Gateshead poet brings new play to Newcastle's Alphabetti Theatre
Degna Stone has created "The Lies" - about the stories we tell ourselves and our loved ones
A Gateshead poet is exploring the intricate relationships between parents and children - and the lies we tell ourselves and our loved ones.
Degna Stone takes to the stage at Alphabetti Theatre this week, to bring their play The Lies, to Newcastle - unravelling the traps of how we see ourselves - from white lies about the Easter Bunny - to who we are as a nation.
The show is described as an exploration of how "We’ve been lying to ourselves forever. We create mythical beings to shield our children from the dark realities of life – the Easter Bunny, Santa, the Tooth Fairy – but was it ever about the magic of childhood? Or was it always just a form of control?
"The people you thought would never lie to you have been lying all along. Everything you thought was true is open to interpretation.
"Words matter but language shifts and meanings change all the time…How do you even begin a conversation with someone who believes a different theory of truth?"
Degna Stone is a poet and poetry editor based in the North East.
They are co-founder and former Managing Editor of Butcher’s Dog poetry magazine and an associate artist with D6: Culture in Transit and The Poetry Exchange.
Degna tells us the show might just spark a new way of thinking for the audience:
"There are small things we can do that can make changes in our own lives,
"That might then go on to impact how we cast our votes, whether we take on trust the things said to us or whether we then start to fact check that - or to go deeper and start to think 'actually what is this person really saying'."
There will be a captioned performance of the show on Wednesday 31st May, and an Audio Described performance on Friday 2nd June, meanwhile, Saturday Matinee shows will also be relaxed performances to provide an inclusive space for everyone.
Tickets until the 27th of May are pay as you feel - in order to allow people who might not otherwise be able to afford to visit the theatre can also attend.
You can find out more about The Lies and how to get tickets online.