COLLECTOR of Tears is a new love story told by Madeleine MacMahon, who makes her North-East debut as Tanya Sealt. The play is written by Sean Burn, the founder member of Tyneside theatre company, Gobscure.
Tanya is unable to age until she has cried. Instead, she collects tears from the people she encounters across 400 years of radical English history. She even gifts the original story of King Lear to Shakespeare. Wherever Tanya goes, she carries her collection of glass tear-bottles and proceeds to tell their stories, which weave together half-remembered myths with poetry.
Sean Burn is a writer, performer and artist with a growing following. He’s actively involved in disability arts and was shortlisted for a Dadafest disability arts award and is also one of only five disabled writers nationally to be selected for Write to Play - a current year-long development programme with Graeae, The National Theatre studio, The Royal Court Theatre and Soho Theatre.
The national tour of Sean Burn's new play is directed by acclaimed South Shields-based director Jackie Fielding. Original live music is composed and performed by Ken Patterson and Newcastle designer, Alison Ashton, has teamed up with Effie Burns who has created the collection of glass tear-bottles for Tanya's story.
Oct 30 - Washington Arts Centre (tickets: 0191-219-3455)
Helen Brown
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