Hannah Maxwell's autobiographical epic on care, crisis and the Eurovision Song Contest
Touring the UK in 2024 following its critically-acclaimed sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe
COMING HOME TO WGC FOR ONE VERY SPECIAL NIGHT!
“I wish I could say here our story starts. But this story starts later, and ended earlier. Is entirely fictional, and completely true. Voila.”
In 2021, Hannah Maxwell moved back to the Home Counties to care for her terminally ill grandfather. But this show isn’t about that. It’s about France’s Eurovision star Barbara Pravi, who’s just lovely.
In between cooking, cleaning and Countdown, Maxwell escapes into an intensifying fantasy of ballroom dances, heartfelt ballads, Parisian cafés, fluent French and definitely-not-creepy plots to engineer a meetcute with a random foreign celebrity. It’s La La Land meets Mission Impossible meets Hannah’s nan.
Combining spoken-word, video and chanson francaise, NAN, ME & BARBARA PRAVI sits you down at the kitchen table to talk through grief and care, addiction and recovery, and hope and coping in unprecedented times.
WINNER OF THE SUMMERHALL LUSTRUM AWARD
NOMINATED FOR THE BBC POPCORN AWARD FOR NEW WRITING
Location: Thalian Theatre, 64 Bridge Rd E, Welwyn Garden City AL7 1JU
Doors: 19:00
Show: 19:30 (75min)
The performance will be followed by a 30min Q&A, with a 15min interval.
Tickets: £12.00 (Early Bird £9.00, £15.00 on the door)
Praise for Nan, Me & Barbara Pravi:
“Watch it and its appeal is obvious.” — ★★★★★ Financial Times | “So delightful and clever.” — ★★★★ Scotsman |
"An outstanding production, beautiful, funny and sad.” — ★★★★★ Scottish Field | “You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll be glad you are alive.” — ★★★★★ DarkChat |
“A true masterclass in storytelling.” — ★★★★ The List | “A warm-hearted, insightful and inspirational exploration of the need to care” — ★★★★ ToDo List |
“A bracing, always sharply entertaining turn of phrase and an irresistible presence.” — Lyn Gardner for The Stage | “Douze points across the board.” — ★★★★★ Theatre Weekly |
Commissioned by Camden People’s Theatre and supported by Menagerie Theatre Company, Queen Mary University of London, Old Diorama Arts Centre, Vaults Theatre and CLAY Leeds. Premiered at Summerhall, Cairns Lecture Theatre, August 2023. Made possible by generous support from Arts Council England.
Creative Team
Written and performed by Hannah Maxwell
Producer: Becky Plotnek / Plotnek Productions
Dramaturgy: Annie Siddons
Performance Direction: Len Gwyn
Technical Stage Manager: Ruth Green / Benji Huntrods
Technical Design & Lighting Design Consultant: Jo Palmer
Costume & Set Design: Rachel Gammon
Sound Design: Juan Luis Casanellas Donoso
Video Design: Livvy Lynch
Choreographer: Daniel Hay-Gordon
Animation: May Kindred-Boothby
Touring Operators: Graham Self / Benji Huntrods
Lead Image Photography: Christa Holka
Lead Image Digital Post-production: Anna Fernandez
Voiceover: Angela Dunham (Hannah’s Nan)
Content Advisory
References bereavement, terminal cancer, care provision, substance abuse, addiction and sex under the influence of drugs.
Moments of audience participation.
Foodstuffs present onstage.
Some flashing lights, strobe-like projection effects.
Access
Venue is wheelchair accessible and has a disabled access toilet.
For Blind/visually impaired audiences, a pre-show Touch Tour and audio introduction to the world of the show can be arranged. Please email info@hannah-maxwell.com to arrange, no later than Friday 24th May.
Parking is available in the gated car park off the access road off Peartree Lane, or in the B&Q car park after 6pm.