Lantern Theatre Presents CAN'T STAND UP FOR FALLING DOWN, Oct 23-27

The Lantern Theatre Presents Can't Stand Up for Falling Down by Richard Cameron and featuring Laura Hobson, Carla Harrison-Hodge and Samantha Robinson, under the direction of Ruth Carney, with sound design by Andrew Griffiths. The show will run 23 - 27 October, with press night set for Tuesday, 23 October at 8pm.

Can't Stand Up for Falling Down will be a major revival at the Lantern Threatre, Sheffield. The production is a delicate, moving play that illustrates the harrowing effects of one man's brutality upon three women who find themselves bound together. Set in a small South Yorkshire town, the drama unfolds through the interwoven narratives of Lynette, Jodie and Ruby. The private confidences of these three young women illustrate their experiences as victims of the bullying and abusive Royce and combine to create a powerful image of quiet trauma. Directed and performed by all-female creatives, this is a deeply affecting play, highlighting and exploring the oppression of women.

Richard Cameron writes for theatre, television and radio, and won the inaugural Dennis Potter Award 1997 for his television play Stone, Scissors, Paper and the Mental Health Media award for his radio play, The Kon Tiki 2 Expedition. Richard has written a number of critically acclaimed stage plays, including Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down, which won a Fringe First and The Independent Theatre Award, and The Glee Club for The Bush Theatre, which transferred to The West End before a national tour and was adapted as a radio play for Radio 4. He has also won The Sunday Times Playwriting Award three times and was the Thames Television Writer in Residence at The West Yorkshire Playhouse. Most of Richard's work is set in South Yorkshire, where he lives. Great Balls of Fire, the story of Jerry Lee Lewis was produced for Belgrade Theatre, Coventry and transferred to The West End. He has also written an episode of Midsomer Murders and in 2011 adapted Silas Mamer for the Radio 4 classical serial.

Ruth Carney directs. Carney recently worked as Associate Director with award winning director Matthew Warchus on Ghost The Musical both on The West End and Broadway. Her previous experience with Warchus as Associate Director has included Lord of the Rings and Our House - the Madness Musical. Prior to Ghost she was Associate Director at Sheffield Theatres. While at Sheffield Ruth directed the critically acclaimed Sisters by Stephanie Street, (a verbatim play about British Muslim Women), Confessions of a City and Suitcase City. She also helped to develop Forge a festival of new work showcasing plays from writers such as Leo Butler, Mike Bartlett and Richard Cameron. Her other credits include Touched, Latitude (Oxford Playhouse), A Model Girl (Greenwich Theatre), the UK Professional premiere of The Laramie Project (Sound Theatre London) and the world premiere of The Lemon Princess by Rachael Mcgill from an original idea by Ruth at The West Yorkshire Playhouse. She has a BA (hons) from the University of Sheffield and an MA in Theatre Directing from the Russian Theatre Academy, Moscow and Middlesex University, London. Ruth was also a participant on the Directors course at The National Theatre. She is the Director and founder of the Carney Academy of Performing Arts based at the Lantern Theatre Sheffield and is also the Artistic Director of the Lantern Theatre.

Laura Hobson plays Ruby. Her theatre credits include Aunty Jenny, The Earthquakes in London and Clybourne Park (The Richard Burton Company) Death of a Salesman, A View from the Bridge, Twelfth Night and A Winters Tale (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama). This will be her professional stage debut.

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