by Mike Heath
1-3 July 2024 @HOME
Faith – a silly play about homophobia
About
Inviting your mother to your wedding should be a joyous occasion; unless you’re gay and your mother is a staunch Catholic.
Such is the dilemma for John, as he arrives at Faith’s little terrace on a Tuesday evening, only to discover she has tried to match-make him with Melanie – a no-filter 40-something singleton from the church, convinced that tonight is the night.
Of course, tonight is absolutely not the night as the veil is unceremoniously lifted on the patina of John and Faith’s fabricated reality.
Ghosts, silliness, and – at last – a solution to global homophobia. Just don’t expect it to be serious!
When?
1st-3rd July, 7.30pm
Where?
The Cast
Hilly Barber – Faith
Hilly has been a professional actor since leaving college at 20. She particularly loves comedy and has had some great parts in Emmerdale and Coronation Street, to name a couple. She loves theatre, though, and has recently started writing her own plays for theatre and TV.
She has been to Edinburgh and been on various theatre tours around the uk.
When not performing, she’s buying and selling vintage items, which is another of her passions in life.
She also roleplays for many different companies and facilitates communication skills with medical students.
Lee Halden – John
Lee has toured Shakespeare with Cest Tou Theatre company, playing Malcolm in Macbeth, followed by Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet, then Romeo in another show with the same company.
Went to Salford University to study Media and Performance, graduating in 2003. Was a Regular member of Studio Salford performing in Neil Bell’s 36 Hours ( The John Cooper Clarke Story), playing seven roles, including Linton Kwayze Johnson, Tony Wilson, Tosh Ryan.
Lee also performed multiple roles in Stella Grundy’s Nico Icon, playing Moon, Scottish Robert, German Photographer, Radio DJ.
Other theatre roles include Scally Lad in Silent Joys and Broken Toys by Phil Minns, Francis in Cathy Crabb’s Roots of Love, and Wayne in Dan Atkinson’s My Old Man.
TV and Film credits include Channel 4’s Shameless, playing Pasty Boy. And Joe OByrne’s Looking for Lucky, playing Kev the Debt Collector.
Lee is Returning to Acting after an 11-year absence and is currently unrepresented.
Jenny Jordan-O’Neill – Melanie
Jenny is currently based in Stockport. She lives with her partner Tony and has two children, Jack and Hattie. It has been a while since she appeared on stage, but she is really excited to be part of a Mike Heath play. She has admired his work for many years.
Her past theatre work includes Live Laugh Love – Dare to Know Theatre; The Stars are made of Concrete – Messy Dress Productions; Secret Diary of a Teenage Queer – Art with Heart; Twirlies and Girlies, Mediamedia; Raving Beauties – Broken Echo Theatre; Firebrand – Royal and Derngate; Eleventh Night – Royal and Derngate; Have a Nice Day – Richmond Drama Festival.
Her Television work includes Doctors, BBC; Cold Call – Chalkboard TV, ITV; Coronation Street, ITV, Civvies BBC Drama
Matt Lanigan – Sam
Matt is delighted to be both performing in FAITH and also making his debut at HOME. Not quite a veteran just yet, he’s appeared in the Greater Manchester Fringe festival before along with being in countless other plays across the Northwest.
As well as stage, Matt also works regularly as a voiceover artist and has appeared on telly plenty of times.
TV Credits include: DCI Banks, Survivors, Shameless, Houdini & Doyle, The A Word, Still So Awkward, Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Doctors.
The Playwright
Mike Heath
Mike Heath is an acclaimed playwright with over 20 years of experience. He has a distinction MA in Creative Writing (Playwriting) and teaches playwriting and screenwriting at degree level.
Mike has helped many first-time playwrights establish careers in theatre, TV, and radio through WriteForTheStage. His play, Les & Ali’s Big Balearic Adventure, was a finalist at 2024’s “Offies” in London and received multiple nominations at the Greater Manchester Fringe Awards. His 2016 play The Big Things was shortlisted for the BBC Alfred Bradley Bursery Award.
From the writer: “I’d been reading a lot of Joe Orton, and found myself drawn to the absurd as a way into exploring the Catholic mother/son experience. I love how Orton embraces the ridiculous through down-to-earth characters that bring grounding to his works’ most dark interior. Faith, for me, is about the church’s capacity to drive a wedge between family members and what happens when the interpretation of the scriptures is challenged from beyond the grave.”