Tales from Paradise Heights

A Jack, a Bench and a Haunting...February Blog Update

2/25/2024

Well February has been a real hotbed of activity for Tales from Paradise Heights and The Haunting of Blaine Manor, a busy month promoting and performing shows that have gone down an absolute storm with audiences. Huge thanks to each and everyone of you that came to these shows, to the fabulous reviewers, to the venues, the wonderful staff and just extraordinary volunteers who do everything they do for the love of theatre, we really appreciate you all.

Strawberry Jack: A Tale from Paradise Heights

We started with the preview shows for Strawberry Jack: A Tale from Paradise Heights. We were keen to get some 'oil in the engine' of the show and get it out there in early tests, so we took three nights at the fabulous Kings Arms Theatre Pub in Salford - the home of Studio Salford. Wow, what a response we got for this show, from standing ovations to keenly argued theories down in the bar afterwards. The show will be touring venues throughout the year, tour poster below. I'm absolutely delighted with the early enthusiasm for the show from those great audiences, thank you, it's clear even now that this show has a very strong future.

The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights

After the successful launch of Strawberry Jack, five days later we were onstage at the beautiful Gladstone Theatre, Port Sunlight. Ran by Georgia and Dawn this is a wonderful theatre. Our tech team were Laura and T and they did us proud, and a very special mention to all the volunteers there. It was a spectacular performance and the audience were extraordinary in their response, applauding, shouting and cheering between the scenes with a fabulous ovation at the end. Things went so well there that the whole series of Tales from Paradise Heights will be coming to The Gladstone. We return to The Gladstone Theatre on 26th October, just in time for Halloween with the Halloween based tale, Rank: A Tale from Paradise Heights, this one is guaranteed to give you chills, thrills and that real Halloween flavour.

From Port Sunlight we were then over to Blackpool Grand Studio for three performances of The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights where again we garnered fabulous reviews, despite the lift being too small to get our bench into the studio - we substituted a settee and informed the audience at the end why we had to improvise. Again a standing ovation, this time led by an 86 e year old man, which shows the broad age range appeal of the show, despite a few naughty words in the dialogue. The response to the show across these four performances was just outstanding and very, very much appreciated. Again we made a lot of new friends and garnered three fresh and wonderful new reviews to add to the plethora of great reviews we have for the show. Thank you to all who attended, the reviewers and audiences and the wonderful venues, management, staff and again superb volunteers. Special shout to Isaac, our tech, who was just fabulous, Jackie and Monique, Vicky, Amy, Nick, Hannah, Hannah and Hannah...and Hannah. Again we are returning with all of the Tales from Paradise Heights series.

The Haunting of Blaine Manor

The Haunting of Blaine Manor, Venue Cymru, 24th February 2024

To complete our February shows we played the magnificent Venue Cymru with the award winning and critically acclaimed The Haunting of Blaine Manor and wow, what a venue and wow what a performance. The audience here were just incredible giving us a night we will never ever forget, all 832 of them on a cold February night. Well the show chilled, and thrilled this wonderful audience who really blew the cast and crew away with their responses both during and after the show.

Check the reviews received for the show here:
www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/reviews.html

Huge thanks to the management, staff and volunteers of this gorgeous theatre, we can't wait to return.

Keep Up With All The Tours On This Site, Hope To See You Out There!

Joe xx

All imagery by Darren McGinn

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Tales from Paradise Heights: The Tours 2024/25

1/14/2024

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It's all go over here now at Tales from Paradise Heights with new dates being added to all six tours, here is the current state of play - keep checking back as new dates are being added all the time. Thanks for your continued fantastic support! Joe x

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A Spectacular Return: For the play and for a wonderful actor...what a night!

9/18/2023

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It was a fabulous return for The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights at Crewe Lyceum on 16th of September as a packed audience sat mesmerised at the show before them, a real emotional roller coaster ride that lead to huge cheers and applause at the end of the show, but for one person in the cast it meant so, so much more.

