J C Theatre Productions

JC Theatre Productions is the London based theatre company of the playwright Jason Charles. His play STEAM was performed to sold out houses and rave reviews at the White Bear Theatre in February 2006 and the Barons Court Theatre in June 2007. His play Counterfeit Skin was very well received at the Courtyard Theatre in Hoxton, 22nd January to 10th February 2008. Plans are afoot for his new play to be performed in London in Autumn 2008. Here are a selection of press reviews for his work:"This is a powerful debut, a psychological thriller with moments of high comedy. The sell-out run has already ended but it will surely be revived elsewhere soon. "The Spectator on STEAM at the White Bear 2006"Charles has a strong academic background in playwriting and it shows - Steam's structure is neat and nicely balanced ... He has a fine ear for dialogue, and for all the sex talk the play is never crass...All in all this is a classy, entertaining evening of fringe theatre that deserves rather more than the one-week stretch"MyLondonYourLondon on STEAM at the White Bear 2006"...The underlying message of this intelligent play ... Steam is all about preconceptions and the judgements people make based upon them, especially when it comes to themselves"Extra Extra on STEAM at the White Bear 2006“There are many interesting ideas here and some truly challenging questions raised throughout about the relationship between sexuality, violence and the consequences of repressing desire for the sake of status.”Rainbow Network on STEAM at the Barons Court Theatre 2007“Jason Charles is a skilled writer … what starts out as a light comedy soon takes a dark turn - skeletons come clattering out of closets and before you know it Counterfeit Skin has become a tale of infidelity, rampant masochism and potential violence - certainly not a show for the faint hearted. With plenty of surprises and shocking twists, Charles successfully mixes comedy with drama … this is a promising show with loads of potential.”Rainbow Network on Counterfeit Skin“Kristian plays Jake’s naivety entirely without judgement, spitting out his words with a beautifully misguided confidence. Rayment appears immensely comfortable onstage, bringing a natural and laid-back quality to Leo, while, as Ralph, Dean Lyle provides effective comic relief and a hopelessly romantic counterfoil to Jake.”THE STAGE on Counterfeit Skin“Jason Charles' new play Counterfeit Skin certainly pulls no punches.”Pink News on Counterfeit Skin“Sparkling dialogue is the trademark of Jason Charles, whose previous play ‘Steam’ played to sold-out houses and rave reviews. Mini-farces, such as Mach trying to get his lanky frame in view of the computer camera by lying under the desk at work or gyrating wildly to Madonna recordings add to the sound and visual entertainment.Aaron Marsden’s versatile set includes a bath, Jake’s room complete with sofa and cake stand, the company reception area, and even a theatre box, using ingeniously managed lighting.If the first half of the play seems to be a light-hearted comedy, the second part darkens into a psychological thriller as Jake allows full rein to his fantasies. Things escalate to breaking point until the nerve-wracking denouement.”My Cultural Life on Counterfeit Skin **** (4 stars)“Counterfeit Skin is a great story about love, pleasure, friendship, infidelity, fear of being alone and the need for emotional safety. All these profoundly human feelings are brilliantly brought to the stage here. Jason Charles' script flows along the play completely involving the audience in its story and its characters. Like a good book, not all characters are revealed in the beginning. Rather, they develop along with the play, surprising the audience with their true beings and characteristics. With all these elements combined: a great script, excellent actors, good direction and quality production, Counterfeit Skin has all the ingredients of a good play and achieves it! Don't miss it!”Remote Goat on Counterfeit Skin ***** (5 stars)“The play is so observant that it’s not a matter of identifying with one character, but with aspects of all of them. Jason Charles has created characters that are believable and tragic without allowing them to become caricatures. Overall Counterfeit Skin takes a bunch of unhealthy and destructive relationships and throws them under the microscope before picking them to pieces.”Boyz Magazine on Counterfeit Skin“Themes of domination and submission within these relationships, the effects of pain and pleasure on the respective protagonists and the shallowness and superficiality of some contemporary gay liaisons is put under the microscope in this entertaining show.”Islington Gazette on Counterfeit Skin“Chris Grezo is a fine foil for the ectomorphic seducer-receptionist James Trueman; he is subtle, measured and believable. James Kristian as Jake is stunning when he speaks passionately about his desire to be hurt and very capable of depicting the idiosyncrasies of a passive aggressive.”Camden New Journal on Counterfeit Skin“A decent example of that often difficult genre, dark comedy … Jason Charles has done a fine job of making these characters - stuffed up not so much by their parents as their past – sympathetic … It may be some time before I see a show like this on Shaftesbury Avenue, which is a pity.MyLondonYourLondon on Counterfeit Skin