Award-winning, North-Tyneside-based, woman-led theatre company full of proper little Workie Tickets.
Nee Place Like Hyem
As part of International Women’s Day 2025, we had the honour of being part of Gendered Violence: Research, Policy, and Practice at Northumbria University. It was incredibly moving to see 'Nee Place Like Hyem' performed again, with a powerful performance by Charlotte Ryder.
The play was originally performed at Recoco in October 2024. Written by JoJo Kirtley and directed by Ashlea Sanderson— the play explores the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on women in the North East, touching on issues like homelessness, poverty, and gender-based violence. We worked so hard to get it right and to honour the stories of the women we spoke to.
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Nee Place Like Hyem is directly connected to a new report of the same name, created in partnership with the UK Women’s Budget Group, and shares the real experiences of women in our region and highlights the urgent need for change.
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A huge thanks to Erin Parker Leonard for her fearless work on the report, to the women who took part in the surveys and focus groups, and to the staff who supported them and us. It’s a privilege to tell these stories, but we shouldn’t have to keep fighting to be heard.
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To all the women on the frontline—survivors, activists, artists, and those working tirelessly in the women's sector despite constant funding uncertainty—we see you, we stand with you, and we say: We deserve better.
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One day, we hope to be celebrating IWD rather than discussing the latest gender-based violence statistics. Until then, we keep pushing.
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IDAS Family Court Support Films
Created in collaboration with IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Services), these films offer guidance on navigating the UK Family Court system, practicing self-care, and finding strength during what can be an incredibly challenging process.
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This project builds on our Walk the Line and The Wrong Type projects about post separation abuse. In September, we held a co-creation workshop with survivors to ensure these films reflect your voices and experiences.
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These are more than films – they are love letters of solidarity, resilience, and hope, created by survivors, for survivors.
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Directed with care and expertise by the brilliant Charlotte Ryder.
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Phenomenal performances by the talented Ashlea Sanderson.
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Script written by JoJo Kirtley and co-created with survivors.
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Brought to life with the creative vision of filmmaker Ko-Le Chen.
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The Wrong Type
Workie Ticket is on a mission (again!) with our new survivor-led project, The Wrong Type, to highlight the often-overlooked emotional, financial, and logistical impacts of Family Court proceedings. Partnering with Northumbria University, the project will explore the untold stories of the Family Court system within the UK and the devastating impact it has on families who have experienced domestic abuse and post separation abuse. Building on the success of Workie Ticket’s previous short play "I Walk the Line", part of our WALK THE LINE project, The Wrong Type is committed to amplifying diverse voices and perspectives, while fostering dialogue and understanding within communities and driving positive change in the Family Court system.
With seed funding from Northumbria University's Gendered Violence and Abuse Interdisciplinary Theme (IDRT), we supported a week of intensive Research and Development (R&D). This process included a creative day at Northumbria University with survivors and professionals, where we explored character development and the themes of the play. We then tasked JoJo with writing three scenes, the ‘seed’ of our play, which we will present to an audience of survivors and professionals, on 20th June 2024 at Northumbria University*. The feedback from our audience feedback, will then inform the next stage of the development of the project. We are very excited to have the opportunity to continue the work we began with our WALK THE LINE project in Autumn 2023 - and our survivor-led creative conference in November 2023.
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With special thanks to Dr Rima Hussein and Kayliegh Richardson, Gendered Violence and Abuse Interdisciplinary Research Theme (IDRT), East End Women, Acorns & The Angelou Centre.
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*This event is by invitation only due to the sensitive nature of the project and the space available.
Walk The Line
"...I’m knackered. I’m broke. I ache. I hardly sleep. I do it without any help. Those lads rely on me. Solely me. I walk the line for them..."
Workie Ticket would like to invite you to take part in our WALK THE LINE project which will include an interactive theatre workshop about domestic abuse, male violence against women and girls ( MVAWG) and post-separation abuse.
The workshops will include a performance of ‘I Walk the Line’, a short play written by JoJo Kirtley about single mother Steph, who sings to block out her abusive ex and remains determined to ‘walk the line’ for her two sons. Based on real-life events, ‘I Walk the Line’ will be performed by actor and survivor Ashlea Sanderson and directed by Charlotte Ryder.
