The Noise (2013)

An edge of the seat, sci-conspiracy thriller about memory, secrets and the effects of sound on human beings…

Written by Clare Duffy, J Spooner and Chris Thorpe
Made in co-production with Northern Stage and Warwick Arts Centre
Additional funding from The Wellcome Trust and Arts Council England

“In 2010 I had a conversation with Erica (Whyman, then Northern Stage’s Artistic Director) where she said ‘A few years ago you brought Tangle & The Ethics of Progress here for a week and sold out every night. It was a young audience interested in stories and science but that audience never returned. What could we make together that would encourage them to come back?’. It was an interesting proposition. At the time, ‘Scandi thrillers’ were all the rage on TV and Clare, Chris and I had spoken a couple of times before about “What would our HBO series be?”. So this was the perfect opportunity to make A Proper Thriller – like they have on the telly.” J Spooner

A remote island in the Southern Ocean.
A noise that never stops.
A massive iceberg in the harbour.
A body in the water.
And a 17 year girl who is the only one asking any questions.

The island of Whitley (nr. Antarctica pop. 600) is home to ‘The Noise’ – a weird, ever changing, always present sound that makes the islanders… different. Nobody knows what causes it and, because it’s all they’ve ever known, everyone has stopped asking. Only 17 year old Charlie and her best friend Harry, a local scientist, are still looking for the answers.

When a massive iceberg drifts improbably into the harbour one night and a body washes up soon after, Charlie finds there is no-one left she can trust and sets out on her own to uncover the truth and the source of The Noise.

Made in close collaboration with sound designer Gareth Fry, musician David Edwards and psychologists specialising in sound from the Universities of Newcastle and Leeds – Prof Tim Griffiths and Dr Denis McKeown.

You can read the ‘immersive’ script (for FREE) here

After a 3 week run at Northern Stage in Newcastle, the show toured to theatres across the UK including Warwick Arts Centre and West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Written by Clare Duffy, J Spooner and Chris Thorpe Directed by J Spooner Cast: Rachel Gay, Viktoria Kay, Lauren Kellegher, Jerry Killick, Scott Turnbull Other Voices & Stage Management: Simon Perkins Designer: Rhys Jarman Sound Designer: Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin Costume Supervisor: Lydia Hardiman Original Music by David Edwards aka Minotaur Shock Lighting Design Katharine Williams Fight Direction: Tim Klotz ASM: Heather Newsam Projections by Will Simpson Original artwork by Alex Murray Consultant Scientists: Professor Tim Griffiths & Dr Denis McKeown

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