Love in the Time of Lockdown is SwanWing Productions debut show.

Written and directed by Saskia Wesnigk-Wood the show premiered at the Brighton Fringe and received some excellent reviews.

Any money you can give will make ALL the difference – not just to this project but to the continued growth of SwanWing Productions and the audiences we connect with. We believe people of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities will relate to our sketches at a time when so many people are craving to watch a live performance. It’s hugely important for us to be on stage after so long and our thanks is reflected appropriately. We hope you enjoy the pledge offers and would love to set up lasting relationships with our supporters. Thank you for anything you are able to donate.

LOVE in the time of LOCKDOWN

Love never stops, not even during Lockdown, but it gets so much harder. These characters have been lonely, alone, or had not a moment of privacy. They have been brave or resigned, they've run away or stayed put, and some had hallucinations - or did they? In a number of scenes we meet acutely observed people from all walks of life: illegitimate lovers, the patient who suddenly fancies the doctor, those who call a helpline just to have someone to talk to, and those who quietly get on with their incredibly difficult lives. A young woman talks to her car, an old woman almost cries when her budgie kisses her on the cheek. Actors miss the limelight, but still have each other. This hour will have you laughing and crying and talking about how it was for you, for your neighbour, and for your friends. Everyone has a different story, everyone needs to be heard.

Would you like Love in time of Lockdown to be performed at your venue? 

Email us at saskiawesnigk@gmail.com

Risks and challenges

Due to lockdown restrictions we could only have 15 people in the Theatre in Brighton. We are therefore taking the show to Edinburgh for 9 additional performances. Your money will help with venue hire costs, transport, costumes and props as well as paying the actors. THANK YOU

Edinburgh Fringe

After its sell-out success at the Brighton Fringe, SwanWing Productions, formed during the national Lockdown of early 2021, brings new writing to the Edinburgh Fringe. Writing in East Sussex, Saskia collected stories of friends and neighbours about their sometimes heartbreaking, often funny experiences of love, loneliness and romance, especially as the prospect of an extraordinary, physically distanced, Valentine’s Day loomed.

There is a strong female theme: a female writer and great roles for women spanning different generations as well as a true acknowledgement of the momentous period that the Pandemic placed us all in. It is a piece of its time and at a moment when people just want to see some live theatre be prepared for it to take the Fringe by storm.

Writer and Director

Saskia Wesnigk-Wood

Saskia grew up in Germany and the USA and was obsessed with theatre from a very young age. She loved acting and writing and ended up working as an assistant in the big theatres in Hamburg, for TV and film, and at opera houses all over Germany. Being bilingual, she translated plays (The Woman in Black) and operas (by Philip Glass, G.F. Handel) and eventually wrote her own - plays, not operas. Fast forward a few years and Saskia now lives in Brighton where she works with costumes (Gladrags Costumes), as a drama teacher (Bournemouth Uni film studies), and always as a prolific writer and director, be it for the Brighton Early Music Festival, a rock opera: The Manifestation of Trim Tab Jim, Handel's Alcina with Opera Alumnus, or with SwanWing Productions. Saskia loves working with singers, dancers, choirs and children and has a background in community theatre, creating numerous pantos as well as a concert play about Saint Thomas Becket and a celebration of the medieval Feast of Fools. When Saskia is not in the theatre she grows food and loves her dog and her family. She has also been known to knit things.

Meet the Cast

Claire Coull

Claire Coull was an international PE teacher for 25 years. A firm believer in “its never too late” she trained to be an actor when she returned to the UK, 6 years ago. Since then she has appeared in a number of fringe productions and independent films. Recent roles include Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest and Polonia in Hamlet. At Halloween she can be seen frightening the locals at the Eerie Dawn Scare Maze and at Christmas you will find her playing Mrs Claus in various grottos around the South East. She is represented by Dee Boss Talent Management and is also a GCSE Maths Tutor, Yoga Instructor and a Samaritans Volunteer.

Olivia Post

Olivia Post trained at The Oxford School of Drama, since graduating she performed as an actress touring the UK and Germany, but then moved into Variety and a standup comedy double act; Gaynor and Post. She has several unique a solo acts which have enabled her to work across the UK and even the world performing in Japan, Vegas and in 2019 at the Kitchener Theatre in Canada. As well as a solo career Olivia is one half of the magic comedy act: Wattle & Daub. Lockdown may have stifled live performance, but despite the closed physical doors; the mind can still soar: After a ten year break, Gaynor and Post retuned in lockdown; co-writing and performing in a comedy podcast: “The Lockdown letters".

Jon Terry

Jon has been a theatre actor for many years and has appeared in numerous plays including Waiting for Godot, The 39 Steps and many Alan Ayckbourn productions. Following lockdown Jon is planning to once again make acting his sole focus and has a number of exciting projects lined up for 2021 and 2022.

Martina Greenwood

Martina is a formally trained actor, who has played roles spanning from Nina in "The Seagull" to Sibyl in "Private Lives", as well as working on new writing like "Son of An African" directed by John Worthy. Martina also has experience in Commedia dell’Arte, pantomime, touring, and short films, the latest of which, a thriller, is due to be released in the coming months. Martina has recently been cast in the new musical "Vengeance: the Demise of Oscar Wilde" in the role of Constance Wilde. Having been brought up in Switzerland, Martina is bilingual (Italian/English) and moved to the UK for her training. Now living in London, she graduated from the Academy of Creative Training in 2019. She also had the opportunity to study at the Sorbonne, making her able to perform in French. During lockdown Martina took the opportunity of remote learning to gain more insight on acting for screen with Mel Churcher. Martina is incredibly grateful to be playing three very diverse and exciting roles in "Love in the Time of Lockdown".

Gillian Fischer

Gillian is a Scottish Israeli actor who has trained in accredited schools in Israel, Beit-Zvi and the Sharon Alexander training Acadamy, ALRA in London, ACT4.TV run by Casting Director Michael Jackson, tutored by Joe Simpson, George Bukhari & Natalie Gavin and recently with Corey Parker at BGB Studios in LA run by Risa Bramon Garcia and Steve Braun. In the past 2 years she has created her own work in the indie short film circuit tackling social topics and receiving great reviews from Fraser& Mini Ayres from TriForce Productions. As she continues to write her own work, keep a look out for the next short form currently in pre-production. She has worked with acclaimed Director and screenwriter Will Jewel at the film and script School in Brighton and is looking forward to returning in the new academic year. During lockdown Gillian has opened YDN Radio Brighton, as a presenter and project manager. A charity internet radio station under the SABA group which supports independent artist from Brighton & beyond. Recently receiving community lottery funding to increase ongoing work with youth and other charities supporting mental health sufferers through creativity. Gillian is fluent in Hebrew and loves listening to world music. She can be found dancing and singing here and there and can't wait to get back to ZUMBA class. Loves chocolate, especially in cake form and is yet to break a bone!!!! Very much looking forward to normal life in the world of acting returning so she can land that next tv/film job! Loving this grand theatre opportunity and is looking forward to touring this amazing show with the her fellow cast members!!!

Actors Talk

Watch Saskia's interview with Mark Beachamp on Actors Talk Instagram Live