The workshops will lead up to our very first Workie Ticket conference, delivered as part of the United Nations 16 Days of Activism to end gender based violence. This unique and creative survivor-led conference will include live and recorded performances, an art exhibition, keynote speakers from White Ribbon and Northumbria University and an expert panel discussion. Participants of the workshops and the creative conference will help contribute to our WALK THE LINE action plan which will inform future discussions with policy makers.
6th October 2023, Linskill North Shields, 10.30am *Limited availability*
To book: please email workietickettheatre@gmail.com
Tickets are FREE.
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12th October 2023, Shilbottle Community Centre, 11.00am
To book: CLICK HERE
Tickets are FREE.
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20th October 2023, The Recovery College, Newcastle City Centre, 12.45pm *Limited Availability*
To book: CLICK HERE
Tickets are FREE - Donations Welcome
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20th October 2023, The Recovery College, Newcastle City Centre, 18.00pm
To book: CLICK HERE
Tickets are £8
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9th November 2023, WHiST, South Shields, 11.00am WOMEN ONLY *Limited Availability*
To book: please email workietickettheatre@gmail.com
Tickets are FREE.
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For group bookings please email JoJo at workietickettheatre@gmail.com.
Please note that this workshop will contain strong themes that some people might find triggering such as sexual violence, physical violence, covert abuse/coercive control and emotional abuse.
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Participants will not be expected to ‘act’ but will be expected to take part in discussion-based activities aimed to inform, educate and raise awareness on subjects such as post-separation abuse, financial and legal abuse.
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WALK THE LINE Creative Conference
Thursday 30th November 2023, 4.15pm
To book: CLICK HERE
Tickets are FREE - Donations Welcome
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Drama For Wellbeing
Peter Brook once said "I can take any empty space and call it a bare stage".
On 8 November 2022, Workie Ticket's stage was a hairdressers in Forest Hall for the launch of our Drama for Wellbeing Project. JoJo absolutely loved delivering a taster session at All That Sass Hair.
Thank you so much to Courtney for having us and we are so grateful to our amazing group who joined us for fun and laughter exploring image theatre, using props and learning about theatre practitioners.
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Workie Ticket's 'Drama for Wellbeing' programme will be a six session workshop programme approved by a psychologist to help participants move forward from trauma. Our workshops are designed to build confidence, encourage self-care techniques, improve resilience and set realistic goals by using theatre practices and drama activities.. Sessions are based around the 'Five Ways to Wellbeing' pathways: Connect, Keep Learning, Be Active, Take Notice & Give. This model is used in the NHS and has been proven to help improve mental health and wellbeing. We delivered a set of taster sessions to female veterans who had told us that our theatre workshops had been instrumental to their Post Traumatic Growth. They really inspired this project along side other communities of women we have engaged with in the last two years locally to make theatre. We use the theatre techniques we have learned to help survivors of trauma find their voice, build new connections and relationships and build confidence to set and action future plans. These are always reciprocal relationships in which we learn so much from the women and their communities too.
Our 'Drama for Well Being' programme engages with women's organisations and communities to answer the call to bare witness to women's stories. Delivered by a fully qualified drama practitioner.
Contact Us for more information.
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'Stand By Your Fan' is a piece of verbatim theatre about the menopause, written and produced in collaboration with Newcastle University and performed by our community cast members to a sell-out audience at The Catalyst on Thursday 13th July 2023.
Stand By Your Fan
Thankyou to our amazing community cast who did such an outstanding job - we hope this project is the 'catalyst' for deeper discussion and action on the impact of menopause both in the workplace and across wider society.
Magnolia Walls
Written by JoJo Kirtley with Alice Cree
Directed by Corinne Kilvington
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Assistant Directed by Charlotte Ryder
Actors
Pen: Rachel Brownstein
Roxie: Alexandra Tahnee
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Guardian Reader's Favourite 2022
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This is a story of war and of military life, but not as you’ve seen it before. Meet Roxie and Pen, two
women whose colourful friendship goes beyond magnolia walls.
