Dogwood Productions premier new musical Facing the Waves in Whitby
A story of selflessness and bravery that stretches across the centuries, a timeless responsibility passed on from one generation to the next. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things, putting the lives of others before their own.
Facing The Waves is a new musical from Whitby based Dogwood Productions to celebrate 200 years of the charity that saves lives at sea, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The theatre company’s recent shows have toured England and been heard on BBC Radio 4. It features songs and music from the award-winning composer, Alastair Collingwood.
Dogwood, is a professional community interest company which invests profits into supporting new and young performers. It is the official theatre partner for the RNLI as it celebrates its bicentenary, and 146,000 lives saved, in 2024.
The show brings together an iconic real-life Victorian hero and a young mum, a character created from the real people the writers met in writing the show. Henry Freeman miraculously survived the Whitby lifeboat disaster when all of the twelve other crew members perished, before leading some of the most extraordinary rescue attempts of the century. In present day, Faith is his counterpart, from a family steeped in the same tradition, juggling family, career and crewing the lifeboat. Will it be going off to sea or will it be chips for tea?
The landscape and sea are unchanging, but life in a community facing the waves brings new challenges. Henry was an outsider, questioned and shunned for much of his life. Adventure and misadventure, if it wasn’t true, it couldn’t be written. In the 21st century, the tide of tourists masks the challenges that characterises many of our beloved seaside towns. For Henry and Faith there are personal demons to be faced, redemption to be found.
In preparing the show, Dogwood, working with the BBC, conducted numerous interviews with communities including in the town, and Saltburn and Bridlington. They captured the memories, experiences and expectations of those living by the coast to create this authentic tale that encapsulates the dedication and heroism of the RNLI’s volunteers and the always present perils of the sea.
Anjie Rook RNLI Associate Director, who is overseeing the RNLI’s 200th anniversary programmes, said: ‘We are incredibly grateful to Dogwood Productions for supporting the RNLI with their musical Facing the Waves which will be performed in a range of venues across the North and East, particularly as we celebrate our bicentenary in 2024.
‘For 200 years, it is people who have made the RNLI what it is – from our brave volunteer lifesavers who risk their lives to save others, to the committed fundraisers and generous event organisers and donors – events like these are crucial to funding our 24/7 lifesaving service.’
Dogwood Productions’ shows focus on telling the story of those living in communities poorly represented and previous productions have explored the joys and challenges of rural living. Dogwood is a Community Interest Company and features new music, street theatre and puppetry to create distinctive productions.
Alastair Collingwood has composed the music for several Dogwood Productions. He has been a composer for over 30 years and written scores for numerous theatre shows, including London’s West End. His TV credits include the music for French and Saunders; the sitcoms, Mad About Alice (BBC 1) and Rhona (BBC 2); plus Vanessa’s Real Lives (ITV 1), Killer Shark Live (Five) and How Clean Is Your House? (Channel 4), amongst many others.
Facing The Waves is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.
It will be touring from September, premiering in Whitby. All performances 7.30pm unless otherwise stated.
Tickets available from the box office: https://www.dogwoodproductions.co.uk/boxoffice
September:
Friday 20, Chapel on the Hill, Whitby, YO21 1RB.
Saturday 21, at 2.30pm, Chapel on the Hill, Whitby, YO21 1RB.
Saturday 21, Chapel on the Hill, Whitby, YO21 1RB.
Sunday 22, The Robinson Institute, Glaisdale, YO21 2PW.
Tuesday 24, Saltburn Arts, Saltburn, TS12 1JW.
Wednesday 25, Selby Abbey, Selby, YO8 4PU.
Thursday 26, Junction Goole, Goole, DN14 5EZ.
Friday 27, Hull Truck Theatre, Hull, HU2 8LB.
Saturday 28, Hull Truck Theatre, Hull, HU2 8LB.
Sunday 29, at 7pm, Bridlington Lifeboat Station, YO15 3JH.
October:
Wednesday 2, Alnwick Playhouse, Alnwick, NE66 1PQ.
Thursday 3, Community Centre, Blackhall, TS27 4LG.
Friday 4, The Venue, Stanley, DH9 6AH.
Saturday 5, Community Centre, East Bedlington, NE22 7JN.
Sunday 6, Everyman Theatre, Spennymoor, DL16 6RY.
Wednesday 9, Corn Exchange, Alford, LN13 9EB.
Thursday 10, Central Hall, Grimsby, DN32 7EG.
Friday 11, Village Hall, Long Bennington, NG23 5DJ.
Saturday 12, Village Hall, Nettleham, LN2 2SS.
Sunday 13, St Peter’s Hall, Woodhall Spa, LN10 6SQ.
Notes to Editors:
Photos can be downloaded from an online collection here: https://source.rnli.org.uk/share/15280A24-F49E-40E7-A6B40873A76D84BD/
RNLI at 200:
On 4th March 2024 the RNLI celebrated 200 years of saving lives at sea. Throughout 2024, the charity is running events and activities to commemorate the charity’s history, celebrate the lifesaving service it provides today and inspire generations of future lifesavers and supporters. For more information visit RNLI.org/200.
Henry Freeman
Henry Freeman was born 29 April 1835 in Bridlington, Yorkshire. He moved to Whitby in 1855 to become a fisherman and joined the local lifeboat crew. During a huge storm on 9 February 1861, a Whitby lifeboat capsized, throwing the crew overboard. Only one member of the crew, Henry Freeman, survived. He had been wearing an experimental cork life jacket. After the 1861 Whitby tragedy, Henry was awarded an RNLI Silver Medal for his bravery.
