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Stand 'N' Tan Gallery... click on thumbnails to enlarge image...

“Brilliant performance. You do our gender proud!” Stand ‘N’ Tan… the story Set in a local ‘Stand ‘n’ Tan’ single mam Joanne is preparing for her imminent wedding- with a little help from her baby sister Sarah and chief bridesmaid and bestmate, lesbian nurse Sandra. But like most weddings, things aren’t running smoothly……. The girl’s good friend Mary is in hospital with cancer and alls seems lost when Joanne’s dressmaker loses the tips of her fingers serving 4oz of Brie at the cheese counter in Fenwick’s. Thankfully, Maryam, a woman-seeking asylum from Iran, saves the day by agreeing to take over the pearl trim. But Joanne’s mam, Theresa, is far from pleased…Amidst the hilarity of duty free tabs and an improtu false tan session, Stand ‘n’ Tan explores prejudice and fear and what happens to people when they ‘re faced with the loss of life, love youth, land, liberty, a gold ring and a neighbour’s dog………     “Bringing issues of life to the forefront, raising the awareness of racism, relationships, ignorance and fears that lie within people, out into the open, so they can be discussed… making others think more deeply about assumptions, rumours and lies that are spread on a daily basis. Thank you…”   Stand 'N' Tan was supported by...   The following groups directly informed the creation of Stand ‘N’ Tan: Byker Sands – St Martins – West Walker Family Centre – St Mary’s RC High School – Walker Technological College – Quality Protects, Looked After Young Women – Untied Black Youth Association and Iranian Women Seeking Asylum, Angelou Centre – West End Women & Girls Centre – Ashlyns – Tyneside Women’s Health – St Chads – Women 4 Women. The following funders supported this project: Community Fund, Lottery Funded. Northern Rock foundation. Newcastle City Council. Arts Council England. Sure Start. Community Foundation, serving Tyne and Wear and Northumberland; Women’s Fund, Newcastle Building Society and Ringtons Fund.   The 2009 retour was supported by: Arts Council England North East. Northern Rock Foundation. Newcastle City Council. Lankelly Chase Foundation. Your Homes Newcastle. NE Women's Network. Newcastle Community Development Team   "With a feelgood soundtrack and plenty of gags, Stand ‘n’ Tan is light relief from heavy headlines, yet its serious undertones echo wider issues without making you feel guilty for letting your hair down” The Journal, March 2009 Read the Journal's Review here.   Stand 'N' Tan... the background... This production was fourteen months in the making. Using the above stimulus, Open Clasp facilitated over fifty workshops, working with over 200 young women/women, aged 10 – 86 yrs. Nineteen characters where created, with numerous issues highlighted. Playwright and one of the co-founders of Open Clasp Catrina McHugh, spent the next 6 months researching the issues raised and developing characters till finally a work in progress script was produced. Working under the direction of visiting director Fiona MacPherson, the company spent four weeks in rehearsals; devising and rewrites took place until eventually Stand 'N' Tan was ready for tour in February - April 2004. The show, plus drama workshops to further explore the issues highlighted in the piece, reached 4000 people. In February and March 2009 Open Clasp retoured Stand 'n' Tan. A total of 22 performances and 9 accompanying drama workshops took place during the 7 week tour. In total, 1965 people saw the show and 327 people took part in drama workshops with 73% of performances and 100% of workshops taking place at community venues. Feedback during and following the tour was overwhelmingly positive. Click Here to read the Evaluation Report of the 2009 Tour.

"That was amazing. You should be very proud! It really brought out very important issues and I think it has the power to transform people’s views"

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