A unique collaboration of wounded, injured and sick Service personnel, veterans and their families from across the UK will take to the stage this weekend for a one-off Remembrance performance at the Newcastle Theatre Royal.
The Royal British Legion’s recovery through the arts initiative, Bravo 22 Company, is delivered in partnership with The Drive Project and in collaboration with Newcastle Theatre Royal to put on the production on Remembrance Sunday.
Bravo 22 uses theatre and sculpture to help the Armed Force Community during recovery. The production, ‘Unspoken’ is based on the memories and experiences of those from the forces community.
The cast includes veterans who’ve suffered life-changing injures to family members who can use this show as a ‘voice’ to highlight their perspective of having a loved one in the forces.
Most of the cast have taken part in previous Bravo 22 Company projects over the last five years. One of the stars who will be on stage is former Royal Marine Tip Cullen. After 30 years as a commando he left in October 2015.
Tip’s first acting break came in the form of the Legion’s Bravo 22 production, ‘Boots at the Door’ in Plymouth in 2015. “It was my first performance on the stage and I loved it. I could not have been given a better opportunity at this time in my life and I will always be thankful to the Legion for that.”
Bravo 22 Company was created by Alice Driver in partnership with The Royal British Legion, the Ministry of Defence and the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2011 to help improve self-awareness, confidence, self-esteem and motivation in order to aid personnel with individual paths to recovery. Following the success of the inaugural West End production of ‘The Two Worlds of Charlie F’, there have been several shows across the country including Plymouth, Aylesbury and Newcastle as well as two arts projects in Brighton and Manchester.
Alice Driver, Founder and Managing Director for The Drive Project, commented; “The Bravo 22 Company journey has been incredible to oversee. Six years on from our first performance around and 230 people have been through this process. Reuniting cast members from all over the country for this performance is really special for me. What makes this type of theatre unique is not only what the audience gets out of seeing a show based on real life experiences but also how the cast grow in confidence, form new friendships and use the stage as a platform for their voice”
For more information on Bravo 22 Company visit www.britishlegion.org.uk/bravo22
