JESUS, JANE, MOTHER & ME to Return to Edinburgh Fringe

After winning the Critic's Award for Best Play, and the Theatre Weekly Award for Best Solo Performer at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe last year, and following a run in Australia and a UK tour, Philip Stokes' play Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me will return to the Pleasance from 2 August. Produced by Lawrence Batley Theatre, Richard Jordan Productions, 412, Ketchup Productions in association with The Pleasance.

Jack Stokes will again reprise his award-winning performance.

Philip Stokes' critically acclaimed plays include Heroin(e) For Breakfast (Underbelly 2009/Pleasance, 2019), Über Hate Gang (Underbelly, 2010), and My Filthy Hunt (Underbelly, 2011). His work has had sold-out productions across the globe winning awards including The Fringe Review Outstanding Theatre Award and the Adelaide Holden Street Theatre Award along with gaining five-star reviews from international press. Phil is recognised by the British Library as a Culturally Important Playwright of the 21st Century.

Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me is the darkly hilarious and moving story of a strange boy called Daniel Valentine, the ultimate superfan whose life has been devoted to his two favourite things: Jesus… and Jane McDonald. Daniel's mother is a superfan too, but one day her actions cause it all to go horribly wrong. When Daniel returns to the family home, can old wounds ever truly be healed?

This powerful twisted coming-of-age story about how hard growing up can be when you're a little bit 'different' explores idolisation, young people's mental health, and the dynamic between mother & son, Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me is a tragicomedy full of northern heart and emotional grit typical of Stokes' Fringe hits.

Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me is performed by emerging talent Jack Stokes who will again play the role of Daniel Valentine. He returns to Edinburgh following his professional debut in the play at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe. The creative team includes set and lighting design by Craig Lomas (Heroin(e) For Breakfast).

Philip Stokes said, 'After a year which has seen 'Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me' debut in Edinburgh and then travel the world, I'm thrilled to be bringing the show back to the Fringe this summer.  Edinburgh audiences gave the play the best start in life and this year it will appear alongside my latest play, 'Lash'. A companion piece to 'Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me', this time looking at the influence of a father on his son rather than a mother. I hope Fringe-goers are able to catch both productions which will be playing at The Pleasance'.

Tickets priced from £7 can be booked now at pleasance.co.uk 

About Lawrence Batley Theatre  

Located in the Yorkshire town of Huddersfield, the Lawrence Batley Theatre presents a wide-ranging year-round programme of in-house and visiting productions, from drama and contemporary dance to circus and pantomime. Lawrence Batley Theatre is the creative heart of Huddersfield. They share exciting and entertaining stories, encourage creativity, nurture confidence, and develop local and national talent. They are brave and unafraid of taking risks.

About Richard Jordan Productions

Richard Jordan Productions is an Olivier, TONY, and EMMY Award-winning production company based in London under the artistic leadership of British producer Richard Jordan. Founded in 1998, his company has produced over 250 productions in the UK as well as 28 other countries, including 95 world premières and 91 European, Australian or US premières producing and collaborating with many of the world's leading theatres. In the US, Richard is also International Producing Partner at Chicago Shakespeare Theater – one of the largest not-for-profit producing theatres in North America; in the UK, Richard is Patron of the Brighton Fringe. He has enjoyed a twenty-four year association with both the Edinburgh Fringe and Pleasance with whom he has presented and co-produced many productions including Miriam Margolyes' Dickens' Women; My Name is Gideon; Krapp 39; The Art of Falling Apart; Itsoseng; Victor Spinetti's A Very Private Diary (Revisited); Hirsch; Alphonse; Kafka and Son; The Q Brothers Othello the Remix; xxO; God's Official; Bitch Boxer; Ali J; The Adventure; Die Roten Punkte: Robot/Lion Tour; Trump Lear; Heroin(e) for Breakfast and Happy Hour. Described by The Stage newspaper as “one of the UK's most prolific theatre producers”, Richard, along with his company, has been at the forefront of developing and/or commissioning works often with a strong social and political agenda. A new writing and musical theatre specialist, past productions have won over 60 major awards including the TONY Award for Best Play (and 11 other TONY nominations); Olivier; EMMY; 17 Scotsman Fringe Firsts; DORA; Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award; Spirit of the Fringe; two Herald Angel; 10 Total Theatre; US Black Alliance; Obie; and the John Gassner Award for Best New American Play. In 1998 Richard was the first recipient of the Society of London Theatre/ TIF New Producers Bursary Award, and in 2013 he became the first British producer to have won every notable Broadway and Off-Broadway Best Play award. Richard discovered playwright Philip Stokes in 2010 and has developed his plays worldwide. Alongside Yvette Cooper MP, he serves as Patron of Philip's theatre and education company 412 which works with young people from communities across West Yorkshire.

About 412

412 is a production company and school for performing arts based in West Yorkshire. Led by company director Ella Daley, 412 is the North's biggest independent provider of dance, theatre and gymnastics for young people. Recent professional productions include Joe and Jack (with Jersey Arts Centre/Richard Jordan Productions) and the award-winning Jesus, Jane, Mother and Me.

About KETCHUP productions

KETCHUP productions are creators of theatre and cabaret based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. Led by emerging producer Ryan Hogan, they produce performances that are sweet, tangy, and a little bit messy. Passionate about telling marginalised stories, KETCHUP is interested in creating work with LGBTQ+ artists based in the North of England who want to make performances that are bold, brave, and boundary-pushing. Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me marked KETCHUP's Edinburgh Fringe producing debut.

Photo Credit: Craig Lomas