Written by the award-winning Esther Wilson, Tony Teardrop began life as radio play broadcast on BBC Radio 3 in 2012. Based on true stories, it’s a biting and sometimes humorous play about homeless people and people living in desperation on the breadline.
In 2013 the play was adapted for stage by Jen Heyes (Cut to the Chase Productions) and a site specific production took up residence at Liverpool’s iconic St Luke’s ‘bombed out’ Church, a favourite hangout amongst the city’s homeless community.
For marketing of the (un cast) production, the producers were gifted the use of mesmerising Portraits of the Homeless by acclaimed photographer Lee Jeffries.
I wanted the design to be faithful to Lee’s powerful work, his images were all square in format. I let this command the format of the print, so not to crop or alter the already beautifully framed compositions of dark desperation.
The key image featuring an implied lead character utilises two of Lee’s photos which I composited together, this was suggested by the producers in order to give the artwork a unique composition and not to confuse that it was promoting a play and not an exhibition to those already familiar with Lee’s work.
