The Midlands Premire of
Teapots and Superglue Ron Barber Studio
By Birmingham Writer Jonathan Owen
27 May - 5 June 2004 at 7.45 (Mats 29th & 5th at 2.45)
Teapots and Superglue Is a brand new play written by Birmingham actor Jonathan Owen which is being premired at the Crescent Theatre.
Roy Carr, from the Psychology Department of the local University, finally gets the funding to run an ‘Outreach Course’ in the local community.
From hundreds of applicants he chooses ‘the group’, with whom he will work:
Pat, a down to earth, working class housewife; Frank, a quiet and solitary widower; Judith, a withdrawn and nervy Civil Servant; Dawn, an angry, young single mum; Mo, a pleasant Pakistani student; Greg, a 30 something, sensitive teacher and Doreen, a posh and insensitive housewife.
Over six months we follow the group as they change and blossom.
We learn something of their pasts and the events which have shaped their lives.
We observe them struggling with their current situations, and the problems of day-to-day living: Pat’s lost relative, Dawn’s anger with her father, Mo’s struggle with being 'second generation immigrant', Judith’s legacy of Religion, Greg’s first love, Frank’s inability to care and Doreen......? Well, Doreen is perfect....isn’t she?
Much laughter, tears and surprises fill their stories, as we get to know them.....and care! As Roy says...
"Each life is full of cracks. Like an old teapot, it has a history.
And each fault in the glaze represents a story. Whether it’s worth the effort or not I have to wait and see. It’s like waiting for superglue to dry. You’re never sure it’s worked until you take your hands away. "
Jonathan Owen
Jonathan was born and lives in Birmingham. He trained as a Music and Drama teacher at St. Peter’s College, Faculty of Education, Birmingham University. After teaching in various schools and colleges, he became a full-time performer.
In the West-End he has appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar, Call Me Madam, Singin’ In The Rain, Ziegfeld and Having A Ball. In the provinces he has played most major theatres, where some of his favourite roles include: Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum (York), The King in The King & I (Weston), Harry Roat in Wait Until Dark (Jersey), Charles Condomine in Blithe Spirit and Mrs Swabb in Habeas Corpus (Isle of Man). His national tours include: Charlie Girl, Some Like It Hot and Singin’ In The Rain which also went to Tokyo.
His Television work is extensive amounting to over 50 appearances, including: Peter Nuttal, Kate O’Mara’s stepson in 26 episodes of the BBC1 soap Triangle. Peter Gillard in All Creatures Great & Small. Killer John in Prince Among Men, and Extremely Dangerous with Sean Bean. Most recent work includes: Doctors as Paul Watten for the BBC. London’s Burning for LWT. Alan Bleasedale’s Oliver Twist (filmed in Prague with Julie Walters) for Carlton. Emmerdale as nasty solicitor Mr. Sutherland for YTV, and as Peter Ward a dodgy tractor dealer in Heartbeat YTV.
His most enjoyable work though, has been in Coronation Sreet. for
Granada TV, and he is delighted to have played two very funny & different characters.
He first appeared in the guise of ‘The Great Orlando’, psychic hyponotist.
Causing mayhem by casting his spell on Blanche, Curly, Tyrone & Les’. Recently he
was reincarnated as ‘The Rev. Ashbourne’, initially trying to make sense of
Rita, Norris, Roy & Emily whilst they were ‘high’ on cannabis!
The Rev. returned to The Street in March 2004 to take a very controversial christening.
On Radio he has appeared in numerous plays and serials for BBC Radio 4, but is probably best remembered as Terry Barford in The Archers, a role he played for 10 Years. For two years he was also the voice of ‘Uncle Offa’ for BBC Radio 4’s Farming Week, which Gillian Reynolds of The Telegraph chose as her ‘Pick of the year’. Doctor Who fans will have heard him as Antronak on the CD The Eye of the Scorpion opposite Peter Davidson.
Jonathan is also one of the UK’s leading Pantomime ‘Dames‘, and in 1995, ‘96, ‘98 and 2000 he was resident Writer and Director for Bermuda’s Annual Pantomimes, before dashing back to play Dame in the UK.
In 2001 he joined the Examination Panel for Speech, Drama & Musical Theatre at Trinity College, London. In 2002 he toured India for three months, examining in Calcutta, Jamshedpur, Ahmedabad, Bombay and Delhi. In 2003 he examined extensively all over the North Island of New Zealand.