SHOOTING PAINS R&D: JULY/AUGUST 2023 & JULY/AUGUST 2024

It’s 2009.

Eimear knows three things for certain:
WKD makes her brain fizz. Dry humping is overrated. Her spine is trying to kill her.

Maisie’s ouija board is in the bin and her Nan’s out of sage, so it’s time to take some drastic measures.

As they barrel through teenagehood, Eimear and Maisie are forced to grow up in ways they didn’t expect.

A darkly funny coming-of-age story, Shooting Pains is a new play by Alice Fitzgerald (Best Director nominee at the 2022 Stage Debut Awards) and is based on her lived experience of scoliosis and chronic pain.

These photographs document how Alice worked with actors and creatives across R&D workshops in 2023 and 2024 to explore and refine the play, working to create an empowered and authentic portrayal of spinal difference and challenging existing ableist representations.

DOWNLOAD 2024 R&D PROGRAMME

DOWNLOAD 2023 R&D PROGRAMME

[2024] Writer-director Alice Fitzgerald rehearses with actors Lauren Lewis (Eimear) and Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) ahead of the community sharing at The Other Palace.

[2024] Actors Lauren Lewis (Eimear) and Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) rehearse on stage ahead of the community sharing at The Other Palace.

[2024] Actor Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) holds up a page of drawings she did as her character.

[2024] Writer-director Alice Fitzgerald works through the script with actors Lauren Lewis (Eimear) and Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) ahead of the community sharing at The Other Palace.

[2024] An image of the QR for the digital programme and content warnings, ahead of the industry sharing at The Other Palace.

[2024] Videographer Tyrone Lewis sets up a camera, ahead of the industry sharing at The Other Palace.

[2024] Actor Lauren Lewis (Eimear) works through her script in a cafe. It is printed on white paper.

[2024] Actor Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) works through her script in a cafe. It is printed on green and blue paper.

[2024] Writer-director Alice Fitzgerald rehearses with actors Lauren Lewis (Eimear) and Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) at Kings Place Music Foundation.

[2024] Actors Lauren Lewis (Eimear) and Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) rehearse around a table at Kings Place Music Foundation.

[2024] Actors Lauren Lewis (Eimear) and Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) pose on stage with writer-director Alice Fitzgerald and creative associate Lexi Clare ahead of the industry sharing at The Other Palace.

[2023] Casting meetings took place at Kings Place, an accessible multi-arts venue in Kings Cross.

[2023] Alice Fitzgerald (Writer-Director) and Catherine Bensley (Casting Director) prepare for the first casting meetings.

[2023] An audition pack for actors meeting for the role of Eimear.

[2023] The creative team worked with The Artist Wellbeing Company to consider how we might prioritise accessibility and wellbeing in the audition process.

[2023] Lexi Clare (Creative Associate) and Imogen Wilde (Eimear) travelled to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in Harrow to get a custom back brace made.

[2023] Imogen Wilde (Eimear) being fitted for a custom Boston back brace by the Ortholese team.

[2023] An insight into the process of having a custom Boston back brace created by the Ortholese team.

An insight into the process of having a custom Boston back brace created by the Ortholese team.

[2023] Alice Fitzgerald (Writer-Director) and Imogen Wilde (Eimear) wait for a session with Scoliosis SOS to look at how the creative team could support Imogen wearing the back brace in rehearsals, consulting on stretches and exercises to do daily.

[2023] Silvie Furneaux (Maisie) and Imogen Wilde (Eimear) look over mood board images on the first day of rehearsals.