Trestle Shows 1981 - 2000
Creche | School Rules | Hanging Around
8 – 22 October 1983
Trestle’s early works were comic sketches based on a simple situation and performed in full, helmet, cartoon style masks.
Plastered
28 September 1984 – 30 March 1985 | 16 February – 23 March 1986 (Australia Tour) and 21 May 1993 – 2 April 1994 (National and International revival)
Plastered was a witty and perceptive study of a rich variety of characters, observed n that best of British institutions – the public house, and later, in the aseptic surroundings of the local hospital’s casualty department.
A Slight Hitch
1985
A Slight Hitch was a hilarious full mask production focussing on the chaotic nuptials of a naive young couple, about to embark on a lifetime of wedded bliss.
Top Storey
30 July 1987 – 8 August 1990 and 8 August – 21 December 1996
Top Storey is one of Trestle’s most successful full-mask shows; An Old man’s peaceful retirement is shattered by the return of his brother to the family home after 40 years, sparking off boyhood memories and the buried emotions of a tragic secret they once shared.
Ties That Bind
1988
Ties That Bind was a chilling tale of child abuse. Initially inspired by the novel ‘If I should die before I wake’ by Michelle Morris
L’Amfiparnaso
14 November 1989 – 7 September 1990
L’Amfiparnaso is a light-hearted, little known 15th century opera by Orazio Vecchi, about the everyday happenings at an Italian restaurant.
Executive Stress
1989
Executive Stress was a funny and compassionate one-man show that looked at loneliness and boredom using mime, masks, original music and a clockwork rabbit to create an incredible adventure
The Edge
3 September 1991 – 3 April 1992
A sleepy seaside town plays host to three men, strangers in a strange town… or are they?
Crime of Love
1991
Crime of Love involved the most complicated narrative structure to date and was performed in cinematic style. Instead of helmet masks, most were just facial, closely fitting the contours of the actor’s faces, realistic in size but with theatrical features.
State of Bewilderment
Touring – 10 September 1992 – 24 April 1993
Sydney residency – 7 November – 21 December 1996
Filled with humour, irony and absurdities, State of Bewilderment followed a man’s journey to find what is missing from his life.
Little Victories
1993
Little Victories was a play of personal journeys about the adventures to be had in coming to terms with the concept of mortality and the joys and responsibilities of being a sibling.
The Soldier’s Tale and Goblin Market
12 – 22 January 1994
Performed as a double bill, The Soldier’s Tale and Goblin Market were a collaboration with the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group performed at Queen Elizabeth Hall as part of the 1994 London International Mime Festival.
Window Dressing
21 July – 9 December 1994
A woman arrives in town: A new town, a new life, but a chance encounter leads to revelations of herself and her family’s past that were best left forgotten.
Running Dogs
1994
Running Dogs was a low-tech show that could be toured to non-theatrical venues. The show was unashamedly humorous, ribald by nature and hailed as a show for everyone who’s ever owned a dog!
House of Straw
16 February – 31 March 1995
When Jim and Diane move in, they realise they are not the only occupants of the House of Straw.
Passionfish
18 April – 15 September 1996
Combining masks, text and choreography with music from Bach to Bacharach, Passionfish explored the choices and uncertainties faced by many in the late 20th century.
Fool House
July 24 1997-January 10 1998
Having toured most of its productions to Holland over the years, Trestle ran a residency in Amsterdam, in October 1995, for professional performers. This was the first stage of a Dutch collaboration which culminated in the creation of Fool House (Trestle Goes Dutch).
Beyond the Blue Horizon
16 October – 26 November 1997
Beyond the Blue Horizon was a surreal and poetic music theatre piece, with a commissioned score from composer David Horne.
Beggars Belief
22 May – 5 December 1998
Beggars Belief took its starting point from the paintings of Peter Breugel and wove them into a story about the nature of power, love and the struggle for independence.
Bitter Fruit
29 May – 1 December 2000
A play-within-a-play, Bitter Fruit had at its heart the retelling of the myth of Hephaestus, god of fire and forge.