The brand new film bringing raw emotional power and gripping storytelling to Manchester

When you see something stunning on stage, you long to spread the word so that more people get to see it for themselves.

But when it is a piece of grassroots theatre and it was written as a short play, with a limited run – what can you do to ensure it has a bigger audience when it is housed in a small venue?

Adapt the material into a short film and launch it at some film festivals, that’s what. This is the Manchester way of doing things.

Loving the Bones of You

Loving the Bones of You was written by David Payne, as part of Bricks, a series of short plays staged at 53two by local theatre company Red Brick Theatre, a Manchester-based theatre company.

The piece explored the effect of an eating disorder on a mother and daughter.

They both feel the guilt and weight of the secrets and lies, associated with this debilitating illness.

It featured two powerhouse performances by Karen Henthorn and Liz Simmons and reminds you of the work of Mike Leigh, as the emotions are incredibly raw and it is a piece which is unafraid of the power of silence.

Director Simon Naylor

The audience reaction was so strong, that it has now become a short film, directed by Simon Naylor.

What remains is a tricky and delicate relationship between mother and daughter, which is made even more fractious by the fact that an eating disorder takes away the everyday conversations we all have at meal times.

As there is only one topic of conversation and that is food.

Kelsea Knox has filmed an edited this film version of the hit play, and it benefits from unshowy camerawork, as the focus has to be on the stillness of a daughter who is dying inside, alongside the panic of a mother who feels entirely responsible for her daughter’s inability to eat. It is a disease and what Karen Henthorn’s character cannot grasp, is that this is not a choice her daughter has picked for herself.

She has no control of the worsening situation.

George Miller’s music

George Miller provides the music and the title track is wistful and as delicate as the characters’ state of mind, and their mental health.

Payne’s writing is pure and relatable, the only wrong turn for me in a piece so short, is the need to have an ending which relies on so heavily on conflict. For a piece so short, we need more back story or flashbacks to see what has come before, in order to get this place.

As a director Simon Naylor allows these characters time to breathe and does not fill the scenes with too much, this gives the actors the chance to showcase what they can do.

It may lack the intensity of being in the same room as these gifted actors, in a tiny theatre but watching someone attempt to force-feed a sandwich into the mouth of their daughter, still packs a punch, as it is an act of desperation from someone who knows their daughter is dying.

And they love the bones of them.

Loving the Bones of You premiere

Loving the Bones of You had its premiere screening at the Everyman Cinema. St John’s at the weekend and the next stop is the film festival circuit.

Look out for this Manchester short and remember where you heard about it first. The last word goes to Karen Henthorn who gives an unflinchingly realistic performance. “The team have done a wonderful job”, she says.

Referring to Manchester and 53two in particular she says: “We’re so lucky to be surrounded by wonderful human beings who are so passionate about their craft. And get stuff done and get things made.”