Jeni Williams, this pic was taken mere seconds into her return to the stage after 7 years of hell. Welcome back Jeni. Pic by Darren McGinn

7 years ago Jeni Williams had a horrific accident that lead to a devastating spinal injury. She was told she might not walk again, in fact as events transpired she was lucky to even survive. Of course that ended a truly magnificent acting career up to that point, from powerful roles on TV and absolutely barn storming performances on stage - she is one of the very brightest Northern lights of stage and screen. I worked with her on a couple of projects - one in particular Rank: A Tale from Paradise Heights contained one of her stand out blistering lead roles on stage, just awe inspiring. All of that was gone. Imagine losing all of that.
But you can't keep someone like Jeni Williams down, those that know her know that, there's a fire in her, a fierce determination, the heart of Terminator but also the biggest, most generous and warmest of hearts. Love the bones of her.

We launched this show into the stratosphere in front of another amazing audience at Crewe Lyceum that hung on every word, laughed in all the right places, felt the trauma, the terror, the joys and the love of 16 characters played by 6 actors. There’s a real magic about this show, even the tech guy AJ said the audience were simply mesmerised by the story and performances so many moved to tears too, it’s a real roller coaster of a show.

More importantly it more than sealed Jeni Williams return to acting after 7 years - and another strange twist - 7 years to the day Jeni had that terrible accident that almost took her life and took her away from acting. Spooky Magic. She was amazing, faultless and colourful, riotously funny and poignantly tragic with everything in between. A towering performance.

And I’m taking nothing away from the rest of the magnificent cast, if you were there you know.
Thanks to techs AJ and Sarah and our own Justin Wetherill, Darren McGinn on photography and then front of house Debbie, Tara, Lisa Cruise, Leanne, Vicky and all at Crewe Lyceum, and finally a very special thank you to the wonderful audience who were so engaged and involved. You were brilliant - thanks to all involved.

Next up The Platform - Morecambe this Wednesday 20th
The Carnegie Theatre & Arts Centre Workington 25th September and
The Princess Theatre Hunstanton on Thursday 19th October

You’d be crazy to miss it, it’s an extraordinary production.

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The Return of Joe O'Byrne's Tales from Paradise Heights

2/17/2023

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The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights Cast. L to R back row: Peter Slater, Bill Bradshaw, Joe O'Byrne. Front row L to R Ross Thompson, Jo Malone, Lisa Moore Pic by Maddie Hughes Photography

10 years...that's how long it's been since one of my Tales from Paradise Heights played a stage. Well in the wake of the fabulous success of The Haunting of Blaine Manor, I decided to dig into the past and bring them back. With the way the nation is right now there has never been a better time.

The really good news is they are now rolling out across the country, all of them. These stories built up quite a following in Greater Manchester so it's just amazing that they are now rolling out across the country to wider and bigger audiences and to town and city main stages. There's a lot more I could say about this but I'll save that for a future blog.

For now I just want to share the current 'State of Play' in terms of tours I have now and that are coming up, below are the tour posters (more dates are being added all the time) and if you search the headings in the menu bar above you'll find out much more about each play. Bear with me as I update the site in terms of casts, new imagery, new trailers etc over the next few weeks.

Check the tours, including The Haunting of Blaine Manor...it's quite a schedule. See you out there!

Joe x

STOP PRESS: The multi media stage production of Rank: A Tale from Paradise Heights has just been booked in for a return on Halloween in 2024, handy as the play itself is set in Paradise Heights on Halloween, obviously I will also be building a full tour around this production.

This caused quite a stir when it premiered all those years ago, and I really can't wait for the return of this one, rebuilding it from the ground up and with the technology available today? This is going to be EPIC.

Oh, and a couple more dates have come in as I've been writing this, for Strawberry Jack and I'm Frank Morgan: RewiRED - fabulously busy times, and I still haven't got to London!

