ASSOCIATE ARTISTS AT QUEEN’S THEATRE HORNCHURCH – LONDON THEATRE OF THE YEAR
Who are we?
Old Trunk is a two-woman theatrical operation fired up by proud working class Essex roots and feminist fury. Expect laughs, expect tears, expect to come out with a riot in your heart.
“Their work is not only sharp and provocative and funny, it changes the audience…” – Douglas Rintoul, Artistic Director of Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch
Actually who though?
Founders, Artistic Directors & Producers: Sadie Hasler (Playwright/Actor) & Sarah Mayhew (Director/Actor)
What do we do?
We are dedicated to creating strong roles for women, in plays about women, driven by women. We like to explore themes that don’t often get spoken about. We like to express things that can make some people feel uncomfortable and challenged. We like to rally our art, hearts, and other parts of our selves in a way that makes all women feel seen, understood, and celebrated.
Like what?
Like PRAMKICKER – our first two-hander, an unrelentingly sharp comedy about what it means to be a modern woman. published by Bloomsbury Methuen Drama – premiered at the Marlborough Theatre, Brighton in 2015, went on to Latitude Festival, Assembly Edinburgh 2015, then was invited to be part of the King’s Head Theatre‘s 40 year anniversary celebration of new writing. It then toured the UK and was invited back to both the Marlborough and the King’s Head, ran at Camden People’s Theatre as part of Camden Fringe Festival in 2017, and had a sell-out run at Vault Festival London in 2019. Latitude Festival loved it so much they asked for us to return in 2019, this time in the big Cabaret Theatre. Pramkicker has also enjoyed international success, being produced by some cool companies in Washington DC, Sydney, and Melbourne to amazing reviews, and was translated into Italian for productions in Rome, Milan, Asti, and Gualtieri.
Like our ferocious punk play FRAN & LENI – also published by Bloomsbury Methuen Drama – which premiered at Latitude 2016 and went on to an acclaimed run at Assembly Edinburgh 2016, toured the UK with assistance from Arts Council England, and had a big London finale as part of the King’s Head Theatre’s Queer Season 2017. Fran & Leni has also enjoyed international success, in Chicago, Washington DC, Melbourne & Sydney.
Anything else?
Aside from touring both plays, we’ve been: running our successful storytelling night DAMN WRITE; curating the inaugural weekend of new writing event Outer Limits, in partnership with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch with support from the Clothworkers’ Foundation; and being accepted onto Mercury Theatre Colchester’s Mercury Creatives scheme with support from the European Regional Development Fund.
