Presented by SDJ Productions, originally developed for BBC Radio 4, co-produced by Theatre Royal, Plymouth
Cracking
A new dark comedy by Shôn Dale-Jones
“The most generous of hosts… a mesmerising personality… a gifted storyteller… a natural comic.” – The Guardian
When the world goes mad, do we inevitably go mad too?
When Shôn playfully cracks an egg on his mother’s head, he has no idea real-life internet trolls will appear on his doorstep. CRACKING takes on the battle between love and hate, asking what’s funny and where we draw the line. Part stand-up, part theatre CRACKING is a funny, touching and thought-provoking solo performance that sews together fact and fiction into one seamless whole making us wonder what’s real, what’s not and what’s gone wrong.
This is a story about love and hatred celebrates how searching for connection beats disconnecting. CRACKING is a heart-warming and uplifting comic story about loving in the face of hatred.
“The Great Welsh Storyteller.” – Lyn Gardner
“Legend of the Edinburgh Festival.“ – The Stage
“…On a blank stage floor save for a table, a laptop, chair and two mic stands, Dale-Jones is a captivating presence. Commissioned by the BBC and co-produced by Theatre Royal Plymouth, his CRACKING leaves its audience with much to ponder.”
Stage Talk Magazine
“…A dark and delightful 75 minutes.”
British Theatre Guide
Shôn Dale-Jones was born in Llangefni, on the Isle of Anglesey. He studied Drama & Film at the University of East Anglia (1987-1990) and trained at The Lecoq School in Paris (1990-1992) while making street theatre and performing stand-up.
SDJ Productions is Shôn Dale-Jones’ new company, founded post-pandemic. Over the last 25 years as founding director of both Hoipolloi and Hugh Hughes Productions, Shôn has written 27 theatre plays, five BBC radio dramas and a variety of short films and site-specific work. His award-winning work has been translated into seven languages and been presented in20 countries across six continents.
He has co-produced worked with BBC Radio 4, Royal Court, Barbican, Sydney Opera House and National Theatre Wales. He has won several awards including the BBC Audio Drama Award, two Fringe Firsts, a Total Theatre Award and a nomination for the Prix Europa. Shôn is renowned for creating theatre that addresses inequality and the divisions in our society between the haves and have-nots – he has told stories about refugees and the importance of acknowledging that opp ortunities shape individual lives and the shape of our society. He raised £100,000 for charities working with vulnerable children by performing THE DUKE and ME & ROBIN HOOD as fundraising performances between 2016-2019. Shôn is also ‘writer in residence’ at Street Child United (SCU), a global charity that work with street-connected children.
Barnfield Theatre