The British Theatre Guide
Ghost Stories and Gritty Realism from Paradise Heights to Blaine Manor

For a short cut to what all this work has been about, check out this podcast from The British Theatre Guide, an interview I had with the wonderful David Chadderton. David, a prolific reviewer for The British Theatre Guide, has followed the series down the years and I really enjoyed this interview, it tells you something about Tales from Paradise Heights and The Haunting of Blaine Manor. A huge thanks to David for this, it's lovely and very much appreciated.

Finally, I've worked very hard over the years building this series of interconnected tales, and there are more to come. The harder you work, the luckier you get.

Finally a huge thanks to all of the audiences, fans, venue management and staff, reviewers, photographers and absolutely incredible casts that have helped put this series where it is, unrivalled today as an ever expanding series of modern urban fairy tales and fables, set on the mean n moody streets of Paradise Heights and all shot through with a flavour of the supernatural.

Tales from Paradise Heights are back to stay, see you out there.

Joe x

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The Haunting of Blaine Manor: Crewe Lyceum and a Very Special Moment...

9/22/2022

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The cast and crew in Crewe, beneath the digital billboard banner created by Darren McGinn

After the cancellation of the Oldham Coliseum show due to the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the new tour finally got off to an absolutely flying start at the stunningly beautiful, and gothically haunted,Crewe Lyceum.

Several ghosts are said to haunt the building. There's Charles, the ghostly stage hand, it's always best to say 'Goodnight Charles' when you are leaving the building to avoid any erm...happenings. Then there's the ghost of the ballerina, in love with Charles, who heard he was having an affair with another ballerina. She committed suicide in the dressing rooms, or threw herself off the balcony depending on which version you hear. There's the ghost of a child - people aren't sure if it's a boy or a girl - often seen or felt backstage, a bit of a mischief maker but friendly. The ghost of a monk is the oldest spirit there, thought to originate from the Roman Catholic chapel that was originally on the site of the theatre. Finally there's the 'forgotten actor' (that's strangely familiar) a cigarette in his cigarette holder and an opera cape. He's a malevolent spirit and it is rumoured it is his cigarette that led to the theatre being burned down in 1910...burning buildings and and chapels? Strange connections to Blaine Manor there.

Well last week it was our turn to haunt the building, mixing with the spirits there. We got off to an absolutely storming start to the tour. Over 1200 people saw the show, and judging by the reactions we felt from the stage - and certainly from the four fabulous reviews the show received from the four reviewers that attended (links below) we thrilled and chilled the house.

Enormous thanks to Crewe Lyceum, the management, marketing department, stage management and front of house teams. It was fantastic working hand in hand with such a tirelessly enthusiastic and professional team in making the run a success, our combined efforts paid off. Thanks to the reviewers for our fabulous reviews and finally a very special thank you to our audiences, thank you for attending you were absolutely amazing.

Just look below at how beautiful this theatre is, rebuilt in 1911 after the fire of 1910...psst, see any ghosts?

A Very Special Moment

At the end of our final show on Saturday night, a very special moment occurred recorded from the stage, it's definitely a first for us and perhaps the theatre...

Here are the links to the reviews picked up at Crewe Lyceum:

On In My City Review:
https://www.oninmy.city/2022/09/15/review-the-haunting-of-blaine-manor/

Bloody_Flicks Review:
https://bloody-flicks.co.uk/2022/09/21/the-haunting-of-blaine-manor-review/

The Nantwich News Review:
https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2022/09/16/review-the-haunting-of-blaine-manor-crewe-lyceum/

The Theatre Talk Review
https://www.thetheatretalk.co.uk/post/the-haunting-of-blaine-manor-crewe-lyceum-15-09-2022

And check out our fantastic bank of many great reviews at this link:
https://www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/reviews.html

PROMOTIONAL CLIPS

In a nod to behind the scenes, here are some of the promotional videos shot and edited by Darren McGinn with original music and sound effects by Justin Wetherill...first class work from both of them.

