We’re excited to announce that On Me has received an OffComm (OffWestEnd Commendation) award for our short run of On Me in Trafford and Bolton in May 2024!
Requirements for nomination were a minimum of three performances and at least two reviews of 4* or above, which we achieved – and, on 6th June, we received the exciting news that the show was a winner.
Congratulations to everyone involved, and here’s to more exciting On Me news in the future!
It’s time to extend huge thanks from team On Me to our fabulous venues:
…our funders:
…our superb panellists and charitable partners from:
…and, of course, to the glorious audiences at all of our events.
Take a look at Shay Rowan’s excellent pictures of our dress rehearsal at Waterside Arts in Sale
Reviews for our 2024 revival of On Me were superb. Below, you can check out write-ups from:
Excerpts:
…a thought-provoking short play. It is entertaining and often funny, but the underlying message is clearly carried throughout leaving nowhere to hide from it.
…just an hour long, but it is an important hour for the woman and men out there affected by the issues in the play.
Excerpt:
There were several points in the play where every woman in the audience sighed the same sigh, recognising when they had been Shona, speaking to their own Christian – a stark reminder of the realness of this story.
We held one panel discussion in Sale and one in Bolton, each with its own set of highly qualified specialist speakers.
On 2nd May 2024, at Waterside Arts, we were joined by Professor David Gadd and Dr Caroline Miles from the University of Manchester’s Criminology Department, as well as front-line representatives from Samantha Fisher and Charlotte Clayton, CEOs of Trafford Domestic Abuse Services and Trafford Rape Crisis respectively.
On 16th May 2024, at Bolton Central Library, we were joined by Bernie Ryan OBE of the Institute for Addressing Strangulation, front-line representatives Jill Caldwell and Leanne Labrow from the Endeavour Project and Fortalice respectively, and Rafael Martinez from Bolton Council’s Community Safety team.
Both discussions were exceptionally enlightening, with all speakers providing hugely valuable insights according to their particular areas of practice and expertise. Jennifer Roberts of Lost in Theatreland wrote that the post-show discussion at Waterside was
…incredibly insightful. It’s easy to put plays like this in with others about sexual assault and the danger of living in a woman’s body, but giving the audience the opportunity to learn about the work that charities are doing to help survivors of intimate partner violence puts the entire play into perspective.
There will be a brief hiatus for now, but please watch this space and spread the word about our project. We’re on the lookout for more venues, additional funders and new opportunities to bring On Me to communities across the UK (and beyond…?)
We’ve loved sharing this experience with you. Now let’s see where it goes next!
Click the image below to check out the excellent work of photographer Shay Rowan, who joined us for our On Me dress rehearsal on 2nd May 2024 at the Waterside Arts Centre in Sale.
Fantastic news on the reviews front: our performance of On Me at Waterside Arts in Sale – which took place on 2nd May 2024 – has been awarded 4.5 stars from The Reviews Hub!
Written by Helen Jones, the write-up reads as follows:
“Dangerous To Know Theatre Company have brought their award-winning Manchester Fringe play On Me back into production and landed at Waterside Arts, Sale for one night before performing for two nights in Bolton later in the month.
On Me tackles the very current issues around gender-based violence, female safety and the difficulties in forming relationships in the post #MeToo era. Shona and Christian are actors employed for a docu-drama about a true crime abuse case. Christian plays the cruel abuser who turns killer later while Shona is his surviving victim. Together they play out the scenes of the relationship which turns violent, while dealing with the impact the subject matter has on them personally. Attraction grows between them but the situations they play out affect their off screen emotions.
Leah Eddleston portrayed the role of Shona in the original Manchester production and returns to it here, creating a confident and outgoing woman who hides her past. But her past rears its head during filming and makes her vocal when her sister is in a vulnerable situation. But the past becomes the present as she is vulnerable too. Alexi Papadopoulos is the less confident Christian, a nice guy but the actions of his character make him question both men in general and his own role in relationships with women. Papdopoulos is excellent, showing that men can also have that vulnerable side. The cast is made up of Trevor Dwyer-Lynch as the film director and John Joyce O’Keeffe as the clapper loader. Writer Caroline Lamb appears on film as the original victim.
The set is simple but effective with a sofa centre stage and the green room and a bar as minor areas each side. A backing screen allows for both the backdrops for the staging and an impactful place to show the real story behind what the two actors are filming. There is a slight technical issue when the pre-recorded sections of filming are broadcast and are less audible than everything else.
Caroline Lamb has taken a difficult subject, but one so relevant to many young people today, and developed a thought-provoking short play. It is entertaining and often funny, but the underlying message is clearly carried throughout leaving nowhere to hide from it. While established director Helen Parry makes sure it gives the punch the subject matter deserves.
