Details

Oxford’s new-writing night: watch a rehearsed reading of a brand new play, curated by John Retallack.

Each script is brought to life by a cast of professional actors.

New writing is precarious in the current climate, and we are thrilled to support emerging artists with staged play readings. Join us for regular nights of great theatre, by outstanding up-and-coming playwrights. We can’t wait.

CHEMISTRY

by Jo Watt

When Christopher Taft, a 52-year-old pharmaceutical scientist, loses his wife to motor neurone disease, he has to recalibrate his relationship with his teenage daughter.

As if that wasn’t hard enough, he has to learn to love again.

CHEMISTRY is a funny, feisty, family drama about moving on.

After a career in drama education, Jo has been a member of the Oxford Playwriting Course since 2018. CHEMISTRY is her fourth play.

About John Retallack

From 2013 John was Head of Writing for Performance at Ruskin College in Oxford where he produced RUSKIN PLATFORMS, live readings of contemporary plays, from 2013-2017.

He currently runs his own highly successful playwriting course in Oxford: www.oxfordplaywriting.co.uk.

He was Artistic Director of Oxford Stage Company at The Oxford Playhouse (1989 – 99). He has written over twenty plays and adaptations for theatre and for radio. Amongst other nominations and awards, he has won an Olivier, two coveted TMA/SWET awards, two Herald Angels and one Fringe First.

Cast

JENNIFER – Emma Keele
Emma trained at LAMDA and Stella Adler Studio (NY).
Theatre credits include: Noughts and Crosses (UK tour) Monster (Park), East is East (B’ham Rep & NT), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (NT – International Tour), Abigail’s Party (Theatre Royal Bath & UK Tour) The End of the Line (Southwold Summer Rep), The Borrowers (Polka), Yen (Gothenburg English Studio), Phaedra’s Love (Arcola)
TV and film credits include: The Suspect (ITV), Emmerdale (recurring role, ITV), Silent Witness (BBC), Coronation Street (ITV), Downton Abbey (ITV), Doctors (BBC), New Tricks (BBC), 22. Anna Matthews (Short, Best Actress Award at OIFF 2021)

CHRIS – Paul Ansdell
Paul lives in Oxford and has been an actor for over 30 years, working in theatre, television, film and radio. He has narrated numerous audio books, including The Hummingbird by Sandro Veronesi which was broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on New Year’s Day, 2023. He has worked on many of John Retallack’s playwrights’ new works, and is delighted to be a part of this rehearsed reading of Jo Watt’s Chemistry.

LEAH – Katie Friedli Walton
British-Swiss actor and writer Katie Friedli Walton graduated from University of Oxford in 2021 with a first-class BA in English Literature and Language.
Having trained with the RADA Youth Company, her credits include Jo March in Little Women (OVO), BAFTA-nominated short Dolápò is Fine (Disney+), The Hummingbird (BBC Radio 3), Shadows of Troy (Oxford Playhouse), Wait till the End (The Pappy Show), The Red Shoes (Pleasance), Abandon (Lyric Hammersmith), and The Winter’s Tale (RADA).

STELLA – Christina Kowalchuk
Christina Kowalchuk is an actor, singer-songwriter, and educator. She provides voice-over for adverts, cartoons, video games, films, and more. A long-time American transplant, her previous stage performances include a turn in the Vagina Monologues at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre in California. Christina leads writing and art workshops, and also works as an expert simulated patient for University of Oxford’s medical school.

MOLLY – Claire Harris
Claire is an actor who has Down’s syndrome. She graduated from the Access All Areas (AAA) Performance Making Diploma at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2021. Claire is an Associate Artist with AAA. Claire studied at Orpheus College and works there as a Life Skills technician. She combines this with ongoing projects with AAA and local amdram opportunities.
Molly is Claire’s first professional role and she is delighted to be working in Oxford.