History
In 1986 a student theatre company was founded at Paston College in North Walsham. In nearly fifty productions over a quarter of a century Far East has given
hundreds of Norfolk students the opportunity to aspire to professional performance standards and inspired thousands of school pupils through its touring and outreach programmes.
Many Far East members have gone on to train at Britain’s top Drama Schools and University Performing Arts Departments and in October 2010 fEast Theatre Company was formed by Mandy McKenna and Rob John to bring
some of this home-grown talent back to the Eastern Region.
The company is committed to developing and showcasing new work by writers, actors and directors from Norfolk. Our first production 'One-Eighty' a new play by Rob John launched the
company with a tour of Norfolk and Suffolk venues in April 2011 culminating in a three night run at Norwich Playhouse. The show (‘a sad comedy about darts’) starred Owen Evans of
Nimmo Twins fame who as an 18 year old featured in Far East’s first production at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Although all of the 'One Eighty' cast trained in London Drama Schools
all were Norfolk born and bred.
One Eighty - April 2011
Former darts genius Norman ‘Rhino’ Hamilton has fallen from grace. Once ranked 4th in the world and enjoying a life of C-List fame and fortune, Norman sees it all fall through fingers when his best mate, wife and throwing action all desert him on the same night. Now after four years in the wilderness and spurred on by two extraordinary women, Norman prepares for a make or break come back both as a player and as a man. 'One Eighty' is a sad comedy about love and redemption.
Owen Evans
In 'One Eighty', Owen Evans, one half of Norfolk’s much-loved comedy duo The Nimmo Twins, returned to his roots as a serious character actor. As an 8 year old drama student at Paston College, Owen amazed audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe with a leading role in ‘Out to Lunch’ by Rob John and later won a place at LAMDA. His subsequent career has taken him to London’s Arts Threshold, Moscow Arts Theatre, four comedy series on BBC Radio 4 and of course 11 years of sell-out shows with Carl Minns in the Nimmo Twins’, 'Normal for Norfolk'. Owen returns to fEast in 2013 to star in our new production 'The Canada Boys'.
Battery - June 2012
This stunning play by emerging young Norfolk writer Beatrice Armstrong is a haunting, poetic and blisteringly funny play about life, death, sibling rivalry and cake.
The Johnston sisters, celebrated psychic mediums, are charlatans
who fake apparitions and cheat clients but their lives are littered with the 'real ghosts' of their past.
Beatrice Armstrong
Beatrice Armstrong grew up by the Norfolk Broads in Hickling. She attended Stalham High School and Paston College before studying English and Politics at
Leicester University.
Her debut play 'Edge' was performed at London’s Rose Theatre in 2009 and 'Alternative Therapy' was a finalist at the Offcut Theatre
Festival at Riverside Studios last year.