Shots from the Show

Darren McGinn got took quite a few stills of the show, fabulous photos of the action, check the slideshow below of just a few of them:

A great start, a fabulous first venue on the tour and our next show is at Swansea on the 26th of October where we have already sold 425 tickets, so move fast if you're in the area. And then it's onward to the remaining venues who are all selling very well. More venues are being added to the tour as I write...so if you see us coming to your village, town or city...don't miss the chance to catch this thrilling ghost story. Check the venues and dates booked so far below:

Horror is a Place

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The Haunting of Blaine Manor: The Rise Continues...

6/8/2022

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It has been an absolutely spectacular journey for the play so far. From the show's humble beginnings in pub theatre it has steadily grown from strength to strength, playing wonderful venues from coast to coast. In addition to the many beautiful theatres we have played so far, there are some truly breath taking venues on the upcoming tour, some of those in excess of 1200 seats.

That's progress.

World renowned parapsychologist Adolphus Scarabus (Jimmy Allen), flanked by Blaine Manor custodian Vincent De Lambré (Ed Barry) and sceptic investigator Dr. Roy Earle (Peter Slater) Pic by Darren McGinn

Everywhere the play has been performed the reception has been nothing short of fantastic. Don't take my word on that though, judge for yourselves in the video below, taken at the end of the show at the last 5 venues:

And there's more than a few good reasons to see the show in these interviews with audience members. By the way this was filmed after one of our Halloween shows, which is why some of the interviewees are dressed and 'made up' for their own personal celebration of Halloween night.

The next tour, starting in September, will be our biggest yet and I intend to reach every corner of the U.K. with it. I have a lot of bookings in so far, but due to Covid backlog for theatres (productions cancelled due to Covid and therefore rescheduled) a lot of theatres are fully booked up well into next year - so I'm planning well ahead. You'll find that venues will be added all the time to the current schedule as I'm constantly in touch with venues approaching them with the show. It takes time from original contact to getting those dates as theatres like to plan out their year's theatrical programs accordingly.

Jo Haydock's Vivian Ruttledge, the reporter out for a scoop on the haunting goings on at Blaine Manor Pic by Shay Rowan

The reviews have been superb, a huge thank you to all the reviewers who have attended and taken time to write those reviews, we really, really appreciate your efforts and of course your praise for the show. Check the reviews out, along with some stunning photography from Karen McBride, Shay Rowan and Darren McGinn, at this link:

www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/reviews.html

Cairo, the medium (Andrew Yates) does he have his own ulterior motives for being at Blaine Manor?

There is plenty more to come from the most talked about haunter since The Woman in Black, below is the current trailer for the play and the tour schedule so far. Please note that not all of the theatres will have the show on sale just yet, as we are pretty far ahead in some schedules.

Stay up to date with all things about the show either here, or at the show's Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/TheHauntingofBlaineManor

And just to reiterate; a final huge thanks to all of the venues, management, staff, reviewers and of course you wonderful audiences. You have all been amazing, we take nothing for granted. Thanks for your fantastic support and we hope to see you again out there...

Be well.

Joe and the Cast and Crew of The Haunting of Blaine Manor

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Blaine Manor Continues to Conquer Coast to Coast...Audience Reaction

11/25/2021

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Image by Darren McGinn

28th February, 2022 - UPDATE: And the show continues to blaze a trail of delighted and terrified audiences in its wake. This time it was the turn of the wonderfully gothic Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield. This theatre is just gorgeous, the Jewel in the Crown of Derbyshire's theatres, and this venue is HAUNTED - not by one, but by two ghosts. The Grey Lady, who moves props around backstage, and the ghost of Robert Stevenson, who walks across the stage to take his seat before the show starts!

Well all went fantastically well again, as we thrilled a wonderful audience who enjoyed the whole ghost train roller coaster ride. We had a fantastic time there, check their reaction in the video below, and further down check the reactions from other venues on the tour.

