PAYNE: The Stars Are Fire
by Ross McGregor
produced by Christopher Tester for Arrows & Traps Theatre
Set five years after the events of The Music In The Spheres, The Stars Are Fire follows the phenomenal true story of one of Holst’s most brilliant students – Cecilia Payne – as she begins her groundbreaking work in astronomy at Harvard Observatory in 1923.
One of the first trailblazing women to receive a PhD in the United States, Cecilia soon makes a discovery that turns everything humanity knows about the universe completely on its head, and she must decide whether to fight or fall as powerful authorities try to silence her.
The Stars Are Fire is the powerful story of England’s most pioneering scientific explorer, telling a bold-hearted romance about one woman’s love affair with the stars.
The Stars Are Fire is part two of Arrows & Traps new repertory season: The Dyer’s Hand.
My nature is subdued to what it works in, like the dyer’s hand.
Sonnet 111, William Shakespeare
Able to be seen individually as two independent stories, or taken as a single epic narrative experience, The Dyer’s Hand Season presents two interlinking plays, told on alternating nights by a single cast, and produced by the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Arrows & Traps Theatre.
Performances: Tuesday 25 – Thursday 27 January; Saturday 29 January; Wednesday 2, Friday 4, Saturday 5, Wednesday 9, Friday 11, Tuesday 15, Thursday 17, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 February at 7.30 pm.
One matinee performance: Saturday 12 February at 3.00 pm.
Press for previous productions
This production gets it right in every way… we certainly advise beating your way to the box office to see it! ★★★★★ London Living Large
interwoven in a seamlessly slick fashion we watch mesmerized as this story unfolds…this show leaves you laughing, crying but ultimately humbled by the genius of a man who believed that all you need to make comedy is a park bench, a policeman and a pretty girl. ★★★★★ Sardines Magazine
All told, Chaplin: Birth of a Tramp really was excellent from start to the very powerful, and still relevant, ending. It is extremely well written, produced and acted and shines a welcome light on the life and, at times, the inner turmoil of one of the world’s most beloved entertainers. ★★★★★ London Theatre 1
Clever and compelling take on Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel… an incredibly well thought out piece of theatre that grips and entertains the whole way through. ★★★★★ Spy in the Stalls on The Strange Case of Jekyll & Hyde
McGregor has created a modern masterpiece, full of unexpected twists and turns… Performances from the cast of five are uniformly excellent… A triumph. ★★★★★ Stage Review on The Strange Case of Jekyll & Hyde
Ross McGregor’s spellbinding biopic is visceral, delectable, and true… Taro joins physical theatre legends Gecko and Frantic Assembly in its ability to thrill and engage its audience. Packed with sentimentality and warmth, Gerda Taro’s legacy is one to be remembered for generations to come. ★★★★★ The Upcoming
the most excruciatingly funny fringe comedy I’ve ever reviewed.★★★★★ Everything Theatre on Gospel According to Philip
this is theatrical storytelling of the highest calibre… Arrows & Traps have, once again, breathed wonderful new life into a classic with a production full of surprises, thrills and chills. Get a ticket while you can. ★★★★★ Fairy Powered Productions on Frankenstein
The White Rose really is a production where everything has come together beautifully… it cannot be faulted and, If I had my way, a pretty sharpish transfer to the West End would definitely follow this run at the Jack ★★★★★ Lastminute Theatre Tickets
Dates and Tickets
The Dyer’s Hand Season: Tuesday 18 January – Saturday 19 February 2022 at 7.30 pm
No performances: Sundays and Mondays
Tickets: £16, £14 conc, suitable for 12+.
PAYNE full performance schedule: Tuesday 25 – Thursday 27 January; Saturday 29 January; Wednesday 2, Friday 4, Saturday 5, Wednesday 9, Friday 11, Tuesday 15, Thursday 17, Friday 18 and Saturday 19 February at 7.30 pm.
Matinee performance: Saturday 12 at 3.00 pm.
There is a socially distanced performance on Wednesday 26th January
WARNING: This production contains flash lighting and loud sounds
Online: Click here
Box office: 0333 666 3366
There is no charge for online bookings Telephone reservations have a £1.80 booking fee
Our concessionary price tickets are for: full-time students, over 65s, registered unwaged, under 18s and Equity Members. Please bring proof of status when you collect your tickets.
Running time: TBC
This production will be run in line with the latest government regulations at the time of the performance. Before booking, please read our latest guidance on your visit here
Creative Team
Payne: The Stars Are Fire by Ross McGregor
Directed by Ross McGregor
Designed by Odin Corie
Movement Director: Will Pinchin
Lighting Designer: Robbie Butler
Photography by The Ocular Creative
Produced by Christopher Tester for Arrows & Traps Theatre
Cast
Andrew McLoughlin, Anneli Page, Deborah Maclaren
Your Visit
The box office on-site opens at 7.15 pm for the collection of pre-booked tickets, and to seat you early to avoid queues. There are only contactless sales on the door.
LATECOMERS WILL NOT BE ADMITTED.
Please arrive in good time for the 7.30 pm start, and to be seated.
Food and drinks are served at the Brockley Jack pub. If you wish to book a table, please visit their website
For our latest safety guidelines on visiting the Jack Studio, please visit our information page here
There is strictly no photography or recording of any kind permitted in the theatre.
For more details on travelling to the venue and accessibility please visit our Find Us Page
Watch the trailer / interviews
The Brockley Jack Theatre Ltd
410 Brockley RoadLondon
SE4 2DH
Principal Sponsor
South London and North Kent’s Leading Independent Property Specialist.
