The first ever festival of its kind here in Liverpool, Deux Festival was a collaboration between Stage and the City and Creative Wire at the Arts Bar Studio 3. Stage and the City aims to tell “real stories through the lens of humour” and Deux Festival was about giving a platform to budding playwrights to see their work in action and therefore, democratising the theatre-making process.

This two-day festival was, in short, a showcase of 10 to 15-minute plays by upcoming playwrights all competing for the coveted awards.

The rules were: two actors only, no more than 15 minutes in length and something that had to wow the resident GODA adjudicator, Sue Doherty (a familiar face and indeed a household name to anyone who’s ever performed in the local Leverhulme Drama Festival).

I arrived on the first night ready to get comfortable for a whole two nights of fringe theatre. I was welcomed into the auditorium bar for a drink to begin the evening.

The programme promised a bumper smorgasbord of six two-handers.

Ably introduced and compered by Deux hostess, the formidable Abbey Fitzhenry, we were invited to enjoy the night, not forgetting to turn our phones off to help the actors give the performance of a lifetime to bag one of those prizes.

Play 1: Kelly’s Eye

Written by Bernie Winston

Directed by Bernie Winston

Starring Pam Ashton and Bethany George

Starting off with Kelly’s Eye, written and directed by Bernie Winston, the story centres on the relationship between the mother and daughter getting ready for a night out at the bingo, ribbing each other in the way only a mum and lass know how – except that is, for Bernie Winston. Witty jokes elicited laughs from the audience. This was warm, heartfelt and an altogether lovely opener to the competition.

Play 2: At the End of Our Street

Written by Leo Moore

Directed by Leo Moore

The pace ramped up with At the End of Our Street. This was a cast of four, and therefore, not adjudicated. The play starred four young actors in a bizarre scenario. Three friends are living together and the house at the end of the street comes on the market. This is not just any house, but the house two of the friends have been lusting over for ever (four bedrooms with a pool – understandable!). When a newcomer to the neighbourhood turns up and threatens to take away the house of their dreams, the friends hatch a plan to get it back within their grasp. The acting was sharp and comedic in this entertaining piece.

Play 3: And How Do You Feel About That?

Written by Anna Miller

Directed by Joel Cousens

Getting more serious, And How Do You Feel About That was eery, playful, thrilling and comforting in equal measures. Two actors and about six characters, I counted? Two marriages on the brink of collapse and a blossoming friendship between two people who really get each other – what it is to feel trapped in a loveless relationship. The vignettes featured snapshots from their lives interspersed with counselling sessions (hence the title). The funniest moment of the night was the Merseyrail announcer in reading out the familiar train script that interrupts all our best conversations in his Scouse accent – his jaded demeanour becoming more and more apparent with every utterance. For a short play, this certainly didn’t skimp on the tech with red lights, disco balls and great musical interludes and sound effects.

And just like that, it was the halfway point already, another trip to the bar (or in my case down to the main arts bar for coffee and a packet of Salt and Vinegar crisps). The interval was replete with hobnobbing accompanied by an acoustic music set by Creative Wire’s own Markie Reader.

And soon it was time to get ready for the second instalment.

Play 4: Response Time

Written by Leonisha Barley

Directed by Elsa Ghibbert

Response Time was comedic, thrilling and also a cautionary tale to be careful who you move in with. Instagram influencer Chelsea has shacked up with her new beau – a man who is obviously proud of himself, having left his wife and found someone a lot younger. When the wife comes round for a confrontation, all goes awry, a dead body playing third wheel to their romantic bliss. The police are on their way, and it’s a race against time to deal with the corpse, think of an alibi and come up with a convincing story for the death that doesn’t implicate the happy pair. Only it turns out that boyfriend is not all he seems, this gaslighting, Andrew Tate fanboy has a secret plan all of his own. This story had all the elements of intrigue and was very topical for this modern era where social media is ruling the roost and corrupting our loved ones in myriad ways.

Play 5: Melon Twisters

Written by Eddie Williams

Directed by Mark Holland

Starring Alex Roberts and Chelsea-Leigh Gentile

Melon Twisters kept the set pared back with a sofa. The play opens with a mobile ringing tone and a lethargic girl trying to get some much-need shut eye. The less than salubrious home paints a picture of a homelife tarnished by poverty and addiction. The man of the house comes home and there is confrontation as the relationship is clearly strained by the pressure of penury and the stresses that go with being dealers. Despite the fractious exchanges, the bond emerges as it becomes clear that the couple had hopes and dreams for something better which never came to pass. This play is a reminder of the power of connection in the darkest moments.

Play 6: Paint Stripper

Written by Rachel Clark

Directed by Margaret Connell

Starring Sam Walton & Hayley Brown

Another two characters conversing in another venue – though rather than it being at home, as most of the plays were this evening, Paint Stripper was set in a pole dancing club – with actual poles on the stage, or they looked like from where I was sat (at the very back). An unlikely friendship is struck up, the way it can when two women get together to reveal their innermost thoughts, desires and fears. A far too frumpy for her age 30-something enlists the help of part-time painter and decorator to give her a pole dancing tutorial which will allow her to break out of her shell and find her sexy side. Through the exercise of shared intimations, each helps the other find their next step in life. This felt an original and fresh backdrop to the much-loved heart-to-heart storyline.