The play is followed by a Q&A session with local professionals who deal with the issues raised on a day to day basis.
On Me is just an hour long, but it is an important hour for the woman and men out there affected by the issues in the play. You won’t be able to catch it in Sale but it is well worth making the trip to Bolton for and hopefully it can gain longer runs to bring to more areas it’s very important message.”
Don’t forget to book for our performances in Sale on 16th and 17th May 2024! You can find tickets right here: https://business.fatsoma.com/business/pages/dangerous-to-know/events
We’ve been working our socks off for just under two years to bring award-winning play On Me back to the stage – and now, thanks to the support of Trafford Council and their Community Safety Partnership, we’ve landed a date at the wonderful Waterside Arts in Sale.
We’ll be there on 2nd May 2024 from 7.30pm.
Tickets are available on a Pay What You Can basis, with £5, £10 and £15 options available, and they’re already selling – so grab yours while you can!
or call the box office on 0161 912 5616
TRIGGER WARNING: On Me deals with themes of s*xual assault/r*pe, domestic violence, stalking and femicide
About the play
On Me by Caroline Lamb is an hour-long play focusing on the challenges of being a role model, ally, spontaneous romantic and potential victim all at once when chasing love in the post #MeToo era. The piece follows Shona and Christian, two up-and-coming actors who have been hired to work on a true crime docudrama. As filming progresses, their feelings for each other grow – along with fear, self-doubt, frustration and a creeping sense of danger.
In 2022, our production of On Me won the Off West End “OFFfest” award for its run on the Greater Manchester Fringe. The play was also shortlisted for the Write for the Stage prize for New Writing and the Greater Manchester Fringe award for Best Drama.
Upcoming event
Our performance at Waterside Arts in Sale will be followed by a short break, after which we will host a panel discussion featuring academics and frontline charity workers, as well as members of our creative team. The discussion will focus on the impact of Gender-Based Violence on communities and the work that is currently being undertaken to combat this very urgent issue. There will also be an opportunity for audience questions.
In order to provide support and signposting to audience members who have been affected by the themes of the play – and to highlight their vital work in the local community – representatives of Trafford-based charities will also be in attendance. Audience members will have the option to donate to these charities when booking tickets, or in person at the venue on the night.
We’re absolutely thrilled to be back with this exciting piece. Grab tickets while you can!
The DTK team have been handed the Offie/Off Fest/Off West End Award for our July production of On Me on the Greater Manchester Fringe!
We were also shortlisted for the Greater Manchester Fringe Award for Best Drama and playwright Caroline Lamb was shortlisted for the Write for the Stage Award for New Writing!
Find out more about the event right here!
Dangerous To Know’s run of On Me on the Greater Manchester Fringe ended on 30th July. We had a great critical reception (more on that later) and superb audience responses – and, at the time of writing, we are awaiting the results of an Off West End award nomination for best short run.
What better memento for such a fantastic project than a selection of gorgeous photographs of the show’s dress run, taken by talented and prolific arts photographer Shay Rowan? Take a look below for the fantastic images, captured at The Seven Oaks in Manchester.
To prevent accidental public access, this page is password protected.
Click the link above, then type OnMe2022GMF to view.
Just days after finishing our run on the Greater Manchester Fringe, we’re thrilled to announced that On Me has been nominated for an OffFest – or Off West End – award for Best Short Run!
We’ll find out the results of this nomination at the Greater Manchester Fringe Awards, which are taking place on the 7th August.
Wish us luck!
Rehearsals are well underway for our upcoming production of On Me on the Greater Manchester Fringe!
The piece will be playing at the Seven Oaks – an antique boozer on the edge of Manchester’s China Town – in the venue’s transformed upstairs space from 27th – 30th July as part of the Greater Manchester Fringe festival.
You can book tickets for the event right here.
This vital new piece of theatre tackles themes of sexual assault, gender-based violence and female safety, following Shona and Christian – two actors performing troubling scenes for a true crime documentary series. As the pair develop an undeniable attraction to one other, unsavoury questions hang unanswered in the air.
Directed by Helen Parry, On Me focuses on the challenges of being a role model, ally, spontaneous romantic and potential victim all at once when chasing love in the post #metoo era.
Due to its challenging themes, the piece comes with 15+ age guidance and a content warning for sexual assault/r*pe, domestic violence, stalking and murder.
The run will include a matinee on Wednesday 27th July at 3pm and a BSL interpreted performance on the evening of Thursday 28th July. Evening performances will all begin at 7.30pm.
Tickets are available via https://manchester.ssboxoffice.com/events/on-me
Dangerous To Know 