On 28 October 1880, a huge storm similar to the one which caused the 1861 lifeboat disaster affected the north-east coast. Henry was involved in four rescues that day, for which the RNLI awarded him a silver clasp for his medal.
In January 1881, Freeman was involved in the epic rescue of the crew of the Visitor at Robin Hood’s Bay. In severe weather the Robert Whitworth was hauled by men and horses six miles overland through snowdrifts and then down the steep road into Robin Hood’s Bay. The lifeboat was launched with Freeman in command but after an hour’s struggle to reach the endangered men, the lifeboat was struck by a huge wave, breaking six of the oars. Freeman returned the lifeboat to the beach, took on fresh oars and a fresh crew, then launched the lifeboat again and rescued the Visitor’s crew.
Henry became the Whitby RNLI Coxswain for over 20 years and helped to save over 300 lives in that time. He died in 1904, but his legacy lives on as one of Whitby’s most renowned lifeboat crew members.
Whitby’s lifesaving history, including Henry’s story, is preserved and celebrated at the RNLI Whitby Museum.
Facing the Waves: Biographies
Composer:
Alastair Collingwood
Alastair has been a composer for over 30 years and written music scores for numerous theatre shows, including Betty in London’s West End, directed by Kathy Burke.
He also wrote the music for Cora with Dana Gillespie, which played the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith and toured the USA.
His extensive TV credits include the title music for French and Saunders (BBC1) and Saturday Live Again! (ITV 1); the sitcoms, Mad About Alice (BBC 1) and Rhona (BBC 2); the comedies Sex Bar (Channel 4), Comedy Lab (Channel 4); plus Vanessa’s Real Lives (ITV 1), Killer Shark Live (Five) and How Clean Is Your House? (Channel 4), amongst many others.
He’s written and played live with comedienne Jackie Clune, and in the comedy shows The Day The Music Died (BBC Radio 2) and Happy Families (BBC Radio 4). His awards include a Fringe First as a performer and for Best Music at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Performers:
Eliza Shea
Eliza trained at New York’s American Academy of Dramatic Arts and whilst working in the USA appeared in Your Alice Off-Broadway; Me and the Girls opposite Alan Cumming and Fairycakes opposite Matthew Broderick. Other performances included roles in Julius Caesar; Blithe Spirit; Wendy Darling & Peter Pan. She went on to win the New York Innovative Theatre Award.
Back in the UK Eliza’s many stage appearances include Your Alice (Arcola); Or Nearest Offer (Almeida); Romeo & Juliet (Churchill Theatre); Fine, Thanks (Savoy); and Little Pieces of Gold (Southwark Playhouse).
Her TV work includes The Secrets of Quantum Physics (BBC / Amazon) and she can be heard with Christopher Eccleston in an audio drama version of Doctor Who.
Duncan Drury
Duncan trained at Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama and at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. His most recent work includes Trainspotting: The Musical, Dr Frank ‘n’ Furter in The Rocky Horror Experience (Wyrley Productions), Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of The Baskervilles (Lantern Light) and MacBeth (Churchill Theatre Bromley).
Other highlights include: Just So (The Barn), Marco Polo (Shaw Theatre), Into The Woods, Mr Sloane in Entertaining Mr Sloane, Endgame (all Emporium), What The Lady Bird Heard (Birmingham Town Hall), Twelfth Night (The Yard Players), The Merchant of Venice, Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (BSC).
Roberta Bellekom
Roberta trained at East 15 Drama School. She appeared recently in Another Winter’s Tale, touring North Yorkshire. She has recently completed a national tour with the CBBC show, Sarah and Duck, after appearing in Villain Interrupted at the Vaults Theatre, London. Roberta also recently took the lead in the award-winning play, Rotterdam, and toured with Norwich Puppet Theatre’s Pinocchio and in Seagulls Saved The World, touring Cornwall. This followed an extensive tour in David Walliams’ Awful Auntie, playing the West End and major theatres throughout the UK.
She has also appeared in Dogwood’s one-woman musical, No Finer Life, (The Pleasance, London, touring, and BBC Radio 4), written by The Archers’ Graham Harvey.
Director:
Antony Bellekom
Antony is a former Director of BBC Radio 4‘s The Archers. His theatre work includes Chicane’s Law at The Gate, Troubaritz for Framework Theatre, The Promise, a ballad opera that toured cathedrals, and a devised piece, Radio, Radio that was created for and performed in the hold of a converted cargo ship. He has directed Dogwood’s recent productions, that have been seen throughout England, from Cornwall to London, to the north of England, as well as appearing at the RSC in Stratford and on BBC Radio 4.
His No Way Back production won the Silver Medal at the New York Radio Festival. Amongst his other radio drama productions is Michael Eaton’s acclaimed A Chorus From The Gallows. Antony is a former Managing Editor of BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music.
Media Contacts:
For further information contact Regional Communications Manager Beth Robson [email protected] or the RNLI press office on 01202 336789 / [email protected].
Key facts about the RNLI
The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 142,700 lives.
Learn more about the RNLI
For more information please visit the RNLI website or Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. News releases, videos and photos are available on the News Centre.
Contacting the RNLI - public enquiries
Members of the public may contact the RNLI on 0300 300 9990 (UK) or 1800 991802 (Ireland) or by email.