Littleborough playwright has play selected for HOME's Re:Play Festival

Photo: David Severn

To rhyme is sublime

A play written by Littleborough playwright, Luke Walker has been selected for HOME’s Re:Play Festival.

The Tongue Twister, which premiered at Manchester’s 24:7 Theatre Festival in July 2014, is set to be revived for one day only.

The Tongue Twister is set in a land where rhyming is banned and tells the story of Plug, who after eating a mysterious red lollipop begins to rhyme all of the time.

Written by Luke, the play is directed by Alyx Tole and was recently awarded the Vicky Allen Memorial Award by Equality for Best New Play.

After working as an actor in children’s theatre for several years, this is Luke’s first transition to writing for a young audience. He said: "I wondered what a world would be like where rhyming was illegal. And the only way to explore this was to have a character who suddenly begins to rhyme... all of the time.

“Working as an actor in children's theatre and touring all over Europe, I have seen a wealth of productions and they speak both to children and adults on different levels.

"While writing the play I discovered that the forbidden rhyme is wonderfully fun to play around with but is also an incredible metaphor in which to invest.

“I hope that this is a play that will speak to every generation of a family audience.”

Director Alyx Tole added: “Luke first gave me the play to read four years ago and I have loved exploring this darkly comic world. He has risen brilliantly to the challenge he set himself of writing in verse.”

Luke’s previous credits as a writer for Re:Play include Mind The Gap and Make Believe. Alyx has previously directed Make Believe and Billy, The Monster and Me.

Two performances of The Tongue Twister are scheduled for Saturday 24 January, one at 10am and the second at 12.30pm at the pop-up theatre, Number One, First Street, Manchester.