THEATRE professionals used Warrington as their base to hold a workshop aimed at researching and developing ideas for the first landmark production being staged at the new Shakespeare North Playhouse.
As announced recently, Not Too Tame, the Warrington-based theatre collective, will be co-producers on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the inaugural production of the new theatre, due to open in Prescot later this year.
The venue will feature a 350-seat theatre, replicating those popular during the Elizabethan era, alongside an outdoor performance garden, exhibition and visitor centre and educational facilities.
The first production to be staged there will be Shakespeare’s classic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and will be co-produced by Not Too Tame, Shakespeare North Playhouse and Northern Stage.
Not Too Tame’s Artistic Director Jimmy Fairhurst will co-direct the play, alongside Olivier-nominated director, playwright and actor Matthew Dunster.
Ahead of rehearsals, the Not Too Tame team took part in week-long workshops at the Pyramid Arts Centre in Warrington’s Cultural Quarter, which allowed them to explore and experiment with ideas for the forthcoming production.
Eleven professional actors worked alongside members of the Not Too Tame creative team and Matthew Dunster to experiment with the themes and language of the play using Not Too Tame’s unique methodology. This incorporates an abundance of music, physicality and a focus on making sure the audience are always integral to the production.
Warrington Borough Council funded the week of workshops, which was hosted by Culture Warrington at Pyramid Arts Centre, to help promote Warrington as a key location for the work of theatre-makers, and to support the work of Not Too Tame which aims to increase professional opportunities for performers and creatives based in the borough.
As part of the week, local performing arts students from Priestley College were given the opportunity to shadow theatre professionals involved in the production, including the director, producer, stage manager, stage and costume designer, as well as actually taking part in a number of the workshop sessions.
Jimmy Fairhurst, Artistic Director of Not Too Tame and co-director of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, said: “It has been an unbelievable pleasure to bring a cohort of the North’s most exciting talent to Warrington to explore one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.
“The fantastic support of Warrington Borough Council has allowed us to bring in world-class talent to our hometown and allowed students from Priestley College to have a unique working experience of helping us actively shape the production. Doors of opportunity and access are opening up in Warrington and we are determined to keep them open and help young talent through.”
Cllr Maureen McLaughlin, Warrington Borough Council’s cabinet member responsible for Culture, said: “We’re proud of our partnership with Not Too Tame, and their role as co-producers on such a prestigious production is their latest success story.
“I’m delighted that Jimmy and his team are using this as an opportunity to connect and engage with local people. These workshops have given Warrington performers and students invaluable experience in theatre production, allowing them to share their own ideas and vision for a re-telling of this classic Shakespeare play.
“It’s a great example of how our work with Not Too Tame is giving us new ways to connect and engage with our communities, inspiring and supporting local people who wish to pursue a career in theatre and the arts.”
Melanie Lewis, Chief Executive of Shakespeare Playhouse North, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Not Too Tame to produce a remarkable retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which will be performed here as part of our Opening Season. We thank Warrington Borough Council for supporting the development of this play.
“The role of culture in the lives of people in the North West of England has never been more important and the opening of Shakespeare North Playhouse and the access to performance of this quality will benefit people from across our region for generations to come.”
Not Too Tame will be holding open auditions for A Midsummer Night’s Dream as well as two free workshops – one for professional performers and one for students Year 11 and up. Dates and booking information to be announced soon.
PHOTO: Not Too Tame’s Conrad Lynch (Producer) and Jimmy Fairhurst (Artistic Director), with WBC’s Lynn Radcliffe & Cllr Maureen McLaughlin at Shakespeare North Playhouse
📣CHECK OUT WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO!
Our Incredible workshopping week in #warrington with Director @dunster_matthew ahead of our A Midsummer Night’s Dream co-production between @NotTooTame @ShakespeareNP & @northernstage
Full video & details ➡️ https://t.co/MPj50biqz8 🐴 pic.twitter.com/0xxFbA43ZO
— Not Too Tame (@NotTooTame) March 28, 2022