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Based on research by Newcastle University, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
Performed by professional actors with a filmed community cast of military spouses.
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This collaborative theatre-based research project explores the impacts of military participation and
war on personal relationships and home-life with military partners.
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Workie Ticket Theatre CIC is Tyneside-based and female-led; producing work across the North-East which reflects current social issues. A commitment to creating real positive social impact through theatre is at the very heart of what they do.
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Rachel Brownstein Alexandra Tahnee Corinne Kilvington Charlotte Ryder JoJo Kirtley & Alice Cree
PRESS
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Newcastle University Press Release
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Evening Chronicle Interview with JoJo Kirtley
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The Guardian Readers Favourite 2022
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All Men Can
The Womxn Up? Podcast series explored the impact of the pandemic on women – the #AllMenCan project has investigated the male experience of the pandemic with a specific and focused view on the increase of VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) regionally, nationally and worldwide during this period.
Inspired by White Ribbon UK, we decided to talk to men about male violence against women and girls, exploring subjects like domestic abuse, misogyny and incel culture. We did this via a series of workshops, interviews and a survey with men from across the North East which we developed into a podcast. We've also created a beautiful but heartbreaking response play from our research - "Jess's Dad" Written by Sarah Hughes, performed by Chris Iddon and directed by Charlotte Ryder. Edited by Studio 26. Our plan is to continue this vital work in schools and youth clubs, businesses and organisations. And we'll be applying for future funding to support this work.
#AllMenCan was funded by Operation Payback and we are extremely grateful to Kim McGuiness for all of her support. In March, we will be releasing three new episodes of the #AllMenCan season which include three real-life interviews from a local tattoo artist, politician and professor, which inspired the play. The whole team has worked so hard to put this together but a special shout-out needs to go to Ashlea Sanderson who helped facilitate & develop the workshops, picked up on admin/ other work when I was mega busy and was my much-needed support on a project that we both found very challenging and triggering. Thank you, Ashlea!
*Please note that our lovely artwork was created by Rachel Keen.*
Listen to the #AllMenCan Podcast
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Jess's Dad Team
Produced by Studio 26
Performed by Chris Iddon
Written by Sarah Hughes
Directed by Charlotte Ryder
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Her Primal Scream:
Womxn Up? Film & Podcast
The Womxn Up? podcast & 'Her Primal Scream' film is Workie Ticket Theatre’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic which highlights North-East women’s stories through a series of audio plays & real-life interviews and a short film.
Within this project, we explore the impact the pandemic has had on women at home, work, in the community, on our mental health and on our bodies.
Workie Ticket Theatre is proud to present three, brand-new audio response plays all inspired by our research which are written, performed, directed and produced by women from the North East. Also, alongside the podcast is our film 'Her Primal Scream' created in the community with women's organisations and inspired by their voices.
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Womxn Up? has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and our community film was created with funding from Groundworks Comic Relief. The podcasts are presented by Sarah Hughes, produced by Workie Ticket and edited by Studio26. Her Primal Scream was created with Michelle Fix films. Disclaimer: Please be aware that some of the content may be triggering.
Listen to our Womxn Up? Podcast with BONUS episodes on all major podcast platforms including: Spotify, Anchor, Apple, Google Podcast, Castbox and many more! For transcriptions please scroll down below and follow the link under each episode. Or contact workietickettheatre@gmail.com & we will email you all transcripts.
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We are also so proud to announce that our work will be archived in the Feminist Library on 10th September.
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Episode 1: Women in the Time of Corona
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Find out more about the Womxn Up? Project from the producers as Sarah Hughes interviews founder of Workie Ticket Theatre CIC, JoJo Kirtley & Lindsay Nicholson and asks what inspired them to create a project about the impact of the pandemic on North-East Women.
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Presented by Sarah Hughes
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Episode 2: Above My Pay Grade
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Written and Performed by Sarah Hughes
Directed by Corinne Kilvington
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Michelle loves her job helping young people in the care system and prides herself on helping them feel less alone in the World. But, when the Coronavirus crisis enforces periods of isolation, she finds it hard to watch them struggle. So, when she’s invited along to an online workplace “Well-being” Event to talk about her experience working in social care; she pulls no punches.
