THE IDEA: I DIED IN A MOSHPIT
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I Died in a Moshpit is a queer coming of age gig-theatre show set in the underground mosh pits of Leed’s punk rock scene. It will be written by Rebecca Glendenning and created with director Melanie Rashbrooke and theatre company The Six Twenty.
I Died in a Moshpit is about not fitting in at school, rebelling against your parents, falling in love and figuring out who and what it is you want to be. It’s about love. The kind of love that gets in your gut.
It’s the mess, self-doubt and uncertainty of adolescence. It’s plastic cups of cider, kissing on the dance floor, and screaming at the top of your lungs. It’s about being on the cusp of change, not sure what tomorrow will bring, but maybe holding someone’s hand whilst that band plays that song will help.
★★★★
“Euphoric rebellion – it’s impossible not to leave the theatre smiling ”
THE STAGE on WE ARE THE BEST
ADAPTED BY REBECCA GLENDENNING
THE STORY
I Died in a Moshpit is about five queer friends as they realise their punk-rock haven isn’t as safe as they thought, and they have to band together to create space for each other.
It’s about finding your community and having the freedom to explore and express who you are. Inspired by Rebecca’s experiences of growing up as a young queer person in non-queer spaces. In specific, the infamous Leed’s gig venue / nightclub The Cockpit.
“I spent a lot of time in Leeds as a teenager, in the music venues and punk scene. I adored it. My experiences were of being queer in non-queer spaces, being a teenager in adult spaces, being a young woman in a majority male space, and trying to take up space whilst figuring out who I was. The pressure cooker created by all those elements is something I’ve wanted to write about for a long time. I’ve also always wanted to write a nervous, innocent lesbian first love story, as a counter to the oversexualisation we often face.”
– REBECCA GLENDENNING (Writer)
THE EXPERIENCE WE HOPE TO CREATE
“I love going to gigs, seeing live music and that feeling you get seeing a performer in real life! I want that feeling in the theatre. That’s what we’re always trying to do with The Six Twenty.”
– MELANIE RASHBROOKE (Director)
Setting fire to what theatre can be, we believe it should begin well before the curtain rises and long after it drops. This isn’t ‘sit down, shut up’ theatre. This is theatre for a great night out.
We like taking over spaces and making shows that are site-responsive. I Died in a Moshpit will be a fully immersive experience. Expect to have your hand stamped on entry or maybe you’ll receive a backstage wristband to access all areas.
We’re world builders. We create pre and post show elements that add to the experience e.g. art installations, pre/post show parties, DJ sets and gigs. We think theatre works best as a social event with a reason to come early and stay late. It’s a place to make discoveries and meet new friends.
“How modern theatre should be, it’s live, it’s immersive and it makes you want to jump out of your seats and dance”
– NIGHTS OUT NEWCASTLE on FANS
by THE SIX TWENTY
We create live, social shared experiences. Shows that you don’t just watch. Shows you are a part of.
We make work for newer theatre goers; people who might feel more comfortable going to the bingo, a pub quiz, a stand-up comedy show or music gig but are less likely to come to the theatre for a night out.
Much like a music gig, direct address features heavily in our shows. We see and interact with our audience. There’s no forth wall here.
We like our audiences to have fun and feel at home. You can take photos, grab a drink or go to the toilet halfway through. This is a relaxed social space.
“All too quickly the night is over and it feels almost surreal to emerge back into the real world back into the real world. Come back soon Club Six Twenty.” – NARC. on CLUB SIX TWENTY
THE INTENDED AUDIENCE
It’s a celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community, music, and all the people it brings together. It’s a show for anyone who’s found their place and their people amongst the sweaty bodies, neon lights, and hazy dance floors – because anyone can have a go in the pit.
We like to make work that encourages first time theatre goers to cross the threshold and try something new. We like to mix people who don’t typically go to theatre with people who love to go. It’s about the exciting things that happen when these groups come together.
WHO WE’RE WRITING IT FOR:
- Music fans; alternative music fans, punk rockers and music festival goers
- Teenagers and young people 14yrs+
- LGBTQIA+ community and allies
- Theatre goers and new writing fans
- People who don’t typically go to theatre shows
- Locals – people who already see Curious Arts as their home and people who don’t yet know it
“Loved, properly loved Fans. You have to see it. It makes you love life” – Mark Calvert (Associate Director, Northern Stage)
“Perfectly pitched to appeal to the next generation of theatre appreciators. Just brilliant.” – Audience feedback
WHO WE ARE
This is a new collaboration between queer writer and theatre-maker Rebecca Glendenning, queer theatre director Melanie Rashbrooke and local theatre company The Six Twenty. I Died in a Moshpit is led by a queer team of creatives and will be developed with some of the most exciting local artists around.
Rebecca Glendenning
Rebecca is a writer, performer and theatre maker based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Her work is refreshing, funny, and tender. Influenced heavily by politics and sexuality, Rebecca enjoys challenging classic narrative tropes and structures, reworking them to create fresh and politically driven storytelling. She believes in the power of joy, especially when tackling big themes. She was also co-founder of theatre and cabaret company, Bonnie and The Bonnettes, (Drag Me to Love, And She, Bon Bon’s Cabaret). In 2022, she adapted Lukas Moodysson’s We Are The Best for Live Theatre. Her first stage adaption. She cannot wait to build on this experience and write I Died in a Moshpit, her first original full length play.
Melanie Rashbrooke
Melanie founded The Six Twenty in 2016 to make theatre shows that bring all types of performance together for a great night out. Music, comedy, dance, improv and traditional theatre come together to make something super special! Melanie also freelances as a director and producer and is a producer for Gateshead International Festival of Theatre. Melanie’s shows with The Six Twenty include: Redcoat, Mixtape, I Made You A Playlist, Fans and Breakfast Hearts / Choirplay. Melanie works with partners all over the UK and has made a few things with them too: Live Theatre & Northern Stage (Newcastle), Traverse & The Underbelly (Edinburgh), Improbable, Theatre503, Soho Theatre, the Albany (London), ARC (Stockton) and The Paper Birds (UK wide).
The Six Twenty
You know the feeling of telling a story to your friends? Maybe it’s a funny story or a completely unbelievable one. It could be full of drama or a total tear-jerker. Something that happened to you just yesterday or something from years ago. You know the feeling when your friends react in all the right places? Or some of the wrong ones! We love that feeling. We love telling a story and seeing people react to it, in real time. That’s how The Six Twenty was born. To make and tell stories you want to hear. And to tell them in ways you might find surprising. Our theatre isn’t just something you watch. It something you’re part of.
Find out more about us and our current and previous projects
VIDEO CLIPS
PHOTOS OF CURRENT & PREVIOUS WORK
