Live Theatre welcomes feminist company Open Clasp's new play to mark International Women's Day
Lasagna, from Open Clasp Theatre, launches tomorrow evening at Newcastle's Live
Last updated 7th Mar 2023
Newcastle's Live Theatre is welcoming a brand new play from feminist theatre company Open Clasp - to mark International Women's Day.
Lasagna is based on the real life experiences of women who've lost children to the care system, and explores the vulnerability of women in this position, as well as the systemic issues behind these situations.
Originally launched online in 2022 to coincide with the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care final report, Lasagna will now tour to venues across England including community settings and prisons as well as traditional theatre spaces.
Catrina McHugh - co-founder of Open Clasp - explains,
“This commission was to highlight the gap in support for women when their children are removed into the care system, when they are at their most vulnerable. The initial workshops were face to face, then via Zoom when the pandemic hit. The process was intimate – creating writing and hearing voices that uncover a truth that is both painful and beautiful.
"There was such honesty and courage shown, the women knew they couldn’t change the outcome for themselves and their own children, but they wanted to help others who find themselves in their shoes.
"But it became clear to me that there was a bigger story to tell, of a system that is broken, and a need for real systematic change.
"Lasagna is about community and what is needed in order to not only survive but to thrive and grow.
"To reimagine and invest in a society that supports all of us to live the best lives we can.”
Catrina says, “Open Clasp continues to strive to reach as wide an audience as possible, so Lasagna was created for film and streamed online and now we go live. Over the last 25 years we have toured to communities throughout the North East as well as working nationally and internationally.
"We aim to influence those that make decisions, invest in communities and systems and through the theatre we create, we agitate for basic human rights and real change.
"We are so pleased to be back out on tour, our first since the pandemic, and it’s like coming home. We will be in theatres, prisons and youth & community centres, as well as the mainstream theatres.
"Our aim is to access all those who care, or who should care, about humanity."
You can find out more about Open Clasp Theatre online, and their show - which is almost entirely sold out at Live Theatre.