It's really fantastic to see such large crowds back in theatres again, this time there were 421 lovely people there to see Friday's show. Big thanks to them and the management and staff of the Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield.

The show played The Gatehouse Theate, Stafford on Friday 28th January, 2022 and had the best night so far on its spectacular return after the Covid lock downs. Indeed the first eight venues on The Haunting of Blaine Manor Coast to Coast Tour have gone down an absolute storm with audiences!

Check the Stafford audience reaction below:

A quick note about The Gatehouse Theatre management and staff here who were absolutely outstanding in their support of the show and cast. We've been blessed with so many great theatre teams along the way but Stafford really topped the pile. Phenomenal, thank you.

As you can see the 430 strong audience really enjoyed the show, and we really can't wait to return. Thank you Stafford, wonderful people and a wonderful theatre.

The two previous venues to The Gatehouse in Stafford were literally Coast to Coast - from the oldest working theatre in Wales, Theatr Colwyn, Colwyn Bay to the magnificently gothic Scarborough Spa, right on the East Yorkshire coast line. Coming out of (or should I say still being in) the Covid pandemic we were always worried about how this would affect audience numbers. From the responses we've seen on the tour confidence is building in audiences and so many have expressed how great it is to be in theatres again.

More than anything they've really expressed how much they love this show, the show's facebook page is filling up with amazing reaction to the play, the cast, the lighting and sound design, the shocks, the horror, the laughs and the jaw dropping twists at the end.

Scarborough Spa was an amazing show, the theatre is literally on the sea front, the waves were pounding the theatre as we played and the building literally shook with every wave, it really added to the feeling of a haunted manor - and this was the audience reaction.

Theatr Colwyn's Sold Out performance, these guys were absolutely amazing and brought the. house down, it really went down so well that we are already returning - we will return on Friday 29th and Saturday 30th of April. We're enormously grateful to all the theatres on this tour, including The Platform, Morecambe, Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle, The Muni in Colne and the other three wonderful theatres mentioned in this update.

An older video below from one of our Halloween shows a couple of years ago (which is why some of the interviewees here look particularly interesting - getting with the Halloween vibe), but again this gives you a feeling of how well the show is going down with audiences.

And here are some pics of the wonderful audience at Port Sunlight's magnificent Gladstone Theatre. Another very lively and engaged audience, scanning that crowd you'll see a sea of smiling faces. I wish I'd taken photos at all the venues since we came back, all we've seen are delighted and really lively responses from wonderful crowds - long may it continue.

If you are new to this blog, check out the critics reviews for the show at this link:

www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/reviews.html

Below you will find a few images of the show, taken by Darren McGinn. Huge thanks to all you audiences and the amazing management and staff at all of the venues we've been to so far, you've been absolutely fantastic. The Coast to Coast Tour will return on Friday 18th of March at Wakefield's majestic Theatre Royal, and as I write this the show is selling fast and looks like it will be a sold out show...so book your tickets here:

www.theatreroyalwakefield.co.uk/events/the-haunting-of-blaine-manor-2021

We really can't wait...

Joe and The Haunting of Blaine Manor Cast and Crew

*This is an updated blog, the original was posted in November, 2021. Updated 28/02/22

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From Sold Out Colwyn Bay to Scarborough, The Haunting of Blaine Manor Thunders Coast to Coast and Ever Onward...

10/23/2021

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Image by Darren McGinn

The Haunting of Blaine Manor Tour (the tour now started that may never end) had a fabulous Halloween week. We thrilled, chilled and terrified fabulous audiences in Morecambe - The Phenomenal Platform, Port Sunlight - The Glorious Gladstone Theatre, and Colne - The Magnificent Muni Theatre. Each audience seeming to grow in their intense appreciation of the show, and we've received thunderous applause, whistles and cheers all along the tour from Newcastle to Colne - Colne Muni nearly took the roof off the place! Morecambe, Port Sunlight and Colne - a huge thank you to every single audience member for making this such a special tour in such a difficult time for theatre and live performance.