Thus concluded the first suite of plays, which were dutifully reviewed in situ by the judge-in-residence, Sue Doherty. Did I forget to mention this is a competition? (Check out part two to find out the winners.)

This was a great opening night for the first Deux Festival. Entertaining, uplifting, humorous, thrilling, suspenseful and heart-warming

Night Out at Deux Festival: Part 2

Deux Festival was an exciting local festival spanning two nights at the Arts Bar Studio 3. Hosted by Stage and the City and Creative Wire, this was the first of its kind in the city – a two-hander themed playwriting contest that gave those scripts legs, allowing the audience to see brand new works come to life on a low budget, proving that entertainment need not cost the earth to produce.

Night Two was a shorter programme, as the adjudicator awards were to follow, so without further ado, we had…

Play 7: Otters

Written by Robert Tovey

Directed by Robert Tovey

Starring Lara Field and Anastasia Newton

Otters opened with an exciting intro, a maniacal Lara Field wielding a bloody knife, reminiscent of a brunette Harley Quinn, with her hair in two buns and a punk costume of fishnet tights, shorts and… blood. Her partner in crime feels like more of an ingenue to the whole killing game, wanting to hold hands and chat feelings at the most inopportune of moments. At one point, I thought they’d been culling otters to tame an unruly infestation. Or had they been murdering humans as a protest against overpopulation? Anyway, at least it gave X a chance to confess her ostensibly unrequited love. And now, I know what “spraint” means now – you can never know too many words. Solid acting and a curious episode in two women’s lives.

Play 8: Faux Queen

Written by Hayden Sugden

Directed by Samantha Alton

Starring Jen Cartwright and Andrew McKay

Drag queen, Fanny Adams, lifted the mood, announcing the evening’s entertainment with high energy, then went backstage to the dressing room for a costume change where she came across Miss O’Jenny, a female drag artist who’s delighted to finally meet her hero, the person who gave her the inspiration and confidence to discover a new life for herself. We witnessed a wonderful ping pong match of arguments for and against female drag queens, we got a lesson in the politics and roots of drag and found out how it has evolved as an artform. The set was bright and beautiful, with stunning costumes – a visual feast for the eyes to match this vibrant script.

Play 9: Friday Night at the Duck and Dive

Written by Nadine Jump

Directed by Lee Clotworthy

Starring Ted Grant and Francis J Brack

The actors emerged from the back to rev up the audience and welcome them to our home for the evening, the Duck and Dive. Ash and Sammy were our hosts, offering a glorious illustration of one interesting Friday night in the pub – one that supports the reds. Through the two actors, we meet an array of colourful characters, including the landlord, Eddie the army veteran, Katy the regular and even Liverpool goal-scoring extraordinaire, Ian Rush. Our two hosts led us in singing a homage to this great man, but you know what they say, never meet your heroes, especially when he orders a bottle of rose, much to Sami’s chagrin. Like all interesting pub nights, we got to see a match, watch a fight and witness an emotional breakdown with a moving monologue from Eddie. This was fast-paced, thrilling, hilariously entertaining and it plugged into every strand of the emotional spectrum. By the end of the 20 minutes, it felt as though I’d been in the Duck and Dive all night.

Adjudicator comments:

As well as her insightful observations and critique for the individual plays, Sue Doherty from Goda, had a few comments for aspiring playwrights and those looking to boost their writing game:

Always have a good plot in mind, no matter how short the play. You have to take the audience on a journey. Also ensure the characters are layered and interesting. Don’t shoehorn in dialogue for the sake of it or just to get a laugh – the lines have to have a purpose for the story or tell us more about the characters. And don’t overuse your F-bombs and naughty words – make them impactful by being sparing – unless that’s how the character genuinely would talk.

She also had a big tip for the actors: get to know different plays and try to get parts in published works that make up the great literary cannon. This will provide the variety to hone one’s craft.

The Awards

After a short break with more musical accompaniment from Markie Reader and some celebratory drinks at the bar, we were rejoined by Abbie Fitzhenry, Sue Doherty and award sponsor, Bev Clark from Bus Stop Productions, who presented the winners with their shiny new trophies.

While there were a decent number of nominations, the final victors were as follows. We extend a hearty congratulations to them from Creative Wire:

Best Actress: Hayley Brown

Best Actor: Ted Grant

Most Promising Actor: Anastasia Newton

Best Director: Robert Tovey

Best Original Play: Faux Queen by Hayden Sugden

Stage and the City Awards:

The two two-handers which will get to come back for a double header are:

Paint Stripper by Rachel Louise Clark

Faux Queen by Hayden Sugden

It is hoped Stage and the City will return next year with a brand-new festival theme that will give our writers food for thought and induce them to get creative once again. Looking forward to that announcement!