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Episode 3: The Mothering Kind
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Written by Olivia Hannah
Performed by Rachel Brownstein
Directed by Corinne Kilvington
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Pre-pandemic Chrissy and Pete were happily child-free, spending their time and money on travel and new experiences. All that was swept away by Covid, and in its place came caring responsibilities for their nephew. Now, in the aftermath, Chrissy finds herself changed and looking for a new way to make life meaningful.
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Episode 4: More Hugs for Nana Hinny
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Written by JoJo Kirtley
Performed by Jacqueline Phillips
Directed by Charlotte Ryder
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Nana Hinny loves hugs, singing at her local ‘Singing for the Brain’ group and drinking decent whiskey. She misses her beloved Stan but is content with her life; watching the birds from her bungalow which overlooks Killy Lake…until the global pandemic changes everything and she suddenly finds her voice.
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Woman Warriors
"Bike, Dyke or Frigid?"
A bold new piece of theatre exploring the untold stories of female veterans
directed by Rosa Stourac McCreery.
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Women Warriors has been devised by engaging female veterans through forum theatre and discussion-based workshops. Our aim is to contribute to their empowerment whilst creating a dialogue about how to support veteran rehabilitation through creative methods. In her ground-breaking work on gender and the military, Cynthia Enloe asked in 1989; “Where are the women?” ‘Women Warriors’ responds by centering the lived experiences of female veterans, women who are often socially isolated, overlooked and suffering from lack of support. Our project aims is to raise awareness of the challenges female veterans face in society such as prejudice, discrimination, abuse and PTSD but also celebrate female veterans. Within a safe space, we have facilitated issue-based and forum theatre workshops to develop a series of short plays with five writers. We presented a rehearsed reading of our piece in July as part of our R&D in the build up to producing the first full production of ‘Women Warriors’ at The Exchange Arts Venue, North Shields on 9th October 2019.
Hear Her Roar
Background to Hear Her Roar
The HEAR HER ROAR project highlights Tyneside women’s real stories and raises awareness of women’s issues such as domestic violence, working mothers, abortion, sexual assault and sexuality. HEAR HER ROAR was our first major project, which celebrated the talents of North East women, collaborated with community groups and charities such as Newcastle Women’s Aid and promoted equality within the theatre industry.
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HEAR HER ROAR was successfully launched above the Bridge Hotel Pub in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, on 10th November 2017 as a night of script-in-hand performance of new short plays to give a flavour of our work and to highlight the specific themes. We sold out. We developed a network of creatives and we were featured in The Guardian’s Readers’ Favourite theatre of 2017; “Hear Her Roar had passion, heartache, love and solidarity.”
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In January 2018, we received funding from the People’s Postcode Lottery and the Catherine Cookson Trust, respectfully to deliver our February to September educational programme which included a full-scale theatre performance of our plays for International Women’s Day at The Exchange in North Shields, on 10th March 2018 and was part of celebrating 100 years of Women’s suffrage. Rebecca Gregson in NARC magazine wrote: “It’s clear that Hear Her Roar is an important and unquestionable success.”
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We also collaborated with the Red Box Project to collect sanitary products for local schools and collected for Newcastle Women’s Aid. In total, we have raised over £1300 for Newcastle Women’s Aid.
Workshops for Hear Her Roar
As part of the HEAR HER ROAR project, Workie Ticket are continuing to deliver issue-based workshops in the local community to at-risk groups, which are linked to our plays, in a bid to educate and raise awareness.
Our workshops are two-hour sessions and consist of interactive drama, writing and discussion-based activities to engage groups with the themes of the plays. For example, we have developed a Body Image workshop called “Love Yourself” which was firstly, delivered to a group of women who are survivors of domestic abuse at Newcastle Women’s Aid. Feedback included: “It made me feel empowered", “Being together with other women, made me feel included and safe”, and “I felt like someone was finally listening to me.”
We are also working delivering sessions to Women’s charity, Bright Futures and Launchpad Charity for Mental Health Awareness week.