And now we move onto a Sold Out show in Colwyn Bay, our first trip into Wales where we play the historic Theatr Colwyn - Wales' oldest functioning theatre typing 'Wales oldest operating theatre' gives it a different slant somehow. But what an audience, it's going to get stormy in Colwyn Bay this Friday Night!

Ed Barry as Vincent De Lambré and Jo Haydock as Vivian Ruttledge, pic by Darren McGinn

From there we cross the country and coasts to the beautiful and fabulously gothic Scarborough Spa where seats are still available.

It's too late for tickets for Colwyn Bay as they are sold out (thank you Wales and Theatr Colwyn) but you can still get your tickets Scarborough Spa on th 21st of November - ticket link below:

www.scarboroughspa.co.uk/event/The-Haunting-of-Blaine-Manor-2021

Catch this Ghost Train, a train that invites you aboard for a journey into the supernatural and the dark and unforgiving pitch black tunnels of the psyche.

Six people, one night, and a house, seemingly alive, that knows their secrets, their fears - a house with a terrifying history of black magic, madness, tragedy, darkness and death...

But it's not just what awaits them at the notoriously haunted manor, it's the horror that has entered with them.

Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle Pic by Darren McGinn

The Haunting of Blaine Manor Coast to Coast Tour got off to a flying start at Newcastle's magnificent Tyne Theatre and Opera House, an absolutely amazing night in front of a thrilled Newcastle crowd who really enjoyed our first show in almost two years. It was great to be back and Newcastle and that wonderfully appreciative audience really gave the show the welcome back it needed. What you couldn't escape that night was the sheer joy of an audience experiencing live theatre again, a precious feeling, there's nothing quite like the magic of live theatre and the spells cast between cast and audience were really felt - we had a fantastic time too. Thank you to the fabulous team at Tyne Theatre and Opera House and a huge thank you to the fab Newcastle audience.

Is there something there...? Doctor Roy Earle, investigator of paranormal events. Pic by Darren McGinn

It's the Irish in me that likes to tell a good story especially a good ghost story, and that's exactly what this is. It's going to absolutely rock you.

I'm not here to spoil the show for you though, I'm not going to tell you what thrilled the audience, what scared the bejaysus out of them, made them laugh and then shocked the hell out of them; what kept them hanging on to every word as much as they were hanging on to the edge of their seats...no, you have to enter the manor to experience that. The show's good though, don't take my word for it though, check the reviews here:

www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/reviews.html

They're great, they are very much appreciated, and we're adding to them as the tour makes its way around the UK, more dates will be added as we go. I'm determined to get the show to as many venues as possible - so yes - coming to your town, city or village or a town, city or village near you - watch out for us.

Check the trailer below:

And here in one of our older videos, check out what audiences have been saying about the production. This was recorded on Halloween in 2019, which is why some of the audience look a little...interesting, and certainly getting with that Halloween feel.

Scarborough is our last date of 2021!

Scarborough is our last town for the tour for 2021, but there are plenty of dates coming up in 2022 - see further down this update!

Scarborough Spa, Sunday 21st November
Tickets:
www.scarboroughspa.co.uk/event/The-Haunting-of-Blaine-Manor-2021

The most talked about haunter since The Woman in Black playing Scarborough Spa? Magnificent, we just can't wait!

Vincent DeLambré (Ed Barry) Adolphus Scarabus (James Allen) and Dr Roy Earle (Peter Slater) Image by Darren McGinn

Adolphus Scarabus, World Renowned Psychic and Parapsychologist (James Allen) Pic by Darren McGinn

Vivian Ruttledge, Reporter (Jo Haydock) pic by Darren McGinn

Vincent De Lambré, Custodian of Blaine Manor (Ed Barry) Pic by Darren McGinn

Cairo, Psychic and Mind Reader (Andrew Yates) Pic by Darren McGinn

Grady, the butler (Joe O'Byrne) Pic by Darren McGinn

So let us welcome you to Blaine Manor for a night you'll never forget. And when it all gets too much just hold on to the person in the next seat and just keep telling yourself...

