Taking the Stage 2024 - Persuasion

Chloe Wade Productions alongside Archipelago Arts Collective will be presenting a work in progress of writer Chloe Wade’s new adaptation of Jane Austen’s, Persuasion. Persuasion is the ultimate tale of resilience, with love and hope triumphing in a world of cynicism. Our work-in-progress adaptation reimagines Austen’s classic as a soulful, northern, female-driven production, incorporating folk music. Actor-musicians will showcase a couple of extracts/scores from the current draft.

Chloe Wade - Writer

Chloe Wade is an actor, writer & producer from Huddersfield. She trained at The International School of Screen Acting and is an alumna of WoLab’s Actor-Writer course, Mercury Theatre Creatives Programme and Papatango’s Producing Course. She is also a sponsored artist at Sheffield Theatres, as part of the Bank Cohort 2022, a scheme to support the next generation of northern talent. Chloe is passionate about bold, northern, feminist narratives & creates work that encourages people to challenge societal norms, gives a voice to the voiceless & utilises humour to explore serious issues. In 2022 she set up her own theatre company, Chloe Wade Productions, dedicated to amplifying the unheard voices of women in ‘Herstory.’ Chloe’s first full length play, As SHE Likes It, inspired by the story of #MeToo pioneer Patricia Douglas, reached the top 9% of plays in The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, and has just completed a successful

ACE funded tour to 30 midscale venues across the UK, receiving 5-star reviews from various publications & amazing audience feedback (Kathy Burke: ‘Very funny and deeply disturbing’). She is mentored by Olivier Award Winning Playwright, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia/ The Wasp).

Beth Knight - Director

Beth is a Yorkshire born and based director, dramaturg and facilitator and co-artistic director of archipelago arts collective. She is a supported artist at Sheffield Theatres as part of the Bank Cohort 2023. She has a flair for bringing exciting untold stories and ideas to light, working with a range of artists, participants and communities. Credits include; as Director and Dramaturg: Mother of the Revolution (Leeds Industrial Museum); Santa Must Die! (Alphabetti Theatre); A Call to Care (short film; Royal College of Nursing and HOME Manchester); Hand Me Down (Contact Theatre); The Sh*t Between Us (Storyhouse Chester); Teenage Fantasy, Blank Page, Overheard, Crash Landed!, I am, Tuesday, and These Bridges (Harrogate Theatre); Leeds, I Love You But…, Boxes, Drown. Trudge. Soar, My Adventure Story and Power! Beauty! Youth! (Leeds Playhouse).

As Director: soundlandscape: The Wild Hauntings on the Moor (Obscura Theatre, Ilkley Literature Festival and The Brontë Parsonage Museum).

As Assistant/Associate Director: Little Shop of Horrors and White Christmas (Sheffield Theatres); Can You Hear Me Now? (SBC Theatre and Coventry City of Culture); An Act of Care (in response to right now) (short film); An Act of Care (HOME Manchester); The Things You Wouldn’t Otherwise Find and Searching for the Heart of Leeds (Leeds Playhouse); The Selfish Giant (UK Tour).