Grounded - “Incredible writing, music and performance.”
Zoe Lambert and Christina Berriman Dawson. Image source: Benjamin Michael Smith
Karen Underhill, Wilf Stone and Christina Berriman Dawson. Image source: Ben Michael Smith
Zoe Lambert, Christina Berriman Dawson. Image Source: Benjamin Michael Smith
Karen Underhill, Wilf Stone. Image Source: Benjamin Michael Smith
Karen Underhill, Zoe Lambert. Image Source: Benjamin Michael Smith
Christina Berriman Dawson. Image source: Benjamin Michael Smith
Marking the 5th anniversary of Covid-19 with heart, humour and live, original music - Grounded affirms life by confronting death- exploring real stories of grief to find hope and solidarity. The play was developed through in-depth collaboration over three years with people who were bereaved during Covid-19. Angela Kennedy said ‘it is through such creative performances that we collectively heal, make sense of difficult times and process the emotions so they are easier to live alongside… this play gives us a chance to remember, perhaps for the first time, and through that remembrance find a new appreciation of each other.’
We had a sell out run, lots of wonderful reviews and audience feedback. ‘A vigil and conversation that listens as much as it speaks,’ Grounded was praised for it’s moving and thought-provoking nature, its innovative approach to storytelling, and its ability to create a shared space for audience members to connect with the themes of grief and loss. Many of our audiences were not regular theatre-goers and many were at the theatre for the first time.
Reviews:
https://theatreandtonic.co.uk/blog/grounded-at-alphabetti-theatre-review
https://innewcastle.co.uk/review-grounded-at-alphabetti-theatre/
https://www.theatrevillage.co.uk/review-of-grounded-at-alphabetti-theatre/
https://northeastbylines.co.uk/culture/theatre/grounded-at-alphabetti-theatre/
“The performance gives voice and feeling to experiences of loss that would otherwise remain hidden as society tries to forget covid-19. It brings the complicated, difficult emotions of grief to life, evoking a world that is broken and remade through loss and intense and everyday waves of grief. Like much to do with grief, it’s a play about love, and how love and pain are closer than we sometimes like to think, or bear.”
“Such a beautiful and emotional piece. The sound really added to the feeling of the story and provided some space for the audience to pause and reflect on the different elements of the piece. I loved the simplicity of the set with the instruments. Would like to see it again. Well done to you all. Feelings were brimming but such an important story to tell.”
“Lots resonated. Complex and mulit-layered, musical and actors sounds emotional captured feelings effectively highlighted bereavement during covid-19 – essential. BRAVE! Keep raising awareness of the issues that arose from bereavement during covid PLEASE!!”
“It made me cry in the best way. Helping to process what we have lived through without being maudlin or predictable. Great use of humour. Wow! Loved the music too.”
“Very intense and evocative performance. Music and script were brilliant and worked very well together.”
“It was absolutely stunning! Excellent staging, music, sets – everything. It was all so moving, personal and REAL. It’s just a beautiful piece of writing and acting. So clearly raw and relatable by anyone who has experienced bereavement. More people need to see this! A very poignant portrayal of the grieving process and ultimate acceptance and ‘moving on’ Also so accurate of the weirdness of those early covid days. An important document of those times and ultimately comforting.”
“Very moving, very tight funny writing and of course some gorgeous sad moments. Music was beautifully composed and performed VERY glad I caught it.”
“From the moment it started as an audience member I felt in safe hands – very important in a show of this natures. It was moving, powerful – the music was so impactful and it was beautifully written, funny and hard and thoughtful.”
“Poignant, adept storytelling, lovely mix of live music and theatre, outstanding acting. Very sweet storytelling about such a sad loss. Funny in places, beautiful music and it made me cry too. Thank you for sharing this story.”
“Well written and thought provoking.”
“Took me to my own place of missing my special person, gently and with love. Loved the music, amazing performances. Beautifully, thoughtfully written. Thank you.”
“It was a clever concept, beautifully written and performed brilliantly by a tiny cast of just four people. The intimacy of such a small performing space helped us to draw you in and the mix of humour with tragedy, along with the accompanying music, highlighted the ups and downs; the anger and the shock contrasting with the happiest memories. They same actor played several different roles and at no time were you ever in doubt as to who (or what) she was; no costume changes just the expertly performed, very clever script. The only negative? I hadn’t thought to get a tissue out of my bag and didn’t want to disturb the audience by rummaging for one. So the tears rolled freely. So cathartic! I won’t say life changing – but it was pivotal for me on my bereavement journey.””
