to find home and a sense of belonging? The world of The Lodger is a disparate, hilarious and sometimes heartbreaking one. We meet a Sunday school teacher, a holiday camp entertainer, and a lonely landlady, all trying to find their sense of belonging. What more could you ask for… apart from maybe a home?
Clementine
Written and Performed by Beth Mullen
Sophie’s abducted a baby… She doesn’t even want a baby… but she knows that this baby deserves a good life and a good mother that doesn’t deep throat fags and voddy-cokes.
OUR SPONSORS AND SUPPORTERS
Funding also provided by: The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust