CaroleW Productions & Events

29/12/2025

Our lovely friends at Eliot Smith Dance are fundraising for the work they do with communities across the Nortn East. It’s brilliant and important work. Their reach is incredible and done mostly with support from folk like you.

Thanks in advance for any support you can offer.

Carole at CaroleW Productions & Events

We're raising £5,000 to support Eliot Smith Dance's 15th anniversary year of bold performances, workshops, and community events in 2026!

17/11/2025

🎭 Loved The Bench by Jeff Brown? Show your support for theatre made with heart in the North East by nominating it for Best Regional Production at the WhatsOnStage Awards!

These are the only major theatre awards decided entirely by theatregoers, so your vote really counts. It only takes a couple of minutes and celebrates this unforgettable story and the incredible team behind it.

⏰ Nominations close this Thursday 20 November 2025!

👉 Nominate here: awards.whatsonstage.com/26th-annual-whatsonstage-awards-nominate-now/

📸 Jason Thompson

27/08/2025

🌟 Did you see The Bench this spring?

From packed theatres to village halls, The Bench moved hearts and sparked conversations across the North East and Cumbria. Written by Jeff Brown and co-produced by CaroleW Productions and Gala Durham, it blended humour, heart and urgent themes of belonging, racism and love.

Now there’s a chance for YOU to enter The Bench for 'Performance of the Year' at the North East Culture Awards.

This award honours live performances in the North East that show artistic excellence, originality and emotional or cultural impact. Entries should celebrate standout moments, powerful storytelling, and a strong connection with audiences – captivating, inspiring or leaving a lasting impression.

If that sounds like The Bench to you, please submit your entry today:
👉 https://necultureawards.com/northeastcultureawards2025/en/page/home

Thank you for helping us celebrate the power of performance! 💛

Closing date is Tuesday 30 September.

📷 Jason Thompson

27/06/2025

🌟 That’s a wrap! 🌟

Nearly a week on from the final performance of The Bench on our 2025 North East & Cumbria tour, and we’re still buzzing. Over 3,500 people (and three very well-behaved dogs 🐾) joined us on this unforgettable journey.

A heartfelt THANK YOU to every audience member, venue, partner, cast, crew, and all our supporters. You brought the magic to life and made this tour something truly special.

As we take stock and reflect on what’s been an amazing ride… we’re also looking forward.

The Bench isn’t done yet. Not by a long shot.

19/06/2025

🎭 The Bench is in its final week — with just three performances left!

After an incredible tour across the North East & Cumbria, the play returns full circle to The Customs House in South Shields, where it first premiered in 2023.

“What makes The Bench resonate is its universality. Brown reminds us that regardless of background or circumstance, connection is possible — sometimes even inevitable.” - Insight Interviews

📍 Saltburn Theatre – Thurs 19 Jun, 7.30pm (Tonight)
📍 The Customs House, South Shields – Fri 20 & Sat 21 Jun, 7.30pm

✨ Read the full review by Insight Interviews to see why The Bench is capturing hearts and stirring conversations wherever it goes: insightinterviews.co.uk/theatre-reviews/

🎟 carolewproductions.com/the-bench

17/06/2025

Back to Where It All Began 📍

made a special stop at 𝘵𝘩𝘦 park bench – the very one that inspired the play – ahead of tonight’s performance at Monkwearmouth Academy, playwright Jeff Brown’s former school.

With just 5 shows left on the North East & Cumbria tour, now’s the time to experience this funny, powerful and heartfelt story about love, loss and football.

🎭 Don’t miss your chance to see The Bench.

📍 Bishop Auckland Town Hall – Wed 18 Jun, 1pm & 7.30pm
📍 Saltburn Theatre – Thurs 19 Jun, 7.30pm
📍 The Customs House, South Shields – Fri 20 Jun & Sat 21 Jun, 7.30pm

A CaroleW Productions & Gala Durham co-production.

🎟 carolewproductions.com/the-bench

16/06/2025

🎥 “How partnership makes impact possible…”

Hear playwright Jeff Brown as he chats with Frances from The PFC Trust about how the collaboration between this Hartlepool-based charity and Frances and Patrick Connolly’s Plastic Processing Company helped bring The Bench – and its powerful anti-racism message – to audiences across the North East and Cumbria. 🌍🎭

The PFC Trust works to improve lives and life chances across the region by celebrating what’s good, and helping individuals and organisations realise their potential. From funding to capacity building and training, their support is as unique as the people and projects they empower.

We're proud to work alongside partners who believe in the power of arts and community to spark real change. 💛

16/06/2025

We’re delighted that our partnership with Show Racism the Red Card and the North East Combined Authority has enabled this important engagement activity to take place alongside The Bench, a CaroleW Productions and Gala Durham co-production.

Our aim has always been to ensure the themes at the heart of the play – empathy, allyship, and inclusion – resonate beyond the stage and into the community.

Huge thanks to all involved for helping bring this work to life so powerfully in schools. This is what meaningful engagement looks like.

13/06/2025

📖 Take The Bench home with you.

If you're heading to Live Theatre Newcastle this weekend, don’t miss the chance to meet playwright Jeff Brown and pick up a copy of The Bench, which also includes the script for his other powerful play, Cornered.

You'll also have the opportunity to connect with the team from Show Racism the Red Card, who are proudly supporting the tour.

🎟️ Fewer than 10 tickets remain for the final performances at Live Theatre — grab yours while you can!

11/06/2025

🎭 The Bench arrives in Newcastle!

After powerful performances across Durham, North Tyneside, Cumbria, Northumberland, Tees Valley and Sunderland — The Bench is heading to Newcastle this week!

If you're planning to see The Bench at Live Theatre Newcastle, be quick – tonight's performance (Wednesday 11 June) is SOLD OUT, and tickets for the remaining performances (running until Saturday 14 June) are selling fast.

🎥 Still undecided? Watch playwright Jeff Brown, along with cast members Jason Njoroge and Hannah Marie Davis, talk about the important themes explored in this funny, moving play in a feature that aired on Tyne Tees News last night. It’s a great insight into why this production is resonating with audiences across the North.

🎟️ live.org.uk/whats-on/bench

05/06/2025

🎭 Any great sports star knows – looking the part is half the battle.

Big thanks to GB Personals for stepping up as our Sportswear Consultant on The Bench!

With their expert help, Adi (played by the brilliant Jason Njoroge) captured the spirit of a rising football talent. ⚽🔥

GB Personals - thank you for helping us bring authenticity to the stage!

👉 Check out more from GB Personals here: gbpersonals.co.uk

📷 Jason Thompson

04/06/2025

🎶 Discover the Sound of The Bench

We're excited to share The Bench: Official Soundtrack – a vibrant Spotify playlist curated by the brilliant Wilf Stone to accompany The Bench on tour.

This venue ‘house music’ playlist showcases an incredible lineup of local talent, featuring music from:

🎵 Paige Temperley
🎵 Finn Forster
🎵 Wolfred
🎵 Tommy Arch
🎵 Jen Stevens
🎵 Martha Hill
🎵 Diji Solanke
🎵 Nev Clay
🎵 Hannabiell
🎵 Richard Dawson

Huge thanks to each of these artists for lending their sound and soul to the tour – your work helped shape the atmosphere of The Bench in such a powerful way.

🎧 Listen to the full playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3ZciVw3
📲 Check out the artists, give them a follow and support their amazing music!