Audience Feedback
“It's well written and touchingly told - filled with nostalgia and grief with a hopeful outlook, I liked the unusual nature of the way you've framed the conversation between Katherine and the house and the potent sense of holding on and letting go.”
“Great script – humour and crying all there... Love the sounds house/sound – all that really adds loads.”
“I think it’s beautifully written, it feels so tender and honest, full of love – love the ‘conversation’ between them.”
“Felt like a tender and quite beautiful / poetic portrayal of grief during covid. Did really feel the powerlessness and frustration coming through the script. Enjoyed the character of the house as a constant ‘supporting’ character/ sound board. The music. Sound really brought it to life – felt important.”
“Beautifully put together, very moving, funny, hard-hitting, live music added everything.”
“I absolutely loved it. It was beautiful, very powerful, super engaging and very moving the music was incredible. I loved it.”
“Through the depth of care in this project you have created a powerful and truthful piece of writing. It is beautiful and tender, heart-wrenchingly honest.”
“Genuinely powerful, I was fortunate not to suffer a close loss during the pandemic but the play really brings home what that must feel like. I liked the use of the house character, novel interesting, enjoyed the music – it worked well.”
“Powerfully and beautifully written, both actors were fantastic - Covid was like a backdrop and didnt invade the story which was excellent.”
“First time I have ever been to Alphabetti – lovely theatre. The production was great – very emotive, the story was something new also it felt like I had watched a long story so much packed into an hour. Music was super but it was the story that grabbed me the most, very funny in parts made me cry in places.”
“Love the style and use of music – recurring theme felt very ethereal. Really found the subject matter incredible moving. The script and performers did a great job portraying how dehumanising and traumatic having loved ones in hospital during the pandemic was.”
“Raw, visceral, breathing, living and poignant. The perfect space for the show and some proper lush humans working on it. Loved delving into the world and watching betti with a full house, way more than deserved. The anxiety was spicy but I needed to see this and I’m so glad that I pushed through. More from this team please.”
“Powerful, emotional, important. Important to have something about period of collective and isolating grief: very limited public grieving and memorialisation has been made of period of collective trauma and grief. this is vital that there is culture and art about this period/ set in this period.”
“Completely wowed by it. It was top quality in its performances, direction, writing and music. It was a really engaging and accessible way to explore complicated themes. I cared about the characters and it felt a very honest portrayal of grief. A really important example of using art and creativity to help people process their emotional responses.”
“Amazing, powerful, moving, real, authentic production. Thank you. Resonates with everyone.”
“It was incredible and brought me on the verge of tears. Everyone on stage was outstanding at what they did.”
“It was very raw, heartfelt and creative. It touched a nerve – facing sudden grief through covid as so many people did. Touching. The music was tremendous and added so much to the performance and atmosphere – well done.”
“Absolutely brilliant. So moving and poignant. Music was ethereal I hope it goes out on tour it was magic.”
“Absolutely wonderful, very hard hitting and thought provoking, emotional. Well done everyone.”
“The play grounded was beautiful, emotional, humorous and really well done the way so few people can make such a huge impact. The instrument sounds were great and so effective.”
“Moving, thought provoking, brilliant acting and music.”
“Amazing and very believable and able to resonate with.”
“Wonderful. So much packed into one hour, the emotion felt real, well earned. Every character was amazing, all was fantastic to watch.”
“The performance was amazing. 11/10. Props to the writer actors and musicians.”
“Loved the music intertwined with the story. Very engaging performers, with beautiful tenderness and connection between them. Felt the show was built up to the emotional climax with gentleness and humour but in a way that was really powerful.”
“It was beautiful. So memorable. I cried a lot. I remembered a lot of things I had forgotten about lock down, the loss of my friends mother in the pandemic, my childhood home. Wonderfully written, directed and performed. Loved the music, The set was well thought through.”
“It was very well performed. Dealt with emotive content in a very sensitive and humorous way without losing the emotion of the story. I was engaged from the start to finish. Thought the music cleverly complemented the drama which was acted out on stage. Very thought provoking and moving.”
“It was lovely – the music, silence, movement of love, loss, joy.”
“Amazing”
“Powerful”
“Brutally honest and moving”
“A journey processing grief, memory and it was a really needed conversation. The music was grounding and embodied.”
“It was incredible and brought me on the verge of tears. Everyone on stage was outstanding at what they did.”
“Lovely, emotional, beautifully acted. Captured a strange time for us all.”
“Raw, visceral, breathing, living and poignant. More from this team please.”
“Love the style and use of music – recurring theme felt very ethereal. Really found the subject matter incredible moving. The script and performers did a great job portraying how dehumanising and traumatic having loved ones in hospital during the pandemic was.”