...it's only a play, it's only a play, it's only a play...

Horror is a Place...Blaine Manor

Theatre is Magic

Joe x

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2020 UPDATE: The Show Must Go On - and - My First Art Exhibition

10/12/2020

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So they say, I'm silver tongued too... Joe O'Byrne in Whitehaven, promoting The Haunting of Blaine Manor - well, not with this pic, but I was there, y'know?

Hey, it's been a while. What a year, eh?

Those of you who are regular visitors to the site will know what a busy bee I am, I don't like to let the grass grow under my feet. You'll know that I create over many forms of media, theatre, film, novel, animation, music and art under the banner Tales from Paradise Heights. None of this would be possible without collaboration with the fabulous talents that I'm working with across the North of England. In recent years the wonderful contributions of Justin Wetherill in music https://www.atmosounds.co.uk  and Darren McGinn in animation and digital imagery  http://www.darrenmcginn.co.uk have helped Tales from Paradise Heights become an established brand associated with quality writing and critically acclaimed films and plays. My aim has always been to make the next production better than the last, so far so good whilst at the same time giving credit to all of the talents that have contributed their more than substantial efforts. Do look through the site to see those names, they all more than deserve your attention, and most of them - if not all - are heavily wounded at the moment.

I'm nowhere near done, I have so much more I want to do...of course Covid 19 has been not so much a thorn in my side, more of a dagger through the heart. Two theatrical tours of two of my plays have been halted due to the virus. I'd have grossed somewhere around £120k - more actually as more dates would have been added, that's a crushing loss to myself and the creatives I work with. Yes I was down momentarily, but you can't keep me down. I'm still as busy, I've just been adapting and there's a whole lot more to come. My appetite, drive, energy and determination are as ferocious as they ever were. Focus is moving to film and audio projects that will expand the Tales from Paradise Heights stories, one lockdown project based on my first novel has had three updates all during lockdown - see https://www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/jackanory-the-bench.html

I've also released the live recording of my one man show - I'm Frank Morgan: RewiRED - from its performance at The Met in Bury, I've released the award nominated and critically acclaimed donchyaknow production to watch for free on youtube, you'll find it further down this update.

In between I've been busy down at my art studio - my first appointment based Open Studio Weekend is on 16th, 17th and 18th October - details again are further down this update.

The tour that was, this was lost along with a 6 date tour of The Bench: A Tale from Paradise Heights

Sinful Joe and his first Art Exhibition

...And Heaven Broke 47" x 39" acrylic on canvas by Joe O'Byrne

During the early days of lockdown I was sneaking out like a thief in the night, skulking the deserted mean and moody night streets of Halliwell, making my way to my art studio which is literally 300 yards from my front door, part of FaMAS Gallery and Studios at Falcon Mill in Halliwell, Bolton.

In truth my art saved me during lockdown, I threw myself into it and really enjoyed myself and hammered out a good few canvas' (some of which I've already sold, the rest you'll find at the Open Weekend this weekend. I'm also fortunate to have a studio alongside amazingly talented artists who all have their work on show as part of the same Open Studio Event, so come along and check out their work too.

It's now much more of an appointment based Open Studio Tour, Covid has taken its toll here too so the music and the munches will not be part of the event, but there may be a drink. It's going to be appointment based and if you are interested for now email me at [email protected] - I'll sort your appointment and it would be lovely to see you. The poster in the trailer for the event below was created before the event went appointment based only - checkout my art website - www.sinfuljoe.com/

Mercury's Garden 47" x 39" acrylic on canvas by Joe O'Byrne

There's much more of my work in the trailer below...

I'm Frank Morgan: RewiRED -
Award Nominated One Man Show, for FREE

Well I like to set myself a challenge, and in acting there can't be much of a greater challenge than performing a two hour and fifteen minute one man show, once you step onto the stage there's really no hiding place. The control freak in me is turned up to eleven here, written, produced, directed and acted by myself...have a gander, it got rave reviews. And I'm giving it you for free, my blood, sweat and tears. Frank is the resident villain of Tales from Paradise Heights and he appears in or is referred to in every tale, find out more on him at the link:
www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/im-frank-morgan-rewired.html

WARNING: There is some STRONG ADULT CONTENT in the show.

Have a watch and leave me a comment on youtube if you can, subscribe to the channel for updates as more stuff will be happening this month.

Trailer:

Poster by Darren McGinn

The Full Show:

So stay tuned, stay safe and keep looking at what creatives are up to. They are all under pressure right now and need your support and they don't subscribe to the insulting view of this government, a view that their efforts and talents are unviable, not 'real jobs'. Their passion, drive and spirits have always been around creativity and story telling, whatever the medium, that will never change. Retrain? Are you mad? Times of great hardship are when some of the most magnificent works have been created, history shows that time and time again, and this time is no different in spirit. The 'will to do' always finds a way.

So keep an eye on my blog on here which has been criminally underused this past year, I'm back on that with a vengeance, don't lose your faith or your heads - we'll come out of this.

And finally, in the immortal words of Freddie Mercury

'...I'll face it with a grin, I'm NEVER giving in - On With The Show.'

Joe O'Byrne x

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Halloween Film Double Bill from Tales from Paradise Heights

10/30/2019

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So All Hallow's Eve is upon us, and Tales from Paradise Heights are proud to present two films, both set on Halloween on the Paradise Heights estate, both loaded with local ferocious and precocious talent, in front of and behind the camera. You can see both films on here today for free, but today only as the links will be taken down tomorrow. We're very proud of them, and more details on the films are below.

THE NIGHT DEATH PUT ME DOWN: A Tale from Paradise Heights

Tonight is Halloween, and Death takes a walk through the streets of the Paradise Heights...

The latest production from Tales from Paradise Heights and the first venture into animation, you can find out much more on the film's genesis at this link:

www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/the-night-death-put-me-down.html

Animated by the mighty Darren McGinn, with music by Justin Wetherill.

THE WATCHER: A Tale from Paradise Heights

There are many Tales from Paradise Heights...and tonight is Halloween.

A little girl sits by her window, scared by 'the man' outside.

A family man, begins his lonely night-time vigil.

A taxi-driver, begins a shift that he will never forget.

And a loan shark stalks the streets, still haunted by his past...

This is the Tale of The Watcher

You can find out more about the making of The Watcher at this link:

www.talesfromparadiseheights.com/the-watcher.html

This film was lovingly made by a fabulously talented cast and crew from Bolton, Salford and Manchester. The film is a testament to collaboration and to the determination, skill, dedication and passion of everyone involved.

There's a great documentary here too, from Ben Mottershead, that goes behind the scenes of the film. Click the link below:

vimeo.com/32017631

This Halloween is quite a special one for me. I've posted this blog in the early hours as by the time you get around to reading this I'll probably be in Whitby, with another talented band of amigos putting on The Haunting of Blaine Manor to another fabulous audience, in a haunted theatre, in a haunted town, on the haunted coast and in the shadows of Whitby Abbey - Dracula's haunted castle...I think I'm gonna turn Goth.

We hope you enjoy the films, see you on the other side...

Joe & The Paradise Heights Massive x

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Halloween Film Double Bill from Tales from Paradise Heights

Author

Archives

Categories

The Haunting of Blaine Manor

A Very Special Moment

PROMOTIONAL CLIPS

Horror is a Place

Scarborough is our last date of 2021!

Sinful Joe and his first Art Exhibition

I'm Frank Morgan: RewiRED -Award Nominated One Man Show, for FREE

The Full Show:

Author

Archives

Categories

I'm Frank Morgan: RewiRED -
Award Nominated One Man Show, for FREE